ComEd Verdict Could Be Bad News for Madigan
Madigan confidante Michael McClain, who was convicted in the “ComEd Four” case Tuesday, leaves the federal courthouse in Chicago.
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In one of the most high profile political corruption cases in Illinois in more than a decade, four former Commonwealth Edison executives, lobbyists, and a political insider and close confidante of former House Speaker Michael Madigan were all convicted of a scheme to bribe Madigan through contracts and favors for top associates.
Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former in-house ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, contract lobbyist Jay Doherty, and former contract lobbyist Michael McClain, a top associate of Madigan, were all found guilty of corruption charges including bribery conspiracy and falsification of business records.
McClain and Pramaggiore were also found guilty on three additional counts of bribery, each of which carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
While the issue is certainly impactful to ComEd and the four defendants, all eyes during and after the trial have now squared solely on Madigan.
From the Chicago Tribune:
The jury’s highly anticipated decision, which came in the eighth week of trial, spelled bad news for Madigan, since he and McClain face a separate racketeering indictment brought in March 2022 that’s made up in large part of the same ComEd bribery allegations. Both have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for trial in April next year.
It’s clear Madigan’s defense team faces particularly hard sledding due to his name recognition and a public weary of the state’s notoriously shadowy politics.
After the verdict, juror Amanda Schnitker Sayers, a veterinarian who lives in Chicago, told reporters the panel was well aware of Madigan’s stature in the case.
“I don’t want to speak for the whole jury about Madigan — we tried not to discuss him as far as outside of this case,” Schnitker Sayers said in the lobby of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. “But his involvement with this case of course was key, and our perception was that he really did cause this all to happen. If it wouldn’t have been for him then these people would not be in the position ... to commit the crimes in the first place.”
Schnitker Sayers said the scenario laid out by prosecutors was a disappointing reflection on state government and the corruption that often dogs it.
Asked about the defense claims that the conduct alleged in the case was simply politics as usual, acting U.S. Attorney Morris “Sonny” Pasqual told reporters that those involved in business and politics should seek advice on where the legal lines are, because anyone who crosses into bribery “will be on our radar.”
“This was not the $10,000 in a grocery bag in a back room, it was much more complex and the dollar amounts involved and the gain involved was much more significant as well,” he said. “We’re just gratified that the jury saw it for what it was.”
Pasqual, the acting U.S. Attorney, also pointed his comments toward public corruption.
“The state of Illinois unfortunately has a deep-seated public corruption problem, corruption that erodes and eats away at the people’s confidence in their government and in their elected officials,” he said.
“The behavior brought to light and put on display at this trial was shockingly gluttonous and unhealthy to democracy,” Senate President Don Harmon said in a statement. “We’ve taken concrete steps to discourage bad behavior. But most importantly, I believe we have people committed to behaving better.”
Harmon, of course, has failed to condemn Sen. Emil Jones III (D-Chicago), who is accused of taking bribes in a red light camera scam or Sen. Mike Hastings (D-Frankfort), who was accused of domestic violence. Harmon also refused to condemn former Sens. Tom Cullerton and Terry Link, resigned and pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Republicans, of course, jumped on the convictions.
“We have had an opportunity to tackle ethics in our statehouse for years. This trial has been a costly seven week reminder of just what is wrong in state government,” said House GOP Leader Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savana). “This guilty verdict has proven that the system of doing business in Springfield is broken. This should not have been the first step to rooting out corruption in Illinois, but after today, it is clear there must be a sense of urgency in bringing back the people’s trust in state government.”
Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) called for ethics reform.
“Today’s verdicts show that no one is above the law, and I hope it will be a catalyst for changing how business is done in Illinois government,” Curran said. “We need real reforms that shine a light on the process and confront the culture of corruption that has gone unchecked for decades. It’s time to restore the public’s trust in their state government.”
Speaker Chris Welch, who notably derailed an inquiry into corruption allegations against Madigan in 2020, issued a statement Wednesday morning.
"At every step, I have emphasized the need for due process and that the federal courtroom was the appropriate venue for questions of guilt or innocence. After reviewing the entirety of the evidence, this jury has sent a clear message that the behavior of the defendants was criminal,” he said. “Since my election as Speaker, I've been clear that restoring trust in government was paramount. I'm proud to stand with a new generation of leadership in Illinois who share these values."
A spokesperson for Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement Pritzker has improved ethics laws in the state.
Since taking office, Gov. Pritzker has advanced the cause of ethics reform in key areas, especially in bringing more transparency to the process and tightening requirements for lobbyists,” the spokesman said. ” The Governor believes we must restore the public's trust in government and today's verdicts are proof that no one is above the law.”
No sentencing date has been set.