From the Chicago Sun-Times:
2011
This is when the conspiracy outlined in the indictment allegedly begins. This is also when the Illinois General Assembly passed the Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act, which made it easier for ComEd to predict what it would be able to charge customers, improving the utility’s financial stability.
October 2011
ComEd signs a contract with the Reyes Kurson law firm. McClain and Hooker allegedly tell a member of the utility’s legal team that hiring the firm is important. McClain does not explain why, and Hooker mentions nothing about legal expertise. The legal team member is expected to testify that it seemed important that ComEd hire the firm because it was important to Madigan.
March 2012
Pramaggiore becomes ComEd’s CEO.
2014
Pramaggiore tells a member of ComEd’s legal team that the contract with Reyes Kurson has to be renewed.
January 27, 2014
A series of payments begins to Doherty’s firm, Jay D. Doherty & Associates. The indictment alleges that “a substantial portion” of each payment is intended for Madigan’s associates — including Frank Olivo, Raymond Nice and Edward Moody — even though they did little or no work for the utility.
2016
The member of ComEd’s legal team who had dealt with the Reyes Kurson contract wants to reduce the number of hours of legal work the utility has to provide. The contract calls for at least 850 hours a year. When McClain finds out, he allegedly expresses unhappiness and says Madigan is interested in ComEd renewing the contract. On Jan. 20, 2016, McClain also allegedly sends an email to Pramaggiore and Hooker. It allegedly refers to Madigan as “our Friend” and says, “Is this a drill we must go through?”
January 20, 2016
Mid-2016
The contract is renewed
December 1, 2016
The Illinois General Assembly passes the Future Energy Jobs Act, which helped maintain the financial stability provided to ComEd through the Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act.
December 3, 2016
November 2017
This is when Madigan and McClain allegedly begin a campaign to have Juan Ochoa appointed to the ComEd board of directors.
May 2, 2018
Madigan and McClain allegedly discuss pushback to their efforts to have Ochoa appointed to ComEd’s board. The pushback is based on financial problems in Ochoa’s past. McClain said Pramaggiore wants to know if Madigan would be satisfied with another job for Ochoa that paid the same amount of money — $78,000 a year. Madigan allegedly tells McClain, “I would suggest that we continue to support [Ochoa].”
May 16, 2018
Pramaggiore tells McClain she had instructed Marquez to “hire” another Madigan associate, former Chicago Ald. Michael Zalewski.
June 1, 2018
Pramaggiore leaves her role as ComEd’s CEO and becomes a senior executive at an affiliate of Exelon, ComEd’s parent company.
September 7, 2018
Pramaggiore allegedly assures McClain that Ochoa will be appointed to ComEd’s board “barring anything, like, bizarre.” Later, Pramaggiore allegedly tells McClain, “You take good care of me and so does our friend, and I will do the best that I can to, to take care of you.” Prosecutors say Pramaggiore means Madigan when she uses the phrase “our friend.”
November 29, 2018
Federal agents raid the offices of Ald. Edward M. Burke, revealing for the first time that an aggressive public corruption investigation is underway.
January 16, 2019
The FBI confronts Fidel Marquez with evidence that had been gathered against him. He begins to secretly cooperate with investigators.
January 29, 2019
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Madigan had been secretly recorded in his law office as part of a federal investigation years earlier.
February 7, 2019
McClain and Marquez meet at a Springfield restaurant. It is among a series of recorded conversations about how to explain ComEd’s arrangement with Jay D. Doherty & Associates, through which Madigan’s associates are paid, to the utility’s new CEO, Joe Dominguez. McClain allegedly tells Marquez that “Doherty’s the one that has to prove that if the IRS ever comes in and says, ‘Who are these guys, what do they do?’ … Doherty’s gotta prove it.”
February 13, 2019
Marquez speaks with Doherty, who explains his history with ComEd. At one point, Marquez said to Doherty, “So, as far as I know, and maybe you can tell me different, all these guys do is, they’re a sub under you and you cut them a check. Do they do anything? What do they do? What do you have them doing?” Doherty allegedly replies, “Well, not much, to answer the question.” Doherty also allegedly said the reasoning behind his contract “can be answered in Springfield with Madigan. And to keep Madigan happy, I think it’s worth it, because you’d hear otherwise.”
March 5, 2019
Marquez and McClain meet with Dominguez. During that meeting, McClain describes Madigan’s historical relationship with ComEd as “the old-fashioned patronage system.” He said it eventually morphed into, “How else can we help you?”
April 2019
Ochoa is appointed to the ComEd board of directors.
May 3, 2019
This is when the last in the series of payments to Jay D. Doherty & Associates is made.
May 14, 2019
Federal investigators execute search warrant at McClain’s home in Quincy.
July 12, 2019
Exelon and ComEd acknowledge they received a federal grand jury subpoena from the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago seeking information about their lobbying activity in Illinois.
October 2019
Exelon and ComEd acknowledge they received a second federal grand jury subpoena seeking additional records concerning then-state Sen. Martin Sandoval.
October 15, 2019
July 17, 2020
ComEd enters into deferred prosecution agreement with U.S. attorney’s office, admits to misconduct that implicates Madigan, and agrees to pay a $200 million fine. Federal investigators also send subpoena to Madigan’s office.
September 29, 2020
Marquez pleads guilty to a bribery conspiracy.
November 18, 2020
A federal grand jury hands up the indictment that would lead to the trial of McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty.
March 2, 2022
A federal grand jury hands up a separate indictment against Madigan and McClain. It alleges the same scheme at issue in the trial of McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty, as well as other schemes.
Conspiracy in 1st sentence. Ignore.
conspiracy – “a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.”
That word bothers you?
Only the TIP of the iceberg.
The graft rolled way further out in huge waves.
Every single governance office everywhere was in on the take.
LOL Correcting. I hope that was sarcasm on.
If Kennealy would have done the same investigation as this and come to the conclusion after speaking with his benefactor that no crimes had been committed here as he did regarding the Algonquin Township matter regardless of where the evidence lead to. However, keep those $100 debit gift cards coming.
Kenneally shelters certain corrupt politicians.
Hey how’s that Acosta case going?
Cindy is right on target again, as is “Kinnally”.