Politics

Johnson Taps Former Federal Prosecutor Brought in to Clean Up After ComEd Scandal as Chicago’s Inspector General

Mayor Brandon Johnson tapped the former federal prosecutor hired by ComEd to clean up the utility giant after officials admitted that it engaged in a yearslong bribery scheme to serve as the city’s watchdog.

Johnson will ask the Chicago City Council to confirm David Glockner as former Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s replacement, the mayor’s office announced Monday. Witzburg left office Friday.

Johnson called Glockner “a seasoned public servant with the experience, independence, and integrity needed to serve as the city’s watchdog and strengthen accountability across our operations.”

Glockner was one of the three finalists picked by a five-member search committee charged with selecting the city’s sixth inspector general.

“The Office of the Inspector General plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of city government for the benefit of all Chicago residents,” Glockner said, adding that he was “grateful” to be nominated to serve as the city’s watchdog.

Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) , chair of the City Council’s Ethics Committee, said he was pleased that Johnson acted so quickly to name his pick to replace Witzburg. Johnson allowed several seats on the city’s Board of Ethics to remain vacant for months, and has yet to name a new chair for the board, although Vice Chair Ryan Cortazar has been leading the meetings.

“This is one of the most important positions in city government,” Martin said. “We want to minimize any gap in leadership.”

After it took nearly five and a half months to replace former Inspector General Joseph Ferguson with Witzburg, Martin authored a city ordinance setting firm deadlines for the selection of a new watchdog. Those new rules appear to have led to a “smoother and shorter” process, Martin said.

Glockner worked for Exelon, ComEd’s parent company, from March 2020 until December 2025, and oversaw the firm’s efforts to comply with a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors that resulted from the scandal that sent former House Speaker Michael Madigan to prison after being convicted of 10 charges of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud. Madigan’s conviction was upheld by an appellate court on Monday.

Four former ComEd officials convicted of conspiring to bribe Madigan were also convicted as part of the scandal. However, an appellate court is set to order new trials for the so-called “ComEd Four” — former CEO Anne Pramaggiore, Madigan’s longtime confidant Michael McClain and ex-ComEd lobbyists John Hooker and Jay Doherty.

Before joining ComEd, Glockner worked for Citadel, the firm founded by former Illinoisan Ken Griffin, as its chief compliance officer.

Glockner has spent most of his career in the public sector, serving for four years as the regional director of the Securities and Exchange Commission and nearly 25 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois, where he served as the chief of the criminal division from 2002 to 2012.

Glockner’s resume indicates he will bring a significant amount of experience to the office, which is responsible for both auditing city operations and probing suspected cases of waste, fraud and abuse, said Martin, adding that he looks forward to speaking with him about his plans for the office.

“I’m looking for a firm commitment to independence, even when that will ruffle feathers,” Martin said.

Witzburg declined to seek a second term as inspector general after she repeatedly clashed with Johnson over a number of issues, including efforts to rid the Chicago Police Department of officers with ties to extremist groups and the mayor’s reporting of gifts.

Earlier this month, Johnson told reporters he was looking for an inspector general who is willing to collaborate with all city departments and agencies and joked it would be “nice if they were a Cubs fan.”

“The city of Chicago is open for business but not for sale,” Johnson said. “We want to make sure we are open and transparent, while weeding out any sprinkles of corruption.”

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]

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