Mike Madigan trial updates: Star witness testifies in former Illinois House speaker trial

In his day-long testimony, ComEd's former General Counsel Tom O'Neill 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.

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

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.

"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.

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.

In his place came ComEd's former General Counsel Tom O'Neill.

Former Exelon and ComEd general counsel Thomas O'Neill took the stand Monday.

He worked at ComEd doing regulatory policy from July 2010 to December 2016.

He was the general counsel, as well. In January 2017, he became the corporate general counsel for Exelon until the end of 2020.

Now, O'Neill is a licensed attorney, who spends time in the energy industry.

He spoke about how ComEd makes money, and their previous financial state.

O'Neill then touched on two bills that passed that ending up helping ComEd.

He said he tried to move the legislation in Springfield, and met Mike McClain in the process.

McClain said "the speaker will run the bill" if they had the votes.

O'Neill was also registered as a lobbyist.

Recordings were played between Madigan and McClain, and, in one of them, they spoke about a position that opened up at the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.

Testimony is scheduled to continue Monday in former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan's trial.

The federal government is accusing Madigan of a sophisticated bribery and racketeering scheme.

His longtime confidant Michael McClain is also being tried.

Last week, the jury listened to the first of several undercover phone calls between the two defendants.

McClain's cell phone was tapped for nine months starting in late 2018.