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* Sun-Times…
The feds say a man who once had an “unbreakable” bond with former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan should be sentenced to nearly six years in prison, partly for serving as Madigan’s “agent, messenger” and “henchman” in a lengthy conspiracy involving ComEd.
Prosecutors said [Earlier this month] that Michael McClain’s “tight connection” with the former speaker led to McClain “making demand after demand of ComEd to fulfill Madigan’s directives,” as a jury concluded in May 2023. […]
But McClain’s attorneys say he should get probation when he’s sentenced July 24. They said the 77-year-old former lobbyist once operated in an Illinois Capitol where favors were “not perceived by the vast majority of legislators and lobbyists … as being in any sense illegal.”
* Tribune…
Earlier this week, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore was given two years in prison, while John Hooker, the utility’s former top internal lobbyist, received a year and a half behind bars at a hearing last week.
Consultant Jay Doherty, the former head of the City Club of Chicago, will be sentenced next month. Prosecutors on Tuesday asked for a 15-month prison term for Doherty, saying his “discreet handling and willingness to conceal the true nature” of subcontractor payments to Madigan associates were “vitally important” to the scheme.
* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner…
That's lower than both Pramaggiore and Hooker, both of whom were given enhancements for lying on the witness stand.
McClain did not testify.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) July 24, 2025
* McClain’s lawyer urged Judge Shah to be “very careful” and give “the least amount of incarceration that is necessary”…
Cotter cites a recent cardiac incident.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 24, 2025
* Prosecutors have revised their sentencing recommendation for McClain, now asking for 36 months instead of the nearly six years originally recommended…
A prosecutor tells the judge the adjustment is based on the 24 months given to ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and 18 months given to ex-ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, as well as info about McClain's medical situation.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 24, 2025
* John Seidel…
Shah: "I appreciate Mr. Cotter's point about crude caricatures that have been used to label you. 'Henchman,' 'bag man,' 'fixer' — things like that — are crude terms. But they do convey a sense of your role here."
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 24, 2025
* Judge Shah’s sentence…
#BREAKING Longtime lobbyist Michael McClain has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the ComEd conspiracy aimed at illegally influencing former IL House Speaker Michael Madigan.
McClain and Madigan were longtime friends.
(Pic by Pat Nabong) https://t.co/YpoOg6Hpu4 pic.twitter.com/yoovdYQgMY
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 24, 2025
McClain is due in prison October 30th.
…Adding…
MacArthur now dismisses counts 2, 5, 6, and 8 in the indictment, which are the bribery counts where convictions were overturned
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) July 24, 2025
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 12:25 pm
Previous Post: Study shows Chicago homicides down 33 percent from last July, down 25 percent from summer of 2019
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No one gets in to see the Wizard.
Also, This sentencing is noted.
Comment by james Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 12:29 pm
=They said the 77-year-old former lobbyist once operated in an Illinois Capitol where favors were “not perceived by the vast majority of legislators and lobbyists … as being in any sense illegal.” =
That the best they can come up with?
Comment by Mason County Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 12:36 pm
Two years is not bad.
Comment by New Day Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 12:37 pm
First rule of federal criminal trials: defendants should never take the stand.
Second rule is, if you must testify, don’t lie.
Let’s call it the McClain rule.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 12:38 pm
Should have been longer.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 12:38 pm
No sympathy for any of the characters who turned our State Capitol into an Organized Crime Syndicate.
McClain openly and willfully shook down dozens of companies and hundreds of individuals and bragged about it perpetually. This was but one company - there were many, many more.
Those who do not and did not think it was wrong share wildly different values than most.
Comment by Really? Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 1:10 pm
I’ve never understood the argument that people who are old shouldn’t have to go to jail. That suggests everyone can feel free to commit more crimes as they age.
Comment by Just Me Too Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 1:12 pm
Perhaps there is no direct correlation but as we all now are paying substantially higher ComEd bills -it will be difficult not to think it was in large part due to this criminal enterprise
Comment by Sue Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 1:15 pm
A few random thoughts:
-McClain came off as kind of a doofus on the tapes and in the courthouse lobby photos during the trial. How does someone like that become so trusted by someone as guarded and sphinxlike as Madigan?
-Had to be a gut punch when Madigan took the stand and made statements that tried to create the impression that McClain was just another sycophant. He knew it was coming, but still.
-He should have pled guilty in the face of the Mount Everest against him. Those tapes made Blago look circumspect and thoughtful.
Comment by Brad Card Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 1:32 pm
McClain got darned lucky getting only 2 years out of this mess. If I were him I’d try to start serving the sentence as soon as possible and get it over with.
Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 1:41 pm
==I’ve never understood the argument that people who are old shouldn’t have to go to jail. That suggests everyone can feel free to commit more crimes as they age.==
Totally agree. If you are getting older or starting to have health issues, maybe its time to stop committing the crime.
Comment by ElTacoBandito Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 1:45 pm
We the ratepayers of ComEd cannot fathom how deeply they’ve been ripped off by ComEd.
Madigan and McClain should reimburse all of the ratepayers.
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 3:12 pm
=How does someone like that become so trusted by someone as guarded and sphinxlike as Madigan?=
He blew smoke Madigan’s way non-stop. Told the Speaker he was important and powerful and special for decades. The Speaker was understated, but liking the person who worships you and props you up is human nature. Of course, it made a doofus like McClain feel important as well.
A couple of common criminals in the end.
Comment by Really? Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 3:17 pm
The rosary that Mike carries in his front pocket sure paid off today. And to think, Mapes is serving 30 months after being given the Golden Ticket, six months more than McClain, and he was never accused of committing a crime. Plus, Mapes lost his pension.
Comment by Leo from Dolton Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 3:43 pm
===We the ratepayers of===
Please don’t make statements like that here unless you actually do represent ratepayers.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 3:47 pm
===He blew smoke Madigan’s way non-stop===
That was part of it. But McClain was also Madigan’s fixer. He was right when he said he really only had one Statehouse client.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 3:58 pm
McClain made out ok getting only 2 years. I’m kind of glad. I never liked the look of Madigan throwing him under the bus during his testimony. Madigan testified that he never really considered him a close friend… that McClain was a “free agent.” I thought it was breathtaking…. and revealed a lot about Madigan and his vaunted reputation of loyalty.
Comment by Ryder Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 4:31 pm
===No sympathy for any of the characters who turned our State Capitol into an Organized Crime Syndicate.===
Apparently you weren’t here for the Thompson / Edgar / Ryan eras when veto power / naming authority for Illinois US Attorneys was controlled by … James R. Thompson. And, they didn’t start it, just refined it.
Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 4:35 pm
This looks like the last nail in the coffin for the old Mayor Daley southside Irish political machine that ran Chicago and then the state since 1875 or so.
McClain walking on the whole Madigan trial RICO charges is egg on the face for the federal prosecutors. It’s like they have no real bad guys left. Has the USAO-NDIL done a thing outside Cook county in the last fifty years?
Comment by Payback Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 5:38 pm
==Mayor Daley southside Irish political machine that ran Chicago and then the state since 1875 or so.==
Did you miss when DuPage County Republicans ran the state? Anyone Remember made reference to it above your comment.
Comment by low level Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 6:46 pm
With all due respect, who exactly would represent the ratepayers?
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 7:45 pm
==With all due respect, who exactly would represent the ratepayers?==
CUB (Citizens Utility Board) perhaps ?
Comment by low level Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 8:01 pm
=== who exactly would represent ===
Just speak for yourself.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 24, 25 @ 8:45 pm