Defense gets a crack at key witness in ComEd bribery trial
Michael McClain laughed inside Saputo's restaurant in Springfield as he shared with then-ComEd executive Fidel Marquez his story about his 2016 retirement, and how he handed his list of duties over to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Madigan and McClain were longtime friends. McClain has described himself as an “agent” of Madigan. And after McClain handed Madigan that list, Madigan purportedly handed it back and told McClain “I don't think you're done yet.” “
“Is that like tendering your resignation but it gets, uh, denied? It gets rejected?” Marquez asked over a slice of pizza on Feb. 7, 2019.
“Yeah,” McClain said.
Jurors at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse saw video of that moment Wednesday as Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu ended his 13-hour direct examination of Marquez, who weeks before munching on the Saputo's pizza had agreed to cooperate with investigators and secretly record McClain and three others now on trial on allegations they tried to bribe Madigan to benefit ComEd.
Former U.S. Attorney Scott Lassar, now a defense attorney representing onetime ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, stepped up next to question Marquez.
• This report was produced in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. For related coverage, visit chicago.suntimes.com.