State Sen. Emil Jones III testifies the FBI asked him to wire up on South Side hospital CEO
Jones, who is on the witness stand for a third day, made the disclosure during direct examination by his attorney, Victor Henderson, who was asking about several meetings Jones had with federal investigators after he was first confronted in September 2019.
Jones said that in early 2020, the feds asked him and his then-attorney to come in and give a proffer-protected statement, which is a often prelude to cooperation and means he could not be charged based on anything he said.
Jones said a prosecutor gave 'almost like a little PowerPoint presentation' for him and 'did all the talking. The prosecutor told him 'we believe you solicited, asked for a bribe, acted corruptly,' Jones said.
They gave him a few days to think about it, Jones testified, adding that he left the meeting 'devastated and confused.'
'I was thinking about my career and all the good things I had done,' Jones says, adding he felt his statements on the recordings had been taken out of context.
At his next meeting with the feds, Jones said, FBI agents 'put several pictures of people in my, you know, in front of me and I had to write down who they were.'
He said the FBI then asked him to wear a wire on Tim Egan, the CEO of Roseland Hospital. A message seeking comment from Egan, who is also Cook County Democratic committeeman for the 2nd Ward, was not immediately returned Thursday.
Jones started to talk about the 'scenario' the FBI allegedly wanted him to develop as an undercover, but prosecutors objected and the judge held a lengthy sidebar. After about 15 minutes, she sent the jury out of the room and continued having another lengthy sidebar in the courtroom, this time with Jones being included through headphones.
The development comes as Jones is expected to face a rigorous cross-examination later Thursday in his trial on bribery charges alleging he agreed to accept campaign funds and a job for his former intern from a red light camera company executive in exchange for his help on legislation in Springfield.
Jones, 46, is charged with bribery, use of an interstate facility to solicit bribery and lying to federal agents. The most serious charge carries up to 10 years in prison, while the others have a five-year maximum term.
Making a risky move to testify in his own defense, Jones has so far fielded friendly questions from his attorney as he blasted the government's star witness, SafeSpeed LLC co-founder Omar Maani, as a 'used car salesman' and tried to explain to jurors his statements on undercover recordings made by Maani that are at the heart of the case.
Jones denied ever agreeing to any exchange with Maani, saying he didn't trust him and was merely suggesting he donate up to $5,000 to his campaign to support one of the senator's many community causes. Jones also testified that his request for Maani to hire his former intern to a $15-an-hour part-time job was a routine recommendation and had 'nothing to do with' any red light camera legislation.
He also also had critical words for his now-deceased colleague, former state Sen. Martin Sandoval, describing the once-powerful head of the Senate Transportation Committee as 'kind of a bully.'
Sandoval pleaded guilty to taking bribes from Maani in exchange for being SafeSpeed's 'protector' in the Senate and was cooperating with authorities when he died of COVID-19 complications in December 2020.
Once the direct examination wraps up Thursday, Jones is expected to face hours of questions from federal prosecutors who will try to contrast Jones' own statements on the recordings with his courtroom testimony. Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolurri told the judge on Wednesday the cross could last up to four hours.
Jones is the first sitting member of the state General Assembly to face trial at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse since then-state Rep. Derrick Smith was found guilty of bribery nearly a decade ago. If convicted, Jones would be forced to resign under Illinois law and would almost certainly forfeit any future pension.
The trial, which began with jury selection April 7, had been slated to last only about a week but has moved slower than expected. U.S District Judge Andrea Wood said after the jury was sent home Wednesday that she hoped to have closing arguments either Friday or Monday, depending on Easter weekend schedules.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
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