Good afternoon, Chicago.
The jury in Michael Madigan’s corruption trial has heard many nicknames given to the powerful Democratic House Speaker, from the obvious, such as “MJM” or “Mr. Speaker,” to the more esoteric such as “Himself” and “our Friend.”
But on Monday they heard a new one: “Sphinx.”
That was the moniker applied to Madigan by some members of JB Pritzker’s team after Pritzker’s election in 2018, according to U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, who was a top Pritzker aide before her election to Congress in 2022.
The nickname, a reference to the mythical figure of Egyptian pharaohs typically used to convey strength and ferocity, was used in an email shown during Budzinski’s testimony referencing a job recommendation from Madigan for Pritzker’s new administration.
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