Michael McClain, 77, a former Illinois representative lobbyist for Commonwealth Edison, was convicted of bribery conspiracy and willfully falsifying the utility giant’s books as part of the “ComEd Four” trial in 2023.
Prosecutors this week asked a federal judge to hand Anne Pramaggiore a 70-month prison sentence along with a fine of $1.75 million after she was convicted in the 2023 “ComEd Four” trial on charges including bribery conspiracy and willfully falsifying the company’s books.
The feds asked a judge to give John Hooker, a former ComEd exec, a prison sentence of 56 months following his conviction on charges including bribery conspiracy and willfully falsifying the utility company’s books.
U.S. District Judge John Blakey handed down the sentence Friday, four months after the former Illinois House speaker was convicted of 10 felony corruption charges.
U.S. District Judge John Blakey rejected Michael Madigan’s motion for acquittal or a new trial, setting the stage for Madigan’s sentencing to go ahead Friday.
The government on Friday filed its sentencing memorandum, arguing that it is “just and warranted” to sentence Madigan to 12.5 years in prison and hit him with a $1.5 million fine.
The deal that former Ald. Danny Solis made to work as a government informant ensured he would avoid a trial and keep his city pension, which paid him nearly $109,000 last year.
Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to reject Michael Madigan’s request for his convictions to be tossed out, claiming the former House speaker repeatedly lied on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense at his landmark corruption trial earlier this year.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois late last week filed a motion informing U.S. District Judge John Blakey that it will not move forward with a planned forfeiture trial following the speaker’s conviction in February.
The former 25th Ward alderperson provided key evidence that helped secure the convictions of longtime 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke and powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Specific dates have not yet been set, but U.S. District Judge Manish Shah on Thursday said each of the so-called “ComEd Four” — former CEO Anne Pramaggiore, Madigan’s longtime confidant Michael McClain, and ex-ComEd lobbyists John Hooker and Jay Doherty — will be sentenced in July.
U.S. District Judge Manish Shah tossed four of the nine counts on which the “ComEd Four” were convicted, agreeing with defense attorneys that the jury was wrongly instructed in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last summer that narrowed federal bribery law.
The General Assembly Retirement System of Illinois sent the former Illinois Speaker of the House notice by mail, according to the State Retirement Systems. The suspension comes days after Madigan was convicted on 10 felony counts of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud in his landmark corruption trial.
In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the verdict an “important message to anyone in government” that “if you choose corruption you will be found out, and you will be punished.”
Michael Madigan, once the state of Illinois’ most powerful politician during his decades-long run as Illinois House Speaker and chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, has now joined the long list of local and state powerbrokers convicted on federal corruption charges.
The jury of eight women and four men began deliberations late on Jan. 29. They have now completed 10 days of discussions without yet reaching a verdict.
 

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