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Judge Harry Leinenweber said the jury doesn't need an explanation
and that a detailed history of the corruption of the Chicago
political machine could prejudice the jury regarding the four
defendants.
Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John
Hooker, former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty and former lobbyist and
state lawmaker Michael McClain have all pleaded "not guilty" to
conspiracy, bribery, and willfully falsifying ComEd books and
records. Federal prosecutors allege the four participated in a
scheme to reward former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in
exchange for help with legislation in Springfield that would affect
the state's largest electric utility company.
Federal prosecutors had asked to call University of Illinois at
Chicago Professor Emeritus Dick Simpson to explain Chicago’s Ward
system, "including the operation of the political machine as it
works through the Ward political organizations including the Ward
Committeeperson, precinct captains and patronage hiring."
Prosecutors said in a motion that Simpson's testimony would be
"narrowly tailored" to "topics that are relevant to the trial and
will likely be unfamiliar to the jury."
The judge said the expert testimony wasn't necessary or relevant.
"The Court does not find that the subject of this proposed testimony
is so enigmatic to require expert testimony," he wrote in a ruling.
"Neither does the Court see how testimony of the history of the
Chicago Machine helps the jury determine a fact at issue in this
present case. The Court does see, however, how emphasizing the
history of corruption and election fraud that marked the early years
of the machine could prejudice defendants."
Brett Rowland is an award-winning journalist who
has worked as an editor and reporter in newsrooms in Illinois
and Wisconsin. He is an investigative reporter for The Center
Square.
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