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ComEd’s legal tab quadruples during probe

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Illinois

* Tony Arnold and Dan Mihalopoulos at WBEZ…

Amid a sprawling federal corruption probe, Commonwealth Edison quadrupled its payments last year to a powerhouse Chicago-based law firm that’s representing the utility giant in the investigation of its Springfield lobbying practices, WBEZ has learned.

Federal regulatory documents show ComEd paid Jenner & Block nearly $2.4 million in 2019 — more than what the power company had reported paying the law firm in the previous four years combined.

WBEZ first reported last year the feds are investigating whether ComEd hired politically connected consultants — some with ties to powerful Illinois House Speaker and state Democratic Party boss Michael Madigan — in order to win favorable government actions in Springfield, including electricity rate hikes. […]

Two sources with knowledge of the federal probe told WBEZ that Jenner & Block is helping the company deal with federal authorities who are conducting the investigation.

In addition, two former consultants for ComEd said they had been contacted by the company to see whether they would sit for interviews with Jenner & Block attorneys as part of the utility’s own internal investigation. According to one of the former ComEd consultants, who was interviewed, the lawyers for the company made clear they were sharing their findings with the feds.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 11:01 am

Comments

Congrats to WBEZ on the great job they are doing on reporting on the ComEd story.

Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 11:17 am
That’s paying a good-sized team of litigators at a litigation-heavy large firm for a good chunk of their available time.

Also the admonitions mentioned at the end of the blurb there are appropriate. If ComEd is cooperating, then the lawyers need to make it clear during interviews that they represent the company and its interests, and they may not be the same as those of the interviewees. Appropriate to let the interviewee consider if they need their own representation. Standard corporate internal investigation procedure.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 11:23 am
Jenner and Block are “cleaning up” on the corruption in Illinois . Friends of Edward M Burke paid the firm $725,154.77

http://illinoissunshine.org/committees/4410/

Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 12:02 pm
Jenner and Block also is getting sued over their rent . I suspect it’s to get clients who also want out of leases. Would not want to own office or retail ….

Comment by Not a Billionaire Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 12:30 pm
Once any illegal activity is proven, it would be nice if those top executives who where in charge spent some real time u prison and also forfeited a few years pay and all of their bonuses and pensions. I am tired of large corporations paying a “penalty” and promising never to do it again while executives go Scott free

Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 12:38 pm
I find it hard to believe Alderman Burke never wanted any part of the ComEd gravy train.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 12:43 pm
Is a good thing. Some of those ComEd folks at the Capital were not worth their weight in salt.

Comment by Looking at Consultants... Wednesday, Jun 17, 20 @ 12:47 pm