(WTTW News)
A federal judge in Chicago has dismissed a bribery charge levied against Commonwealth Edison, months after four former ComEd officials were convicted of attempting to corruptly influence former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Monday’s dismissal comes three years after federal prosecutors first announced a deferred prosecution agreement with the utility, in which ComEd admitted to arranging jobs, contracts and payoffs to Madigan associates, some of whom did little or no work for the company, from 2011 to 2019 in order to win influence and curry favor with Madigan.
“With the completion of the (deferred prosecution agreement) and dismissal of the charge, ComEd remains committed, at all levels of the company, to the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior for our business, and to continuing to build the trust of our customers,” ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones said in a statement Monday.
ComEd previously agreed to pay a $200 million fine as part of that agreement, with prosecutors promising to drop the bribery charge after three years if the utility abided by terms of the deal.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur informed the court during Monday’s hearing that ComEd “has fully complied with the terms” of the deal. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to comment on the dismissal Monday.
Monday’s hearing comes more than two months after the so-called “ComEd Four” — Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist Mike McClain, retired ComEd executive John Hooker and ex-City Club of Chicago president and former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty — were each found guilty of bribery conspiracy, bribery and willfully falsifying the company’s books.
Prosecutors during the monthslong trial painted the defendants as a close-knit group of “conspirators” who plotted to give “a continuous stream of benefits” to “corruptly influence and reward Madigan” in order to get his support on Springfield legislation that would benefit the utility company.
Those four have not yet been sentenced.
Madigan has denied any wrongdoing and is set to go to trial himself alongside McClain on racketeering charges next April.
Amanda Vinicky contributed to this report.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
