‘ComEd Four’ trial, released wiretaps a lesson for Illinois lawmakers hoping for change

[March 22, 2023]  By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – As the trial against the so-called “ComEd Four” continues this week, more audio evidence is being released by prosecutors.

Last week, evidence released showed one of the ComEd Four defendants, Michael McClain, performing “assignments” for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Monday, more tapes were released where McClain was telling lobbyists to not refer to Madigan directly.

“So, if you just say ‘our friend,’ nobody really knows what we’re talking about,” McClain said in that Aug. 13, 2018 call.

In a separate call released Monday, Madigan is heard contemplating with McClain what message to send former Senate President John Cullerton over growing opposition to Madigan.

“And my advice is that he pulls the ads down, and No. 2 that is my request,” Madigan said in that Sept. 5, 2018 call. “And No. 3, John, you understand the position you’ve put me in, in terms of do something or I do nothing?”

More audio evidence is expected to be released in the days ahead as the trial continues.

During the trial Tuesday, state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, testified he was the sponsor of the Future Energy Jobs Act, a wide-ranging and controversial energy bill that state lawmakers passed in December 2016.

Rita told jurors that when he was presented with an amendment to that legislation that he previously didn't know about, McClain pulled him out of a committee hearing to direct him to proceed with the amendment.

"McClain told me to go ahead and adopt the amendment," Rita said during his testimony in front of the jury in Chicago.

And that's what he did.

"[I] went back into the committee room and proceeded to adopt the amendment," Rita said.

State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said while he never felt intimidated by Madigan, he’s glad he’s not been asked to testify. He said the “ComEd Four” trial is on the top of mind of all legislators at the Illinois statehouse.

“And it’s a real life experience being played out to teach all of us a lesson,” Ford told WMAY.

Ford contends things have changed under new Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside.

“Speaker Welch is a collaborator. He works with his caucus and he does everything to get input and consensus on issues,” Ford said. “Madigan, he worked for consensus too, but … there were some things where he probably just persuaded and wanted it to happen because it was in his estimation time for it to happen.”

State Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, R-Litchfield, who is back in the legislature after eight years away, remembers Madigan always having somebody else being the messenger. He hopes the revelations from released tapes and the criminal cases bring changes to how the people’s business is handled in Springfield.

“When people look at that and they know that that gets highlighted, then maybe it changes their way of doing business,” Rosenthal told The Center Square. “We won’t know for sure for a while, but I think it’s got the opportunity to do that.”

Madigan, who has pleaded not guilty to 22 counts in the ComEd scheme, is not on trial until next year. The trial of the “ComEd Four” continues Wednesday.

• Reporter Brett Rowland contributed to this report

Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of Springfield.