CHICAGO – The second week of the criminal trial of the former Illinois President of the House Michael Madigan began Monday, as federal prosecutors continue to demonstrate that Madigan traded her power to secure jobs and contracts for her political supporters.

The jury heard hours of testimony from former Commonwealth’s Attorney Edison, who described a pressure campaign by Madigan to hire a politically connected Chicago law firm.

Madigan and his friend and confidant Michael McClain are on trial on 23 federal charges, including bribery, racketeering, wire fraud and extortion.

Today’s testimony focused on Comed’s successful attempts to pass a series of bills in Springfield between 2011 and 2016 that increased utility rates in exchange for modernizing the electric grid system.

Comed’s former lead attorney, Tom O’Neill, said that amid all the legislative negotiations, he was being pressured by Madigan, through Michael McClain, to hire a law firm led by powerful Chicago Democrat Victor Reyes, who at one point also headed the Hispanic law firm. Democratic organization and was a political ally of Madigan.

O’Neill testified that Comed agreed to guarantee 850 hours of legal work per year at Reyes’ law firm. But O’Neill said he later wanted to end the deal or cut hours because there wasn’t enough work to go around.

O’Neill said that’s when he received a message from McClain, who worked as a lobbyist for Comed, “basically expressing that we should continue to retain Reyes and not cut hours.” Prosecutors then showed the jury an email from McClain to O’Neill in which McClain wrote: “I’m sure you know how valuable Victor is to our friend.” This friend, O’Neill testified, was talking about President Madigan.

O’Neill told jurors he felt obligated to continue paying Reyes in order to keep Madigan happy.

The trial will continue Tuesday with O’Neill facing cross-examination by defense attorneys, who argued prosecutors were trying to criminalize give-and-take in politics.