Rock Island Today

New developments in the federal bribery investigation involving Commonwealth Edison and embattled Illinois Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan have included recently filed federal charges against a former top ComEd official, which may further endanger Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s push for a progressive income tax.

Fidel Marquez, the vice president of governmental affairs for Commonwealth Edison from 2012 to 2019, was charged by federal prosecutors last month with bribery conspiracy, according to reporting by Illinois Policy. Prosecutors allege Marquez orchestrated a scheme to pay Madigan allies in exchange for legislative favors from Madigan.

Illinois Policy quoted from the four-page criminal information in the federal filing against Marquez, which alleges that Marquez conspired to give Madigan’s associates “jobs, contracts, and monetary payments … even in instances where such associates performed little or no work.” Prosecutors allege this was done with the expectation Madigan would provide favorable treatment to ComEd in the state House.

“Charges via criminal information – as opposed to a grand jury indictment – indicate Marquez is likely to plead guilty,” Illinois Policy reported.

ComEd has already agreed to a $200 million settlement with federal prosecutors in regard to allegations the company arranged for $1.3 million in jobs, contracts and direct payments to individuals with political connections to Madigan in an effort to influence him, according to Illinois Policy. Madigan has also been served with a subpoena seeking records on lobbying and hiring related to AT&T, Walgreens, and Rush University Medical Center.

Documents in the case include communication from ComEd lobbyist and longtime Madigan confidant Michael McClain, in which McClain implied that a “friend” with connections to a law firm employed by ComEd and facing reduced billable hours would be upset if ComEd did not provide more work to the firm, according to Illinois Policy. The communication was addressed to ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore.

The ever-deepening probe into bribery at the highest levels of state government, coupled with ongoing investigations into other corruption, such as allegations Pritzker avoided taxes on a $331,000 Gold Coast property, may threaten the effort by Pritzker and allies to get voters to approve a progressive income tax, according to Illinois Policy.

“Not just the general circumstances with COVID, but also the burgeoning bribery allegations implicating Madigan and ComEd means the people’s trust in state government is at a pretty low ebb,” University of Illinois at Chicago political science professor Dick Simpson told Illinois Policy. “Because it requires an affirmative vote, you’re asking people to say, ‘Yeah, I trust the state and I want them to have more money.’”