Ex-ComEd Executive to plead guilty to bribery charges tied to IL House Speaker Mike Madigan
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Fidel Marquez isn't a household name but he was a name known in the House in Springfield. Marquez, a long-time lobbyist for the electric utility ComEd, is scheduled to change his plea to guilty in Chicago federal court -- in a bribery conspiracy case connected to omnipotent House Speaker Michael Madigan according to federal prosecutors.
Marquez, once senior vice president of governmental affairs at ComEd -- made things happen politically.
Now, he's charged personally in a federal bribery case that allegedly put cash, jobs or both in the hands of those allied with the 35 year Speaker of the Illinois House-- Mike Madigan.
Prosecutors and a judge at the Dirksen Federal Building will take in his guilty plea Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.
I-Team: Tracking down Mike Madigan
The former, highly-compensated lobbyist, just accused early this month, is expected to plead guilty to arranging jobs and other perks for Madigan's political allies in exchange for favorable action in Springfield. "for the purpose of influencing and rewarding Public Official A in connection with his official duties as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives."
The feds accuse Marquez of working "to obtain jobs, contracts, and monetary payments associated with those jobs and contracts from ComEd and its affiliates, even in instances where such associates performed little or no work that they were purportedly hired to perform for ComEd."
Attorneys for Marquez have not responded to I-Team messages.
The U.S. Attorney in Chicago declined to comment on Tuesday's planned guilty plea.
The investigation of Madigan continues, he hasn't been charged and says he's done nothing wrong. Despite numerous calls for his resignation, Mike Madigan remains the longest-reigning House speaker in American history.
