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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.
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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