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* Dragging people through the mud because of an internet search without context. Great…
Telephone giant AT&T has been subpoenaed by federal prosecutors amid a widening criminal probe encircling House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political operation, a source with knowledge of the investigation told the Chicago Tribune.
The subpoena, delivered earlier this year by the U.S. attorney’s office, is part of an inquiry into whether companies improperly used a stable of consultants with ties to the longtime House speaker as they pushed for legislation in Springfield. […]
Records show that AT&T has used several of the same former Madigan staffers and ex-Democratic state representatives as Commonwealth Edison, which was accused in federal charges unveiled last Friday of orchestrating a “years-long bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan allies in exchange for favorable action in the state Capitol.
Among those who have lobbied for both ComEd and AT&T are Tom Cullen, who served as Madigan’s political director and was considered part of the speaker’s “inner circle”; former Madigan legal counsel Heather Wier Vaught; and onetime Madigan staffers Liz Brown-Reeves and D’Javan Conway, state lobbying records show.
You’d never know by reading the piece, but Cullen hasn’t lobbied for ComEd since May of 2007 - more than 13 years ago. He and several other contracts were terminated by the company at the insistence of then-Senate President Emil Jones. I could go on, but what’s the point? This story is just a list of people without regard to whether there’s any there there.
How about we not smear folks unless we have at least an inkling it’s for a good reason?
Also, that 2017 bill they wrote about was used as a practice run for the budget and veto override votes later that month. That legislation wouldn’t have passed without heavy rank and file Republican involvement.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 9:57 am
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It’s Madigan and the Trib, Jake.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:01 am
To catch the big fish you must cast a wide net.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:05 am
ComEd has signed an agreement with DOJ admitting to a bribery scandal and agreeing to pay a $200 million fine.
The lobbyists listed in the article have made their bones because of their relationship with Speaker Madigan…PERIOD
They must accept the good with the bad. I’m sure the balance in the accounts, their mansions, summer homes, and fine automobiles will help ease the pain of a bad story.
Boo Hoo
Whos looking out for the taxpayers? Certainly not Team Madigan.
Comment by Altgelds Ghost Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:06 am
=== To catch the big fish you must cast a wide net. ===
But from what we have seen, the Feds aren’t looking into any of the people that were mentioned in the article, except for McClain. The only purpose this article serves is to be a hit piece against Madigan. Unfortunately, some hard-working and good people are being dragged through the mud because of the Tribune’s vendetta against the Speaker.
Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:08 am
It is remarkable how many news stories about Illinois politics warrant this criticism. News outlets know that Illinois corruption stories sell. So, they do stuff like this to give people the general vibe of corruption at all times. This paints neutral actors in a bad light and further alienates people from government.
The kicker is that there is little need to embellish like this. There’s plenty of real stories out there.
Comment by JJJJJJJJJJ Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:09 am
For decades the heavy hitter lobbyists have been white men, democrats and republicans mostly from Madigan, Pate, Cross, or GOP governors. Within the past 5 years a few women have emerged and some of the larger companies have taken notice. It’s no surprise that ComEd, AT&T and other companies would hire Liz Brown or Heather Weir Vaught. I don’t think anyone who knows either of them would ever accuse them of being slacker lobbyists or yes-women. The Tribune doesn’t care. It’s about tarnishing anyone who has ever been around Madigan and selling papers.
Comment by trollbait Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:11 am
Looks like the Trib simply typed “AT&T” into the search bar at the Secretary of State’s lobbyist database and the Board of Elections campaign disclosure site. Lazy reporting from four (yes, four bylines on that story) usually reliable journalists. Hate to knock them — I’m sure their editors are pressuring them for Madigan scoops, especially with the Sun-Times consistently beating them on the political corruption beat.
Comment by Telly Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:12 am
Once upon a time, the Chicago Tribune was a newspaper. But that was several owners ago.
Comment by Streamwood Retiree Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:14 am
Unfortunately, someone like Pearson who knows the ropes is on furlough from the Trib this week. Sad times.
Comment by Lt Guv Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:19 am
Agree with the review of the Trib article, but in defense of The Trib if I miss a political corruption story that WBEZ does I can generally catch a rewrite that is poorly researched version in The Trib about 10 days later.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:25 am
For the record, the Sun-Times and WBEZ do this type of thing as well.
Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:37 am
Sleep with dogs, get fleas. Zero sympathy for anyone on the Madigan side of things now or at any time over the last 50 years.
Comment by Flat Bed Ford Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:40 am
Trib try to be better please. Someone who worked for madigan more than a decade ago and has been a lobbyist for AT&T for less than a year is worth a mention?
And call me crazy, but does anyone think that a lobbyist, in the environment everyone has been operating in over the past couple of years, would actually go to madigan and ask for help landing AT&T as a client? Maybe they hired Liz Brown because she’s actually good at what she does.
Comment by Shytown Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:44 am
Isn’t Tom Cullen currently being investigated for randomly sending Kevin Quinn a check?
Comment by solution Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:45 am
In 2007 MJM’s 2nd cousin bought a phone from the AT&T store.. I fully expect Trib headlines and indictment soon
Comment by Wow Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 10:51 am
If you dig deep enough, you will find something. I heard that when Mike Madigan was in grade school, he paid off Alexander Graham Bell.
Comment by Bruce (no not him) Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 11:02 am
I find it fascinating the Tribune references bills that were passed at a time that none of these lobbyists worked for AT&T or ComEd. Look at the records. That’s factual. What’s the point?
What about the many republicans who have contracts with both of these entities? All of the bills mentioned in the ComEd and AT&T articles were passed with bipartisan support at a time when they were on both payrolls.
Comment by facts matter Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 11:26 am
Trib tries to vilify good people working government relations, just to sell some papers. SMH.
Dedicated professionals that work earnestly should not be tossed in with the bath water.
Journalism, much?
Comment by Madness needs to stop. Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 11:52 am
Thanks for giving us some history and context, Rich. (The Trib is now about $5 for a Sunday edition, and struggling for readers.) Madigan may emerge unscathed out of this corruption scandal, but the Feds have a lot of tools in their arsenal. Maybe a forensic audit will get to the “raisins” as Lincoln related in his day.
Comment by Top of the State Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 12:02 pm
“ Boo Hoo”
You seem nice.
Comment by 17% Solution Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 12:08 pm
=== Whos looking out for the taxpayers? Certainly not…===
ComEd… or are they not taxpayers, but customers.
Huh? Ugh.
To the post,
What’s disappointing is this idea that, without real context to the big picture of Illinois politics and governing, it’s like writing a book report using *every other page*… from “Cliff’s Notes”
If anything… anything… these types of reports do… they remind me how invaluable Capitol Fax, Rich Miller, and the community he created… are.
In some ways, it’s like a “drive by” filing, seemingly forgetting how and why pieces fit, and that it’s not a snapshot type of thing going on, this investigation is trying to show long term patterns… good or bad… in hopes to find corruption.
It’s meh.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 12:34 pm
@Back to the Future — If you miss a story on WBEZ, try http://www.wbez.org/news.
Comment by Chicago J Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 12:36 pm
==Sleep with dogs, get fleas.==
It’s the Tribune my lord in a Flat Bed Ford.
Comment by Bigtwich Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 1:25 pm
And Shallow Hal was so proud of his “scoop”
Comment by Jack Black Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 1:40 pm
When your side gets some of the same treatment that you dish out and now you want to whine about. This is the standard MO of just about every news outlet in the US today. Put out a catchy headline and draw them into an article devoid of the facts to back up the headline. The major TV news networks do the same thing, if you want to stay relevant in the news business it is about ratings and money.
Comment by Arock Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 1:45 pm
certainly context is necessary. and people named are quite nice. nice can still mean mess, totally clouted mess, and illegal mess. when you run the place, and ran the lobbying and you were close to Madigan for years, and things are popping up in another utility, there ya go.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 1:48 pm
== When your side gets some of the same treatment that you dish out and now you want to whine about.==
I have a side? I was dishing out something? What was it? I never knew.
Comment by All this Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 2:19 pm
Gee, yeah. I feel soooooo badly for Cullen. Poor guy. Must be rough.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 2:25 pm
Generally agree about this article. Probably trying to please subscribers.
But I hope someone is looking at the other utility companies.
Comment by Anonanonsir Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 2:45 pm
I cancelled my subscription today. They are nothing more than a tabloid and heavily opinionated paper. Actual news content is scarce.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 3:02 pm
Can we please move in to the Culbertson trial, Madigan will skate because well he is Madigan
Comment by Curious George Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 5:34 pm
==Can we please move in to the Culbertson trial, Madigan will skate because well he is Madigan.==
Hinshaw and Culbertson law firm are Madigan’s lawyers. I hadn’t read about Culbertson being charged with anything.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 6:35 am
=== Gee, yeah. I feel soooooo badly for Cullen.===
What caused that reaction? Did he drive over your skateboard?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 6:37 am