By Benjamin Cox on June 3, 2021 at 10:03am
Lawyers for four individuals tied to the Commmonwealth Edison federal bribery case have asked for charges to be dismissed. The lawyers representing Michael McClain of Quincy Anne Pramaggiore, John Hooker and Jay Doherty asked U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber to toss several of the key elements of the case, including allegations of bribery conspiracy involving jobs doled out by ComEd to associates of former House Speaker Michael Madigan.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the lawyers claim there was no quid pro quo with Madigan to help pass favorable legislation in the Illinois General Assembly. The filing argues that the U.S. attorney’s office has improperly used the federal bribery statute to criminalize job recommendations forwarded by Madigan to ComEd officials. The lawyers have called the job recommendations a routine practice within the bounds of normal spoils system-type politics.