Telephone conversation between Michael McClain and James Connolly | ComEd Exhibit 114-T

CASE TITLE: United States v. McClain, et al.

CASE NUMBER: 20 CR 812

ACTIVITY: Telephone Conversation between Michael McClain and James Connolly

DATE: December 11, 2018

TIME: 6:09 p.m.

SESSION NUMBER: 18318

(NON-PERTINENT CONVERSATION)

CONNOLLY: So, what did, uh, so what was your response on Will when th-, Will told him he was out?

MCCLAIN: Uh well, uh, I, I’m sure Mike was, um, more concerned about his father at that point. But, um, you know, Will didn’t like doing that but, uh, eh, he, he didn’t, ya know he’s brand new in this side of the bu-, the dark side.

CONNOLLY: Uh huh.

MCCLAIN: Right? So he’s brand new. So I, I, you gotta forgive him on making a bad decision. Uh, he didn’t ask enough questions, um, he should’ve called me, um, and so, when he, when he called me and says, “Okay, I’m gonna, work on the plumbers.” I said, “Oh really?” I said, “Did you, uh, talk to himself about this?” (Laughs.)

CONNOLLY: (Laughs.)

MCCLAIN: He said, “Oh, shit. It sounds like I made the wrong decision.” I said, “I think you oughta talk to himself about this.” (Laughs.)

CONNOLLY: (Laughs.) Hey.

MCCLAIN: (Laughs.)

CONNOLLY: I, I, uh, I, I always put feelers through you.

MCCLAIN: (Laughs.) That was a good one. I enjoyed that one. It, it gives me a laugh.

CONNOLLY: You know, it always goes back to that you’re nothing without him. Yeah, right?

MCCLAIN: Right. Yup, yup.

CONNOLLY: (Unintelligible.)

MCCLAIN: I always told these young pups, when they started lobbying, I said, “Hey guys, you only have one client. Long as you treat that client well, you’ll do real well for the people that are paying you.”

CONNOLLY: Yeah. Yeah, good. An, and you know what? I, I, I, I don’t look it like that, I just look it as, uh, to me, as, as a friendship. That’s all.

MCCLAIN: Oh no, but you’re, but Jim, you’re different. These guys, they all, they see this almighty buck. And, you’d be surprised how many just kinda drift away. You’d, you’d be, you’d be amazed. You’d be amazed. How many drift away because the almighty buck.

CONNOLLY: Well. (Laughs.) I’m in for the long game.

MCCLAIN: Yeah, me too.

(NON-PERTINENT CONVERSATION)

Read the original transcript of the conversation