ComEd bribery trial: Jury begins deliberating after prosecutors call defendants ‘grand masters of corruption’

Federal jurors have begun to deliberate the case against four former political power players who were labeled Tuesday “grand masters of corruption" for their alleged conspiracy to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan to benefit ComEd.

ComEd bribery trial: Prosecutors hammer at ?stunning? stream of benefits delivered to Madigan
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A defense attorney for a longtime friend of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan called on a federal jury Monday to ?be the shield" between a private citizen and a ?very powerful government committed, dedicated and on a mission to get Mike Madigan."

Prosecutors in ComEd bribery trial hammer at ?stunning? stream of benefits delivered to Madigan
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Federal prosecutors rejected Monday the idea that a ?stunning" stream of benefits delivered to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan by four political power players in his final decade in office amounted to legal lobbying, goodwill or politics.

ComEd bribery trial: Prosecutors hammer at ‘stunning’ stream of benefits delivered to Madigan

A defense attorney for a longtime friend of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan called on a federal jury Monday to “be the shield" between a private citizen and a “very powerful government committed, dedicated and on a mission to get Mike Madigan."

Former ComEd CEO testifies secretly recorded call in bribery case actually 'proves my innocence'

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore held her ground while being cross-examined by a federal prosecutor in her corruption trial Tuesday, insisting that a secretly recorded call central to the feds’ case against her “proves my innocence.”

Despite secret FBI recordings, ex-ComEd CEO tells jurors she didn’t view Madigan as an ally of utility

Federal jurors have spent five weeks listening to the voice of former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, caught in a cache of secret FBI recordings in which prosecutors say she conspired with her colleagues to bribe then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

ComEd bribery trial: Prosecution rests as defense says former CEO will testify
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Federal prosecutors rested their case in the ComEd bribery trial Wednesday, winding up after 17 days by playing more secretly recorded phone calls allegedly showing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan securing consulting jobs at the utility for associates in exchange for help moving legislation.

ComEd bribery trial: Prosecution rests as defense says former CEO Anne Pramaggiore will testify

Federal prosecutors rested their case in the ComEd bribery trial Wednesday, winding up after 17 days by playing more secretly recorded phone calls allegedly showing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan securing consulting jobs at the utility for associates in exchange for help moving legislation.

Longtime precinct captain says he was paid by ComEd to do political work for Madigan

One of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s former top precinct captains testified Tuesday that he believed hundreds of thousands of dollars funneled to him from ComEd were meant to keep him knocking on doors for the powerful Southwest Side Democrat.

'ComEd Four' trial delayed by scheduling issue
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The ComEd Four federal bribery trial has been delayed due to last minute scheduling issues.

ComEd bribery trial witness pays price on stand as defense grills him over his decision, his personal life

The intense and embarrassing scene came on the fourth day of Marquez’s testimony in the trial of four former political power players who are accused of trying to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to benefit ComEd.

Defense finally gets crack at feds’ key witness in ComEd bribery trial

Michael McClain laughed inside Saputo’s restaurant in Springfield as he shared with then-ComEd executive Fidel Marquez his story about his 2016 retirement, and how he handed his list of duties over to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

'How else can we help you?' Jurors hear and see Madigan's vast patronage system inside ComEd

A close confidant of Michael J. Madigan sat down with a new ComEd CEO in March 2019 and explained how the then-powerful Illinois House speaker had long viewed the massive utility as an “old-fashioned patronage system.”

ComEd CEO 'wanted to make sure that we did everything possible' to earn Madigan's favor, witness testifies

The government’s star witness took the stand at the ComEd bribery trial on Monday as prosecutors presented FBI recordings and internal ComEd documents showing the money went to people who allegedly did no work for the utility company.

'The speaker gets to do what he wants to do,' Michael Madigan is heard saying on secret recording

A close, longtime staffer for former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan took the stand in the ComEd bribery trial Thursday, testifying under immunity about secretly recorded 2018 discussions about House leadership in which a longtime Madigan confidant participated.

Defense tries to flip the script in ComEd bribery trial

The four are accused of trying to bribe Madigan when he was Illinois’ powerful House speaker by arranging for jobs, contracts and money for Madigan’s allies in a bid to benefit ComEd.

ComEd was pressured to hire politically connected law firm as it fought for key Illinois bill: testimony

ComEd’s former general counsel explained to jurors the pressure he felt in 2011, and again in 2016, to sign and renew the contract for the Reyes Kurson law firm. He said it largely came from lobbyist Michael McClain, who often seemed to be doing the bidding of then-Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.

Jurors in ComEd bribery trial will hear more than 100 recordings, federal prosecutors say
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Federal prosecutors told jurors Wednesday they would hear more than 100 recordings over the next several weeks, as the wide-ranging case against four allies of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan kicked off in earnest with opening statements.