Jury in ComEd bribery case set to resume deliberations Tuesday
(The Center Square) – The jury in the Commonwealth Edison bribery case is set to start a fifth day of deliberations on Tuesday.
The jury sent a single question to U.S. District Court Judge Harry Leinenweber during deliberations Monday. The question, which dealt with the grammar in the jury instructions, offered the only glimpse into what’s happening behind closed doors in the jury room after nearly seven weeks of testimony.
Monday was the fourth day of deliberations. The jury in former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s public corruption trial took 10 days before finding him guilty in 2011. That was the former governor’s second trial.
Prosecutors charged former state lawmaker and lobbyist Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former contract lobbyist Jay Doherty with a multi-year scheme to gain Madigan’s support for legislation that would benefit the utility’s bottom line. The defendants have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, bribery and willfully falsifying ComEd books and records.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged the four gave out $1.3 million in jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan associates in exchange for favorable legislation for the company in Springfield.
Defense attorneys argued they did nothing wrong. They said the conduct was legal lobbying, including efforts to build goodwill with elected officials.
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.
Madigan, who resigned after losing the House speakership in January 2021, has been charged with 23 counts of racketeering, bribery, and official misconduct in a separate case alongside McClain that could go to trial in April 2024.
