Judge denies acquittal, new trial for convicted former ComEd leaders

(The Center Square) – A federal judge on Thursday said the four former Commonwealth Edison leaders convicted last year of corruption don’t deserve an acquittal or a new trial.

U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber denied motions by former state lawmaker and lobbyist Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former contract lobbyist Jay Doherty. A jury convicted the four of all counts against them in May 2023. After the verdict, the defendants had asked for an acquittal or a new trial. Leinenweber wrote in a 94-page decision that they weren’t entitled to either.

“Ultimately, the Court cannot acquit on any count,” he wrote.

McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty have yet to be sentenced and it is not yet clear when they will be sentenced. All four have asked the judge to put their sentencing hearings on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court considers another case focused on the federal bribery statute.

At trial, prosecutors presented secretly recorded videos, wiretapped phone calls and hundreds of emails to show how the four former ComEd executives and lobbyists were “the grandmasters of corruption.”

Prosecutors said that the utility paid out $1.3 million in jobs, contracts and payments to associates of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan over eight years in exchange for favorable treatment on legislation in Springfield that would affect the finances of the state’s largest utility.

Defense attorneys said the four never bribed anyone and argued the conduct was legal lobbying, including efforts to build goodwill with elected officials.

Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021. He served as speaker of the Illinois House from 1983 to 1995 and again from 1997 to 2021. He wielded additional power as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

Madigan, who resigned after losing the House speakership in January 2021, has been charged with 23 counts of racketeering, bribery, and official misconduct alongside McClain in a separate case that could go to trial in October.

ComEd agreed to pay $200 million in July 2020 to resolve a criminal investigation into the years-long bribery scheme. As part of a deferred prosecution agreement, ComEd admitted it arranged jobs, vendor subcontracts and payments in a bid to influence Madigan.