Trial of 4 caught up in Madigan’s ComEd bribery scandal delayed by one week

The trial of four people accused of trying to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan to benefit ComEd will begin one week later than expected, a judge announced Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber said March 14 will mark the start of the trial of Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and onetime City Club President Jay Doherty.

Sun-Times File

The judge did not explain the reason for the delay. He said another pretrial conference will be held March 9.

The four were indicted in November 2020 and accused of a nearly decadelong scheme to sway Madigan by landing his associates jobs, contracts and money while legislation crucial to ComEd’s bottom line moved through Springfield.

The trial is expected to last as long as two months. Current and former members of the General Assembly are expected to take the stand. So is Fidel Marquez, the former ComEd executive who cooperated with investigators and pleaded guilty in 2020 to a bribery conspiracy.

Madigan is charged with the same scheme, but in a separate racketeering indictment. That means the trial set to begin next month could serve as a preview of Madigan’s trial, which is set to begin April 1, 2024.

McClain also faces additional charges in that separate indictment filed against Madigan.