WBEZ REPORTS federal investigators pursuing possible corruption within Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s orbit subpoenaed his state office Friday, seeking records involving AT&T, Walgreens, Rush University Medical Center and a host of political operatives and lobbyists.
The stunning expansion of the federal probe came on the same day federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery and hit the company with a $200 million fine as part of a criminal legal settlement. The new areas of federal interest into some of the state’s most prominent corporations and one of its most noteworthy hospitals were identified in a sprawling request to Madigan’s office that also sought records about ComEd and its past executives.
Investigators also sought records pertaining to members of Madigan’s political organization, the speaker’s law firm, four former state lawmakers, four former or current Chicago alderman and a Chinatown land deal that was a cornerstone of a federal corruption probe that brought down former Ald. Danny Solis.
The subpoena also sought information from the Speaker’s office on some of his closest allies and operatives:
- Will Cousineau, a former top Madigan aide-turned-lobbyist for ComEd. He became a lobbyist in 2017 after nearly 18 years as a Madigan aide, including an eight-year run as political director for the speaker and the Madigan-led Democratic Party of Illinois. Cousineau’s lobbying firm stopped representing ComEd in Springfield in October 2019, WBEZ has reported.
- Frank Clark, who spent nearly five decades at ComEd, working his way up from the mailroom to become the company’s first Black chairman and CEO, from 2005 to 2012. In 2016, Clark and another ex-ComEd Exec, John Hooker, filed a lawsuit to block a legislative redistricting proposal that threatened Madigan’s grip on political power. Last year, WBEZ reported that Clark’s name appeared on a subpoena — along with Madigan’s — when federal agents raided the City Club of Chicago.
- Frank Olivo, the former alderman of Madigan’s 13th Ward power base on Chicago’s Southwest Side. After leaving the City Council, Olivo became a City Hall lobbyist for ComEd, records show. The subpoena also sought records relating to a “Frank Olivo Jr.”
- Ed Moody, a veteran precinct captain for Madigan who has been a Democratic Cook County commissioner and the county’s recorder of deeds. Moody has known Madigan since he was a boy and has referred to him as a father figure for him.
- Shaw Decremer, a former top political operative for Madigan. The speaker said he cut ties with Decremer over alleged “inappropriate behavior” in 2016 but Decremer continues to lobby in Springfield. His clients have included gambling companies, Major League Baseball and the NBA, state records show.
- Michael Zalewski, a former alderman from the 23rd Ward whose home was raided last year in the ComEd probe. Zalewski’s son is an important member of Madigan’s House Democratic caucus and his son’s wife, Carrie Zalewski, heads the state agency that regulates ComEd. WBEZ reported last month that Madigan recommended Carrie Zalewski to head the Illinois Commerce Commision before Gov. JB Pritzker appointed her to the post.
- Ray Nice, another longtime Madigan precinct captain from the Southwest Side. WBEZ reported last year that Nice worked for ComEd.
- Eddie Acevedo, a former Democratic state representative from Chicago who recently told the Chicago a Tribune that he did consulting work for ComEd.
- The Reyes Kurson law firm and the Roosevelt Group, a lobbying company. Both those entities involve Victor Reyes, who once headed a scandal-scarred Hispanic political group in Chicago that was allied to Madigan and to former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
