Ray Long

The four defendants charged in the ComEd bribery scheme are, from left, consultant Jay Doherty, lobbyist and former ComEd executive John Hooker, retired lobbyist Michael McClain and former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore.

As ‘ComEd Four’ shifts to defense, FBI wiretaps could prove hard to overcome

April 16, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

As the "ComEd Four" trial shifts to the defense phase, one thing has become clear. The prosecution's best testimony hasn't come from the cooperators who lined up to testify about...

Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore takes stand in own defense, says Speaker Madigan cared most about ‘staying speaker’

April 14, 2023 at 12:05 a.m.

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, the theater major from Ohio who rose to become one of the top female executives in the country, sounded Thursday like she could've been speaking...

Former top counsel to Michael Madigan takes witness stand at ‘ComEd Four’ trial after prosecution rests

April 13, 2023 at 11:05 a.m.

It could be a plot to one of his own James Patterson-style legal thrillers: David Ellis, a successful novelist and former top counsel to powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, was...

Ed Moody (left,) Mike Madigan and Fred Moody (right) as seen in a government exhibit presented during the "ComEd Four" trial.

‘I control the contract’: Longtime Madigan precinct captain Ed Moody takes stand in ‘ComEd Four’ bribery trial, says speaker set him up with lobbying deal

April 13, 2023 at 12:09 p.m.

A legendary precinct captain for former House Speaker Michael Madigan told jurors in the "ComEd Four" bribery trial Tuesday that the speaker got him a $45,000-a-year contract with one of...

‘ComEd Four’ trial delayed by scheduling issue

April 10, 2023 at 10:59 a.m.

The "ComEd Four" federal bribery trial is taking Monday off due to last-minute scheduling issues involving the judge overseeing the case, court officials said, but it is expected pick back...

Ed Moody speaks to 6th District committeemen about his qualifications for a vacant Cook County Board seat on Oct. 8, 2016. Moody was chosen to fill the seat vacated by Joan Patricia Murphy, who had died of cancer.

Legendary Madigan precinct captain expected to give ‘ComEd Four’ jury street-level view of speaker’s vaunted political operation

April 10, 2023 at 9:06 a.m.

In four weeks of testimony, jurors in the "ComEd Four" bribery trial have heard from a top staffer to ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan, current and former legislators from Madigan's Democratic...

‘We had to hire these guys’: Jury in ‘ComEd Four’ trial hears recordings laying out role of Madigan’s confidant as go-between for utility

April 3, 2023 at 8:32 p.m.

The far-reaching federal investigation into an alleged scheme by ComEd to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan was heating up in early 2019 when two key players described how it worked...

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