What’s New

President-elect Donald Trump has been urged by former adviser Roger Stone follow up on his settled defamation lawsuit against ABC News by suing Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker for calling him a “rapist.”

“I certainly hope the president will file this lawsuit and based on the precedent set by his lawsuit against ABC, I believe that he would get a judgment against JB Pritzker,” Stone said in a text message to Newsweek on Wednesday.

Newsweek reached out for comment to the offices of Trump and Pritzker via email on Wednesday.

Why It Matters

ABC News recently agreed to apologize and pay $15 million toward Trump’s future presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit against the network and anchor George Stephanopoulos for incorrectly saying on air that a jury found Trump civilly liable for rape.

A jury found Trump civilly liable last year for sexually abusing former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and defaming her by denying that an assault took place, although the judge presiding over the trial later said that Trump’s actions met “the meaning of ‘rape’ in common modern parlance.”

What To Know

While sharing an article on former Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich calling for Trump to sue Pritzker, Stone wrote the following on X, formerly Twitter, earlier on Wednesday: “President Trump should sue billionaire Governor JD [sic] Pritzker who falsely called him a rapist.”

Pritzker referred to Trump as an “adjudicated rapist” on multiple occasions while acting as a surrogate for the Democratic presidential campaigns of President Joe Biden and later Vice President Kamala Harris over the summer.

“Donald Trump is a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist and a congenital liar,” Pritzker said during a speech in June. “He’s a racist, sexist, misogynistic narcissist who wants to use the levers of power to enrich himself and punish anyone who dares speak a word against him.”

What People Are Saying

Blagojevich—an outspoken Trump supporter since being granted clemency by the then-president in 2020 after serving several years in federal prison on corruption charges—called for Trump to follow up his ABC suit by taking similar legal action against Pritzker in a post to X on Monday.

“Now that Trump successfully won his defamation case against ABC for calling him a ‘rapist,’ when will he sue Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for repeatedly lying & calling him the same thing?” Blagojevich wrote.

What Happens Next

While it is unclear whether Trump intends to file a lawsuit against Pritzker, the former and future president has seemingly started a legal revenge campaign against critics and perceived political enemies before his inauguration on January 20.

Trump filed a lawsuit on Monday against retired pollster J. Ann Selzer, the Des Moines Register and its parent company Gannett for what he alleges was “brazen election interference” for publishing a poll that showed Harris with a narrow lead in The Hawkeye State shortly before the election.

CHICAGO – The prosecution rested its case in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Wednesday.

The trial has been going on for several weeks as jurors have heard from former aides, business executives, elected officials, and others about Madigan’s power and influence in state government and his alleged schemes to benefit himself and his allies. 

Attorneys are still expected to give their closing arguments in the coming days before jurors will be left to decide on a verdict.

The charges

Madigan, the longest-serving legislative leader in American history, was charged in a 23-count indictment for bribery, racketeering, wire fraud, and other crimes.

He’s been accused of using his influence as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and as head of the state’s Democratic Party to amass more power and benefit his private tax law practice.

Among other schemes, Madigan is accused of using his influence in government to pass legislation favorable to certain companies like Commonwealth Edison, the electric utility company, in exchange for benefits like no-show jobs and internships for his allies.

“When Madigan saw an opportunity to enrich himself, he took it,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker told the jurors.

Madigan has denied wrongdoing. 

His longtime confidant Michael McClain is also standing trial, though he was already convicted in a separate but related bribery conspiracy case last year involving ComEd.

Secret recordings

Prosecutors have played secret recordings made by witnesses like former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who led the powerful Zoning Committee.

During more than 23 hours of testimony, Solid told jurors that federal agents approached him in 2016, and he agreed to cooperate to avoid prison time for admitted wrongdoing, including bribery. He met with Madigan about projects in his ward as the former speaker sought business for his tax firm.

Defense attorneys argued Solis was an unreliable witness for past financial wrongdoing and misspending campaign funds.

Solis said Madigan’s influence would be helpful to him, so he wanted to “curry favor” with the powerful speaker by introducing him to real estate developers whom he could recruit as clients.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.