Amid the #MeToo era, it might seem like a career killer to testify under immunity at ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s federal corruption trial about a scheme to get an alleged sexual harasser a paycheck after he was fired from Madigan’s political organization.
But a year after testifying as a government witness at the Chicago trial — which ended in a conviction and prison sentence for Madigan — Will Cousineau remains a Statehouse lobbyist, records show.
And the company he works for, Cornerstone Government Affairs, is still making Statehouse campaign contributions — with roughly $70,000 given to more than 50 state legislators, among other political figures, since Cousineau’s court appearance last fall.
Among the recipients: Madigan’s successor, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside), whose Friends of Emanuel Chris Welch fund accepted $5,000 from Cornerstone this past August and another $5,000 in February, disclosure records show.
Also in August, Cornerstone gave $10,000 to a campaign fund controlled by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park.)
Through Cousineau, Cornerstone hired Kevin Quinn to help secretly keep him financially afloat after Madigan pushed him out of his organization amid the sex harassment claims.
The scheme was one example highlighted by federal prosecutors during Madigan’s trial of an unholy alliance between Madigan, lobbyists, aides and special interests that included the utility giant ComEd.
Three other lobbyists also were accused of helping out Quinn in the same scheme — all of whom remain registered lobbyists and campaign donors, according to a Chicago Sun-Times examination.
Lobbyist Michael Alvarez donated more than $60,000 to local campaign funds — many benefiting members of the City Council — over the last year, records show. Lobbyists Tom Cullen and John Bradley collectively gave around $2,000.
None of those men was charged with a crime. Cullen, like Cousineau, testified at the Madigan trial.
Cousineau couldn’t be reached for comment, and Cornerstone officials won’t say if and how he’s been involved in the company’s campaign contributions or which clients he deals with. The other lobbyists either declined to comment or couldn’t be reached.
A longtime government and political aide to Madigan before becoming a lobbyist, Cousineau testified starting in late October 2024. Madigan was convicted in February of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud, and he’s now serving prison time in West Virginia.
Other recipients of Cornerstone’s campaign money over the last year:
- Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), whose campaign accepted $2,500 in July.
- State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-Cicero), a deputy House majority leader whose campaign accepted $1,750 from Cornerstone in July.
- State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), a House majority leader whose campaign accepted two campaign contributions in 2025 totaling $1,500.
- State Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), whose campaign accepted two campaign donations this year totaling $1,000.
- State Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. (D-Chicago), an assistant House majority leader whose campaign accepted $750 from Cornerstone in July.
Cousineau joined Cornerstone as a principal in 2017, according to the company’s web site that recounts his time with Madigan without naming him:
“Prior to Cornerstone, Will served as senior advisor to the Illinois House Speaker after serving for eight years as the political director for the House Democratic Caucus and the Democratic Party of Illinois. During that time, he worked directly with the Speaker and members to shape, develop and implement the strategy and messaging for the members of the House Democratic Caucus and was responsible for implementing the political, legislative and outreach strategies for House Democratic Caucus members and all aspects of the Illinois House’s political operation.”
Other recent campaign donations from Cornerstone went to:
- State Rep. Margaret Croke (D-Chicago), who’s running for Illinois comptroller and received $1,000 on Oct. 28.
- Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez, who received $1,500 this year, as did Cicero Town President Larry Dominick.
- Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who doubles as a state legislator, accepted $250. He’s been under federal investigation over suspicions that he’s misused his campaign money.
- State Sen. Robert Peters, a Chicago Democrat, accepted $1,000 in May. He is vying for the 2nd Congressional District seat representing parts of the South Side and south suburbs.
Former state Rep. Kelly Burke, who’s also the mayor of Evergreen Park, was hired earlier this year by Cornerstone as a senior consultant specializing in “state government relations.”
In 2017, Cousineau was one of two registered Illinois lobbyists at Cornerstone. The firm now lists seven Illinois lobbyists on disclosure paperwork.
Among the clients: the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association that represents numerous road construction firms that benefit from state-funded projects, and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association that represents local hospitals.