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* This Mark Brown column is definitely a solid take…
The folks at ComEd were so eager to suck up to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan that they even allegedly fixed their internship program to give priority to kids from his 13th Ward.
Must have been nice for kids from the 13th Ward, who I don’t begrudge the opportunity, but it’s difficult to imagine the sense of entitlement behind such a demand.
It’s that sense of entitlement that lurks behind all the charges contained in Wednesday’s late-breaking indictment of four people accused of conspiring to corruptly influence Madigan to benefit the electric utility.
* While reading the indictments yesterday after also reading ComEd’s very similar deferred prosecution agreement earlier this year, I couldn’t help but think that ComEd and Exelon executives should’ve behaved more like the young manager of a new chain coffee shop in the Soprano’s neighborhood when Patsy and Burt walked in. Language alert for those of you who still actually work at an office these days…
* Script…
Patsy [peering at name badge] Manager Adare. Welcome to the neighborhood. [shakes hands] We’re from the North Ward Merchants Protective Cooperative.
Manager: I’m kinda busy. Are you guys looking for a donation?
Burt: Let him finish.
Patsy: You may have noticed, not to denigrate anyone, but this is a transitional neighborhood; I mean, demographically speaking, you still have a lot of marginal types.
Burt: And we merchants have found that you really should have some round-the-clock security here.
Manager: Isn’t that what the police are for?
Patsy: They do their best but they got their hands full. Your weekly dues to us will give you all the supplemental safety net you’ll ever need.
Manager: I can’t authorize anything like that. It would have to go through Corporate in Seattle.
Patsy: We Merchants prefer to deal on a personal, one-on-one basis.
Manager: I don’t have any discretionary funds. It’s gotta go through Corporate.
Burt: How do you think Corporate would feel if, for the sake of argument, somebody threw a brick though that window?
Manager: They’ve got like 10,000 stores in North America. I don’t think they’d feel anything.
Patsy: [menacingly] What if, God forbid, it wasn’t just vandalism. What if an employee – even the manager, say – was assaulted?
Manager: Look, every last f___ing coffee bean is in the computer and has to be accounted for. If the numbers don’t add up, I’ll be gone and somebody else will be here
Patsy: [giving up, walks back outside with Burt in disgust and laments] It’s over for the little guy.
* Roundup…
* Madigan confidant and ex-ComEd CEO charged with bribery in lobbying scheme: Federal prosecutors marched deeper into House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle Wednesday, charging longtime confidant Michael McClain and ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore in a bribery scheme designed to curry favor with the powerful Southwest Side Democrat.
* Key Madigan Ally, ComEd Lobbyists And Official Indicted In Federal Bribery Scheme: The fifty-page indictment spans nine years of alleged wrongdoing by ComEd’s four representatives, shedding new light on actions first alleged in a deferred prosecution agreement against ComEd itself filed in July. Under the agreement, ComEd’s prosecution will be delayed for three years as the company cooperates in the investigation, and must pay a $200 million fine.
* Madigan confidant, three others indicted in ComEd bribery scheme allegedly aimed at influencing speaker: The indictment alleged that beginning in 2011, the defendants “arranged for various associates” of Madigan — including his political allies and campaign workers — to “obtain jobs, contracts, and monetary payments” from ComEd even in instances where they did little or no actual work. Madigan is referred to in the charges only as Public Official A.
* Indictments Hit Speaker Madigan’s Inner Circle, Former ComEd CEO: McClain purportedly served as both a go-between and a conductor who guided Prammagiore and Hooker to hire individuals and interns connected to the speaker, while Doherty used his lobbying firm to funnel money to Madigan allies even though they performed little or no work.
* 4 Former ComEd Executives, Lobbyists Indicted In Bribery Scandal; Accused Of Trying To Curry House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Favor: Marquez, who is cooperating with the federal investigation of ComEd’s lobbying practices, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, but federal prosecutors said they will recommend a sentence of probation only if he fully cooperates.
* Mike Madigan confidant and ex-ComEd CEO charged with bribery in lobbying scheme: In a statement, ComEd spokesperson Paul Elsberg said: “ComEd has already moved aggressively to implement comprehensive ethics and compliance reforms, and we’re committed to earning back the trust of the communities we’re privileged to serve. However, we’re not able to comment on specific matters related to these former ComEd executives or beyond what is in the statement of facts in ComEd’s deferred prosecution agreement.”
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 10:57 am
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Countdown to weeks of frothing Tribune editorials and Kass columns. Of course, they don’t have to write anything new. Just cut and paste their years old screeds. Refreshing to read someone like Brown, who puts thought into columns and doesn’t just recycle the same 3 or 4 endlessly.
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:03 am
Song Suggestion for the coming days.
Just a song before I go. Crosby Stills and Nash.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UoneXjfBC0
Comment by Gravy Bond Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:09 am
Sorry Rich, I think your faith in the moral character of corporations is misplaced. This is just how corporate power behaves around the world. The people and the facts of the schemes change, but the basic patterns are the same.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:09 am
I get the sense that it isn’t a coincidence that this headline has more than one interpretation.
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:12 am
Madigan’s operation is stuck in the last century. It was going to go down one day…every history lesson available told him to leave with a secure legacy when he was on top and set up a clear transition. He may feel confident he’ll beat this rap, but nothing lasts forever.
Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:22 am
That video is so appropriate in all of the ways that you intended to be.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:36 am
The Death Star is imploding.
I almost get weepy thinking of people I know who constantly had to pay homage to the machine and paid a price in their pride and self-respect in the process.
Lots of folks in what they thought were secure positions must be giving thought to how much things are going to change now. It will be good.
Comment by Keen Observer Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:47 am
This is restaurant quality.
The understanding in these processes, the big corporate think, and the old school ways…
There are no shortcuts, and the way to do things abd how things were done, they rarely stay the same.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:48 am
Has been over for the little guy for a long time. We ain’t living in a meritocracy
Comment by P Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:51 am
==- Keen Observer - Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:47 am:==
They built another Death Star. It’s the 3rd movie.
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:59 am
It seems so normal for Illinois politics. No one can be too shocked.
Comment by Not in Oxford Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:59 am
@Precinct Captain
Ditto on your Kass vs. Brown take. Brown actually reads indictments, makes a few phone calls, and develops a fresh take. Kass lazily weaves decades old Chicago political cliches into his wannabe wiseguy routine. It’s so predictable and boring.
Comment by Roman Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 11:59 am
Madigan is done. Circling the drain. Question is:
Who will negotiate the new order of things? The Dome requires someone to step up. Harmon? Willis? Who?
Comment by Suburban Operative Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 12:06 pm
I’m diggin’ the pop culture reference here. I hate to see Madigan go often he’s been the only adult in the room. But these indictments by the feds have to be damaging!
Comment by Levois J Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 12:15 pm
Does the smoke coming out of the speaker’s office mean that a successor has been anointed or that MJM is cleaning out his files?
Comment by Chicago Hawk Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 12:37 pm
Another ComEd/Sopranos parallel: Hire all the prime lobbyists in Springfield (on no-work contracts) and they’re all conflicted-out from being hired by your opponents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JaxdFDfaHc
Comment by Senator Clay Davis Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 1:52 pm
All over for the little guy? but the aldermen and precinct captains (never mind the law firm) haven’t been indicted so things are still like they often were.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 2:16 pm
This whole thing feels like if you combined the Sopranos with Michael Clayton.
Comment by Han’s Solo Cup Thursday, Nov 19, 20 @ 3:26 pm