* WBEZ…
Federal investigators are looking into allegations that Commonwealth Edison hired multiple politically connected employees and consultants in exchange for favorable government actions, including electricity rate increases, WBEZ has learned.
A source involved in the investigation said authorities believe many of the clout hires at the state’s largest electric utility got paid but did little or no work, and some of them have ties to Illinois House Speaker and state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan of Chicago.
In another previously undisclosed development, agents investigating those hires are also probing the role played by Jay Doherty, a longtime lobbyist for ComEd and president of the City Club of Chicago, the source said. The City Club is a prominent public affairs speaking forum that’s a regular stop for Illinois’ top politicians. […]
On Thursday, the lobbying firm of Michael Kasper, a top legal aide and advisor to Madigan, informed the state that it had ended its relationship with John Hooker, a lobbyist with decades-long ties to ComEd.
Go read the rest.
Hooker crafted ComEd’s Statehouse comeback from the abyss with Mike McClain. He later lobbied for ComEd through Kasper’s firm. He has no other listed affiliations on the state lobbyist list.
Doherty is still listed as a registered ComEd lobbyist as of 1:58 this afternoon.
*** UPDATE *** Attorney General Kwame Raoul is scheduled to speak at the City Club next week. I asked his press office if he still planned to attend in light of today’s WBEZ report…
Yes, we still plan to speak before the City Club on Monday. We are looking forward to the opportunity to share updates from our office with attendees, as well as the media.
- Unpopular - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:05 pm:
this is great news.
- Responsa - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:17 pm:
==”This year alone, ComEd and Exelon Generation lobbyists have reported spending more than $47,000 wining and dining legislators, state records show.
That total is more than what Springfield heavyweights including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, AT&T, the Illinois State Medical Society, Comcast, the Illinois Education Association, Caterpillar and State Farm have spent on lobbying expenses this year combined.”==
Wow. There’s some really bad juju and increasing stench hovering around Com Ed and Exelon– not to mention the beneficiaries of their largesse.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:17 pm:
Ok, now I’m depressed. I genuinely enjoy the City Club, and even though Doherty is no Paul Green, he has been fine. What’s next? Is Phil Ponce secretly apart of the mafia? Alpana Singh’s career as a sommelier is secretly a front for her connections La Costa Nostra.
- Fav Human - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:18 pm:
Well, this is indeed interesting. I wonder how quickly the “external lawyers” hired by Exelon board will be serving those names up to the Feds?
And if they had the attitude of “mr. untouchable” earlier this week, how many of the clout workers have already been ratted out to the FBI by upset co-workers?
- Responsa - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:24 pm:
== What’s next? Is Phil Ponce secretly apart of the mafia? Alpana Singh’s career as a sommelier is secretly a front for her connections La Costa Nostra.==
LOL. We all need a laugh. And what about Carol Marin?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:30 pm:
===We all need a laugh===
I’m right this moment trying to figure out what to do about my annual City Club speech. They reached out to me this week to set a date and I haven’t yet gotten back to them. Pretty upset they knew about this raid and kept on keeping on without telling anyone.
Of course, the comedy potential is boundless for a speech like that. But will the CC even exist by December?
- NIU Grad - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:33 pm:
City Club needs to clean house. Fast.
- independent - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:33 pm:
Its a excuse to have a needy kids Xmas party at the restaurant of your choice so the kids still get something from Santa. problem is you might have to limit that only people not mentioned in raids can contribute and attend
- Big Lou - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:34 pm:
I can see it now. The City Club ad that runs on channel 11 now includes the various speakers they highlight in their brady bunch esque photo montage behind bars.
- Steve - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:35 pm:
‘Loyalty and Gratitude’ … When Jay Doherty Introduced Alderman Ed Burke at The City Club in 2018.
https://nalert.blogspot.com/2019/10/loyalty-and-gratitude-when-jay-doherty.html
- Helm - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:36 pm:
Doherty has always leveraged the CC into his lobbying practice. Present at the CC and get a nice mug. Three weeks later get a call from Jay shilling for a client before your agency when he’s never had one before. He’s unapologetically conflicted. How anyone is surprised is beyond me.
- Soccermom - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:36 pm:
Yikes.
I can’t deal with the news any more.
- Big Lou - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:38 pm:
===Doherty has always leveraged the CC into his lobbying practice===
I also heard he used it to hit speakers up for jobs after they spoke.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:43 pm:
“I’m right this moment trying to figure out what to do about my annual City Club speech. *** But will the CC even exist by December?”
Do it at the Hideout. I can make a few calls.
– MrJM
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:43 pm:
The City Club needs to not just throw Doherty under the bus, but use a high pressurized cannon to shoot him under the bus. I’m surprised they haven’t done so already.
Just my opinion, but I’d still go to the Christmas thing. It’s a charity event, and one bad episode should spoil 100 plus years of (seemingly) good public service.
- That Guy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:44 pm:
Did Paul Green have any side gig other than CC? Academics right?
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:46 pm:
–what to do about my annual City Club speech.–
Do it remotely from an “undisclosed location.”
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:48 pm:
–Did Paul Green have any side gig other than CC? Academics right?–
He was also a writer and local TV and radio pundit. Connections surely helped with that, but nothing like what we are talking about here.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:48 pm:
===Do it at the Hideout. I can make a few calls.===
I saw Steve Brown do Ben Joravsky’s and Mick Dumke’s show at the Hideout. It was pretty, pretty strange.
- Steve - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:49 pm:
If Jay Doherty steps down from the City Club.. I nominate Oswego Willy to be president of the City Club.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:49 pm:
===Academics right?===
Roosevelt University and before that Governors State.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:51 pm:
–Do it at the Hideout.–
Maybe not the most appropriate name right now. /s
- Birdseed - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 2:59 pm:
Analysts at Mizuho Securities USA, a New York investment bank, issued a report Wednesday expressing concern about Exelon and the investigation.
“Potential grand jury indictments of Exelon lobbyists in the Madigan/Sandoval investigations could derail attempts by the company to obtain passage of legislation in Illinois next year,” the Mizuho analysts wrote, citing the company’s hopes of winning state funding for its nuclear plants.
- Responsa - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:00 pm:
I am interested in knowing more about the choices and decision process that culminated with Mr. Doherty succeeding Mr. Green at the City Club.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:11 pm:
===culminated with Mr. Doherty succeeding Mr. Green===
Paul was a board member. Jay is the president.
- Red Ranger - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
First Ed Burke and now the estimable Jay Doherty, methinks that Sneed wont have any one to write about soon.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:27 pm:
==Do it at the Hideout==
Yes! First Tuesdays with Mick and Ben (minus Mick according to this week’s Reader.)
- Anon For Now - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:33 pm:
Weeks like these make me miss the insites of Slats Grobnik.
- Steve - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
- Red Ranger -
There’s always Anne Burke who will be Chief Justice of Illinois very soon .
- SSL - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:51 pm:
You have to give the Dems credit. Instead of ghost payrollers in public jobs, hide them on a public company’s payroll. All you have to do is sell out the taxpayer to that public company, and everyone is happy. I hope there are enough of them that sing like canaries so they can get to the head of the snake. If that head has an apple in it’s mouth, all the better.
- Sue - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 3:55 pm:
Is this a great State or what. John Kiss probably is working on his Sunday piece right now. Maybe like the Dems keep track of the national deficit- Kass can start a real live tracker on Illinois outbound moves
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 4:14 pm:
I’d LOVE to see it at The Hideout.
Club Fed?
Jay Doherty, the ageless and priceless dinner companion to Anne Burke, the Chief Justice of Illinois’ Supreme Court, abd the formerly powerful committee chairman now indicted Alderman Ed Burke were all over the moon taking dining plans. Sneedless to say, not a good time is being had by any of them, and the code words at dinner were confusing to the wait staff.
Will Club Fed be their next dining place?
Stay tuned.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
- Steve -
When a certain bar is opened in the underground loop pedestrian walkway with a secret entrance, that’s probably the only club that *may* allow me to hang out there.
- Steve - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 4:30 pm:
OW
You need to get a more positive attitude towards this subject. The City Club is about friendship. You are just man .
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 18, 19 @ 4:32 pm:
Only your tolling wants me hosting anything, including the City Club.
“Do you know Babe Ruth?”
“No, I’ve never heard her sing”
Happy Friday.