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Hopefully, times have changed

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Illinois

In a new Illinois House speaker, scandal-tainted Commonwealth Edison may have a powerful new friend in its pursuit of locking in a controversial and profitable method of setting electricity rates that has cost consumers billions of dollars in the past decade.

As recently as 2019, Democratic House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch favored a long-term extension of ComEd’s soon-to-expire and highly lucrative ratemaking template. Federal prosecutors connected passage of the 2011 bill that originally authorized those rates to the company’s long-running Springfield bribery scheme.

ComEd’s so-called formula ratemaking expires in 2022 and figures to be part of talks surrounding a big utility omnibus that could surface this spring in Springfield, with Welch potentially playing a prominent role in its development.

The rate-making system put in place a decade ago weakened state regulators’ oversight of utility rates and essentially guaranteed ComEd would always turn a profit. […]

In 2019, allies of the company introduced two similar bills in the House and Senate that initially would have extended formula ratemaking into perpetuity, but later amended that extension to 10 years. Both Welch and newly installed Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorne Woods, were co-sponsors of the measure.

ComEd’s past behavior is not defensible. Going forward, however, the company is bound by a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors. That means the G is monitoring the company pretty closely. ComEd’s entire fate depends on it successfully emerging from that DPA. Everyone around the Statehouse ought to know that. So, Speaker Welch and Leader McConchie would have to be outstandingly stupid to engage in any hanky panky.

Understandably, the consumer groups are raising a stink, partly because it helps them kill any attempt to pass that costly formula rate extension. It’s the smart move. But the reality is that the legislature could finally be in a position where ComEd’s Statehouse operation is at least somewhat more about the merits of an issue than the company’s political clout.

At least, I hope so. As we’ve seen time and time again, people can be truly dumb. But if this DPA doesn’t stop them, I’m not sure what could, short of putting all the execs in prison and breaking up the company.

* Speaking of which, here’s another press release from our two US Senators…

Following an announcement by the Biden Justice Department that Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorneys appointed under the previous Administration were to submit their resignations by February 28, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) renewed their request that John Lausch, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, be permitted to remain in his position until the confirmation of his successor. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Durbin and Duckworth noted that there is precedent for U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Illinois to remain in office across administrations in order to conclude sensitive investigations. Durbin and Duckworth first voiced their desire to retain Mr. Lausch until his successor is confirmed back in November 2020.

“We have made our position clear on Mr. Lausch’s retention both publicly and privately, including in direct conversations with the White House Counsel as recently as last week,” the Senators wrote. “We reiterate today that John Lausch should be permitted to remain in place until the confirmation of his successor.”

In August 2017, the non-partisan screening committee set up by Durbin and Duckworth to assist them in evaluating candidates for vacant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal, and federal judgeship positions in Illinois recommended Mr. Lausch to serve as the next United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. He was unanimously confirmed by voice vote in the Senate on November 9, 2017.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 10:48 am

Comments

clear message for anyone that wants any public trust at all should be to stay away from ComEd’s criminal lobbying culture. Should have been obvious before.

Comment by illinoyed Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 11:01 am
=conclude sensitive investigations=

MJM (Public Official A) may be getting cover from up on high. If Lausch has the goods on him he needs to bring charges ASAP. The Charges would stick and become the job of the next AG. Absent charges the whole thing could be swept away .

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 11:05 am
==Understandably, the consumer groups are raising a stink, partly because it helps them kill any attempt to pass that costly formula rate extension. It’s the smart move. But the reality is that the legislature could finally be in a position where ComEd’s Statehouse operation is at least somewhat more about the merits of an issue than the company’s political clout.==

There are few, if any, legislators in any state house or congress that truly understand the complexities of electricity regulation. Just look to what happened to California in the 1990s when they “deregulated” and then got raked over the coals by a multitude of energy companies purposefully causing blackouts in order to gauge consumers. Unless the energy companies become publicly-owned, we will always have that problem, no matter what some lobbying operation looks like.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 11:32 am
Com Ed is a criminal organization. The attorneys at Com Ed should have their law licences revoked. Com Ed’ s monopoly franchise should be revoke forcing them to sell all infrastructure to another company approved by the ICC for $1.

Comment by Al Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 11:39 am
ComEd is toxic, as all utilities should have always been.

At what point do these folks (Gallo, McKinney) start going after companies like Ameren and People’s Gas, though, who have also gained enormous profits from unethical behavior? You can’t just wait until after the fact.

Comment by Ok Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 11:46 am
“But the reality is that the legislature could finally be in a position where ComEd’s Statehouse operation is at least somewhat more about the merits of an issue than the company’s political clout.”

The only merit ComEd cares about is $$$$$$$$$$$$$ for shareholders. In that context they will continue to operate as heinously as possible and crush whomever they have to. So has it been. So shall it ever be.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 12:48 pm
“If Lausch has the goods on him…” Come one man. the poor guy has only had 3+ years and who knows how many Jeff Session/Trump projects to handle.

Comment by Annonin Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 2:22 pm
“But the reality is that the legislature could finally be in a position where ComEd’s Statehouse operation is at least somewhat more about the merits of an issue than the company’s political clout.”

Let’s all remember the last time formula rates were reviewed on the merits - Gov. Quinn vetoed them.

Comment by Oxfordian Thursday, Feb 11, 21 @ 3:53 pm