Former ComEd Lobbyist John Hooker Sentenced 18 Months Prison Bribery Scheme

John Hooker, a former Commonwealth Edison lobbyist and part of the 'ComEd Four,' has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $500,000 for his role in a bribery scheme involving ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Hooker and his co-defendants were convicted in 2023 of conspiring to funnel $1.3 million to Madigan's allies in exchange for legislative favors benefiting ComEd. U.S. District Judge Manish Shah condemned Hooker's actions as corrupting public policy and legislative functions, emphasizing that Hooker could have chosen to resist the corrupt system. Hooker was found to have falsified ComEd's books to conceal the scheme, which involved no-show jobs for Madigan's associates. Sentencing for the other defendants, including former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and Michael McClain, Madigan's confidant, is scheduled in the coming weeks. Madigan himself was separately sentenced to over seven years in prison for related corruption charges.