Speaker Madigan / ComEd named as Defendants in $450 Million Racketeering (RICO) Lawsuit filed today

Chicago, IL. (ECWd) –

Several Plaintiffs filed a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) lawsuit naming Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, Commonwealth Edison, Exelon Corp, and several others as defendant asking for $450 million, removal as House Speaker, and removal as Chairman of the Illinois Democrat Party.

This Complaint was filed as a federal class action suit.

Form the Complaint as made available in an article written by Greg Bishop, at “The Center Square”

• From approximately 2011 until 2019, Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison Company (“ComEd”) engaged – along with the other Defendants identified in this Complaint – in a pattern of racketeering and a racketeering conspiracy that involved extensive bribery of Madigan associates, honest services fraud, and mail and wire fraud.
• In exchange for these bribes, Madigan repeatedly shepherded through the Illinois General Assembly the passage of legislation financially beneficial to ComEd, and its holding company Defendant Exelon Corp., and financially harmful to Plaintiffs and the proposed Plaintiff Class
• Plaintiffs seek a Preliminary and Permanent Injunction (TRO) prohibiting Madigan from the following:
  • Defendant Madigan from participating in any legislative activity involving electricity matters affecting Defendants ComEd or Exelon, including but not limited to the currently pending Path to 100 Act (HB 2966/SB 1781) and Clean Energy Jobs Act (SB 2132/HB 3624).
  • Defendant Madigan from acting as the Chairman of the Democrat Party of Illinois in order to prevent him from continuing to run the state party in a corrupt manner; and Defendant ComEd from continuing to charge Zero Emission Credits (“ZECs”) to subsidize the Quad Cities and Clinton Nuclear plants owned by Defendant Exelon Corp.’s subsidiary Exelon Generation
• Defendant ComEd Created and Funded Ghost-Payroll Jobs for Madigan Associates 1 and 2, With Assistance from Defendant ComEd Lobbyist and Consultant Doherty
• Defendant ComEd Created and Funded Ghost-Payroll Jobs for Defendant Zalewski (Madigan Associate 3), With Assistance from Defendant Doherty.
• The Payments ComEd Made to Madigan Associates 1, 2, and 3 Were Not the Only Ghost Payroll Payments It Made to Madigan Associates, and Doherty’s Company Was Not the Only Pass- Thru Company that ComEd Used to Launder Bribes.
• At Defendant McClain’s Insistence, Defendant ComEd Continued An 850-Hour Per Year Contract with Defendant Law Firm A Notwithstanding That ComEd Did Not Have 850 Hours of Work for Law Firm A.
• In Exchange for the Bribes Paid to Madigan Associates, Madigan Caused the Illinois Legislature to Pass the Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act (“EIMA”) and Override the Governor’s Veto of this Legislation.
• In Exchange for the Bribes Paid to Madigan Associates, Madigan Caused the Future Energy Jobs Act (“FEJA”) To Be Passed.
• As Part of the Continuing Bribery Scheme Between ComEd and Madigan, ComEd Permitted Madigan to Hand-Select A Member of the ComEd Board of Directors.

We urge everyone to download a copy of the complaint and read it: