Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Opportunity Project is questioning Gov. J.B. Pritzker for diverging from his past statements in support of house speaker Michael Madigan after the ComEd Four conviction.

“After yesterday’s verdict, Pritzker’s office fired off a statement, ‘The Governor believes we must restore the public’s trust in government and today’s verdicts are proof that no one is above the law,’” the Illinois Opportunity Project said after the convictions. “Is this the same Pritzker that said, ‘The people of Illinois have much to be grateful for thanks to Madigan’s dedicated public service.’” 

IPO also questioned how voters can trust House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) following the ComEd Four convictions "when just two years ago he was thankful for all Madigan had done?" 

“Restoring trust should be the priority of state government officials. But, that starts with being deserving of trust. Illinoisans know that level of credibility won’t come from politicians like Welch or Pritzker,” IPO added. “Federal investigators held Madigan’s accomplices accountable. Now it’s time for Illinois residents to do the same for politicians who have repeatedly lied to them while aiding and abetting the corrupt Mike Madigan.”

U.S. Attorney John Lausch, who brought the case against Madigan, said Prizker – who was interviewed by the feds – was not implicated in the case. 

"There is no allegation in this indictment against the governor or his staff," Lausch said. 

After being first elected in 2018 Pritzker donated $7 million to a campaign fund controlled by Madigan. Former governor Rod Blagojevich with whom Pritzker was once caught on an FBI wiretap said he knows Pritzker is not a passive actor in the larger Democrat scheme. 

"As a governor who knew what it was like to link men and women to boards and commissions, who knew what it was like to work with Madigan, and work against Madigan, which is what I spent most of my time doing. … Pritzker does not have clean hands in this," Blagojevich told Patch. "I knew what Madigan was about … I was dealing with a cynical politician who was all about serving himself, his politics and making himself wealthy, his family wealthy and his friends wealthy. And that's how he created that political empire in Springfield, with himself in the center. … Pritzker knows that. The difference with Pritzker and me is I wouldn't play ball with Madigan. Pritzker not only played ball with Madigan, he gave him $7 million."

Pritzker was caught on tape by the FBI discussing with Blagojevich which black candidates were “least offensive” before discussing then-Secretary of State Jesse White. The conversation was one of a series in which Pritzker schemed with Blagojevich on an appointment to public office. The two also joked about former president Barack Obama’s mixed race background. 

"You can argue he's, you know, he's got a lot in common with Obama, he's black and white. Ha. How stupid is that?" Blagojevich said. 

Pritzker can be heard chuckling on the audio. 

"That's good," Pritzker said praising Blagojevich for the racial joke. "That's good.” 

He also is heard reassuring Blagojevich, “You don’t have to put an African-American in that spot” if he were to appoint Jesse White. 

Blagojevich was later sentenced to 14 years in prison and Pritzker leveraged his massive personal fortune to become governor.

In closing arguments, Assistant U.S Attorney Diane MacArthur discussed the relationship between Madigan and the ComEd Four. 

"Madigan wanted. ComEd gave. ComEd got," MacArthur said. "The agreement doesn't have to be said out loud. It can be understood.” 

She also highlighted that "This was ComEd's inner circle that worked together for years.”

The trial featured over 100 hours of audio collected throughout its duration. 

“We had to hire these guys because Mike Madigan came to us,” McClain said on one of the recordings. McClain used euphemisms such as “our friend” or “a friend of ours” to refer to Madigan tapes reveal.

The Illinois Opportunity Project comments come after former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker along with Madigan’s right-hand man Michael McClain and lobbyist Jay Doherty, who previously ran the City Club of Chicago, were 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. ComEd paid a $200 million fine in July 2020 and admitted to the scheme.