Lake County Gazette

Former ComEd president and CEO Anne Pramaggiore has been convicted of her part in the ComEd Four bribery scheme. 

The sweeping probe examined an influence operation connected to Madigan. After four days of deliberations, the jury also found guilty former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker along with former house speaker Michael Madigan’s right-hand man Michael McClain and lobbyist Jay Doherty, who previously ran the City Club of Chicago. The foursome was convicted of scheming to pay $1.3 million to Madigan-connected people and companies. 

As part of the scheme, ComEd provided jobs – some of which were no show – and contracts to those with connections to Madigan who at the time controlled the Democratic Party and had wielded power as the state’s most powerful politician as the longest-serving state House Speaker in the nation. ComEd, the state’s largest utility, engaged in the scheme to influence Madigan in order to get preferential treatment in the state House. Prosecutors called the foursome "grandmasters of corruption.” ComEd paid a $200 million fine in July 2020 and admitted to the scheme. 

Pramaggiore – a former theater major – was seen among many as a poster child for success before her abrupt resignation in 2019 amid the federal probe, ultimately resulting in her conviction.

Pramaggiore shares a son, Jack, with husband Mike Harrington who is the president of Oak Ridge Investments which is described as “a Chicago-based registered investment advisor that manages approximately $3 billion for endowments, foundations, retirement plans, municipalities and high net worth individuals.” Harrington is a native of Findlay, Ohio where he serves on the board of trustees for the University of Findlay.

Pramaggiore and Harrington are noted polo enthusiasts.

The trial lasted seven weeks and featured 100 secret audio recordings from wiretaps. ComEd General Counsel Tom O’Neill said that Pramaggiore was deep in Madigan’s pocket. She said, " what's important to the speaker is important to ComEd," O’Neill told jurors.  

O’Neill also noted several subcontractors suggested by Madigan, according to Bloomberg Law, who reportedly did no work in exchange for the pay they received from the state’s largest utility provider.

The sentences have not been decided yet for the four defendants. However, each faces fines as high as $5 million and a maximum of 20 years in jail.

The 81-year-old Madigan was in power as House Speaker from 1983 to 1995 and then from 1997 to 2021. He was an Illinois House member from 1971 to 2021 before stepping down amid scandal. He is charged in a separate filing of 23 counts of public corruption related to the ComEd scandal and is facing a single count of public corruption from a similar scheme with AT&T. Madigan will go on trial in April 2024. Despite being under investigation, Madigan reportedly took part in the 2022 election campaign. Additionally, he transferred the last $10 million from his campaign budget to his defense fund.