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* Sun-Times…
One of the feds’ star witnesses told a jury Tuesday that ComEd funneled more than $600,000 to allies of then-Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan over several years as a “favor” so Madigan would be “more positively disposed toward ComEd’s legislative agenda.”
It’s a crucial piece of testimony in Madigan’s federal corruption trial, but one that comes from Fidel Marquez — the longtime ComEd official who struck a deal with prosecutors with the hope of avoiding prison after pleading guilty to bribery conspiracy in 2020.
Marquez delivered his testimony while discussing Jay Doherty, the former City Club president whose contract with ComEd was used to pay Madigan allies like former 13th Ward Ald. Frank Olivo and longtime Madigan campaign worker Raymond Nice.
Marquez told jurors Olivo was paid $4,000 a month, while Nice was paid $5,000 a month — both allegedly for do-nothing jobs. Prosecutors previously told the jury the scheme netted Olivo a total of $368,000 and Nice a total of $415,000. Neither has been criminally charged.
The payments were made between 2011 and 2019.
* Tribune…
As a senior executive with Commonwealth Edison, it was Fidel Marquez’s job to know who was working for the utility as lobbyists or consultants and what exactly it was they were doing for the money.
So when a cryptic email was forwarded to him in 2013 from Michael McClain, a longtime associate of House Speaker Michael Madigan, asking that ComEd shift a contract for one of Madigan’s top 13th Ward soldiers that Marquez had never heard of, he had some obvious questions. […]
What he quickly learned from McClain was that ComEd had been quietly paying two Madigan associates, former 13th Ward Ald. Frank Olivo and precinct captain Ray Nice, as “subcontractors” through consultant Jay Doherty, even though neither had done any work for the utility.
Now, McClain wanted a third person, 13th Ward precinct captain Ed Moody, shifted to Doherty’s contract too.
During the course of Marquez’s testimony, which could last the rest of the week, the jury will see several videos he recorded of meetings with his colleagues while wearing an FBI wire in the winter and spring of 2019. He quickly agreed to cooperate and have his cell phone wiretapped when agents approached him early one morning in January of that year. The jury will also hear many calls resulting from that wiretap. […]
After the call with McClain, Marquez said he informed Pramaggiore that he was filled in on the matter and that he’d move Moody from McClain’s contract to Doherty’s. But when he asked if he should then reduce McClain’s monthly rate to reflect that he was no longer carrying Moody, Marquez said Pramaggiore told him to leave it “untouched.” […]
Marquez acknowledged turning a blind eye to the no-work contractors as a prerequisite to improving ComEd’s historically beleaguered relationship with Madigan. But he also said he took steps to prevent a possible ethics concern in late 2016, when Moody was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Moody was moved from Doherty’s contract to another lobbyist’s.
“There may be an occasion where Jay Doherty would have to lobby Ed Moody, who would’ve been paid under his contract,” Marquez said. “So that would’ve created a clear conflict.”
posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Nov 6, 24 @ 9:09 am
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$600,000 is a lot of money. This is the first time I’ve heard it was that much. That will stick with the jury.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Nov 6, 24 @ 9:45 am
=One of the feds’ star witnesses told a jury Tuesday that ComEd funneled more than $600,000”=
The key word is “jury”; unlike the grizzled old political junkies on CF. The jury will see this scheme with fresh eyes.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Nov 6, 24 @ 9:52 am
@LincolnLad - I had the exact same reaction. That is a huge amount. It definitely wasn’t a good day for the defense.
Comment by low level Wednesday, Nov 6, 24 @ 10:02 am
Curious to see if Marquez gets asked to explain why his sentencing judge (Rowland) told him his penalties could include deportation. He told the judge he was a citizen
Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Nov 6, 24 @ 10:05 am