Former ComEd general counsel gets to heart of corruption charges in ex-IL Speaker Mike Madigan trial

State Rep. Bob Rita abruptly pulled from the witness lineup without explanation

ByMichelle Gallardo

Monday, October 28, 2024

Ex-ComEd general counsel gets to heart of corruption in Madigan trial

Former ComEd General Counsel Thomas O'Neill got to the heart of the corruption charges in ex-IL Speaker Mike Madigan's trial Monday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Jurors heard new testimony Monday at Mike Madigan's federal trial, after the day started late.

Court convened an hour late, following some intrigue, as state Rep. Bob Rita, who was expected to continue his testimony, was abruptly pulled from the witness lineup without explanation.

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In his place came ComEd's former General Counsel Tom O'Neill, who, in his day-long testimony, got to the heart of the corruption charges against Madigan and his co-defendant, Mike McClain.

O'Neill described the utility giant as one which, in July of 2010, was in a "precarious financial position": a company in desperate need of a new way to set customer rates.

Tasked with helping to make that happen, O'Neill spent the next six and a half years going back and forth to Springfield, negotiating and drafting three major pieces of legislation that were critical to turning around ComEd's fortunes.

"I got asked frequently, if not constantly: Does the speaker support this? Or, where is the speaker on this?" O'Neill testified.

He said the company relied in large measure on contract lobbyist McClain for access to Madigan.

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"Mr. McClain had free access in the speaker's suite," said O'Neill, who went on to connect the dots for prosecutors.

They drew a direct line between the legislation pushes and a contract entered into by ComEd, in October 2011, with Reyes Kurson, a law firm headed up by Victor Reyes, a political ally of Madigan's.

The contract was agreed to just as the General Assembly voted to override Gov. Pat Quinn's veto of ComEd's first big legislative push. When some years later O'Neill attempted to cut the law firm's hours, as yet another ComEd bill was getting ready to be voted on, ComEd's CEO Anne Pramaggiore received an email from McClain.

"I'm sure you know how valuable Victor is to our Friend," McClain said. "I know the drill and so do you. If you do not get involved and resolve this issue of 850 hours for his law firm per year then he will go to our Friend. Our Friend will call me and then I will call you. Is this a drill we must go through?"

Prosecutors said the "Friend" was Madigan.

Ultimately, the contract was renewed several months later, right around the same time ComEd's third major legislative push ended successfully in Springfield. O'Neill returns to the witness stand Tuesday, when he is expected to be extensively cross-examined by defense lawyers.

Recordings of several phone calls between Madigan and McClain were played Monday morning.

In one of them, they spoke about a position that opened up at the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.

The former Illinois House speaker is accused of a sophisticated bribery and racketeering scheme.

Former Majority Leader Lou Lang took the stand Thursday.

Court was not in session Friday or over the weekend.

The trial could last three months.