Six months after a scandal erupted over sexual harassment allegations in Springfield in 2018, a longtime ally of then-House Speaker Michael J. Madigan He spoke on the phone with another to propose an idea: he wanted to find money for the defendant, who had lost his job.

“I’ve been trying to get some guys together to put in a thousand dollars each…for six months,” Michael McClain said. lobbyist Will Cousineau in August 2018.

They were talking about former District 13 worker Kevin Quinn, brother of Ald. Marty Quinn (13th).

“Except for the people who are signing up,” McClain said, “no one else knows. Except for our friend.”

A jury heard a secret FBI recording of that phone call Thursday. Madigan and McClain are on trial for a extortion conspiracy. Jurors have already been told that McClain used “our friend” as code for Madigan. And from the witness stand, Cousineau said he understood that, too.

Cousineau insisted to the jury that there was some “hesitation” in his voice during the call, which had not been previously aired in court. But on the recording, he told McClain that he wanted to be a “team player.” And he testified that his lobbying firm, Cornerstone Government Affairs, He ended up paying Kevin Quinn.

Cousineau said he felt it was “most appropriate for (Kevin Quinn) to do real work,” and emphasized that Quinn did it for Cornerstone.

Prosecutors covered a wide range of territory with Cousineau’s testimony Thursday morning. They occasionally reviewed issues from the perjury trial of Madigan’s former chief of staff, Tim Mapes, who was convicted last year, and the bribery trial of former AT&T Illinois Chairman Paul La Schiazza, which ended with a hung jury. last month.

But they broke new ground with Cousineau and McClain’s recordings of Kevin Quinn. Political consultant Alaina Hampton accused Kevin Quinn of sexual harassment in late 2017, and went public in 2018, costing Kevin Quinn his job.

The scandal so threatened Madigan’s grip on power that his aides turned to a major public relations firm for help.

Neither Madigan nor McClain are accused of sexual harassment. But prosecutors say the effort to help Kevin Quinn (and keep it a secret) amounts to evidence of the criminal enterprise Madigan allegedly ran.

Prosecutors say it was designed to increase his political power and enrich and “reward” his allies, and that McClain acted as his agent.

Defense attorneys made a last-ditch effort early Thursday to block evidence from reaching the trial.

Madigan’s attorney, Todd Pugh, told U.S. District Judge John Blakey that the Quinn episode was a “purely personal situation” and, unlike other allegations, that ComEd and AT&T Illinois paid Madigan allies to influence Madigan.

But Deputy Prosecutor Amarjeet Bhachu insisted that “this is a fatal blow” to the racketeering allegations in Madigan’s indictment. “There’s no doubt about it,” he said.

Blakey ultimately agreed, finding that defense claims to the contrary “are not supported by the record.”

Defense attorneys were expected to question Cousineau Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors have also indicated that Hampton herself could be called as a witness next week.

In recordings heard by the jury, McClain suggested to Cousineau that Kevin Quinn wouldn’t have to do any real work. He said Kevin Quinn could write “a report” to provide cover in case authorities ask about the payments.

“In case the IRS verifies this, we will also have a piece of paper of the report that they do,” McClain said.

McClain suggested Madigan was aware of the plan and told Cousineau that “the president intends to help” Kevin Quinn. Cousineau responded by telling McClain he would look into it, but expressed concern.

“Given the appearance of the misconduct, I was concerned that … he would register in the name of our company,” Cousineau testified in court.

In a second call with McClain, Cousineau said he thought he could help.

“Better than bull reports, if I can use it for five or six things,” Cousineau said in the recording, I would find him a real job.

Cousineau told jurors he was uncomfortable with McClain’s suggested charge, saying, “If my employer paid him, he would want me to work… I could use the help.”

McClain responded that he would make the contract with Cousineau “different” from others who were asked to contribute to Kevin Quinn.

On the same call, McClain suggested that Cousineau should consider starting another company where he could set aside funds to hire people if Madigan asked him to.

“At one point, I had maybe five consultants working for me and all they did was give me pieces of paper,” McClain said in the recording, adding that the separate account would help Cousineau be flexible.

“If he comes to you and says, ‘I really need help,’” McClain said, adding. “Every two years he has someone to take care of for a month or two.”

Cousineau told the jury that “he” referred to Speaker Madigan. Cousineau said he had initially been talking to McClain about the possibility of starting an independent company through which he could make contributions to the campaign.

“I think I raised the idea of ​​political contributions, but then he talked about creating them to hire people who might be solicited by the speaker,” Cousineau said.