Expand / Collapse search
☰

'Chuy' Garcia mentioned in recording during feds' ComEd probe

By Jon Seidel and Fran Spielman
Published  January 20, 2023 7:29pm CST
Illinois Politics
Sun-Times Media Wire

Garcia mentioned in recording during feds' ComEd probe

Garcia is not accused of wrongdoing, and his spokesperson told the Sun-Times on Friday that he "is not involved in any investigation in any manner."

CHICAGO - U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia is among the names that could drop in March during the trial of four people accused of trying to bribe then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan — an event that could take place in the middle of the mayoral election in which Garcia is a frontrunner.

The Chicago Sun-Times has learned Garcia’s name is mentioned in a recorded phone conversation between Madigan and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain, one of four people set to go on trial for the alleged scheme revolving around ComEd.

Garcia is not accused of wrongdoing, and his spokesperson told the Sun-Times on Friday that he "is not involved in any investigation in any manner."

"It is political silly season in Chicago, and his opponents are inventing a phony attack because he is the frontrunner in this race," the spokesperson said.

New front runner emerges in Chicago mayoral race, FOX 32 exclusive poll shows

A new voter opinion survey in the race for Chicago mayor show Lori Lightfoot losing ground among the nine-candidate field.

The conversation occurred amid an alleged scheme in which Madigan and McClain are accused of working to have former McPier CEO Juan Ochoa appointed to the board of ComEd — a campaign that allegedly started in November 2017 and lasted more than a year.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 CHICAGO ON YOUTUBE

By Feb. 19, 2019, the appointment still hadn’t been finalized. And records show that Madigan told McClain he’d heard from Ochoa about a meeting.

Though the comment by Madigan to McClain is partially redacted in publicly available court filings, the Sun-Times has learned Madigan said: "Okay, so you see there’s a request from Ochoa, and Ochoa being Ochoa, the message reads, ‘Ochoa and Congressman Garcia.’ So I called Chuy, and Chuy really didn’t know anything about it."

Though the comment was made in the midst of the alleged Ochoa scheme, his meeting request actually dealt with an "unrelated matter," federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing last week.

Chicago's mayoral candidates debate affordable housing, taxes

Candidates were asked how they would handle attracting businesses to Chicago, affordable housing and improving mental health options for young people.

Still, the fact that Garcia’s name will surface in the high-profile case is sure to catch the attention of Garcia’s opponents in this year’s mayoral election. The trial of McClain, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and onetime City Club President Jay Doherty is set to begin March 6.

That’s roughly one week after the first round of voting for mayor, on Feb. 28. And the case is not expected to be concluded before the expected runoff election between the top two vote-getters, on April 4.

The reference to Garcia in the case was first reported by the Chicago Tribune.

McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty are accused of arranging for Madigan’s associates and allies to get jobs, contracts and money in order to influence the once-powerful speaker as legislation that would affect ComEd moved through Springfield.