Investigative committee in contact with U.S. attorney Lausch

Posted on September 15, 2020
House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago). (Photo courtesy: WikiMedia/Illinoislawmakers)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – There’s some progress to report in the work of the special committee investigating Commonwealth Edison and House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

The committee’s leaders met with the U.S. attorney Monday to work out where one investigation ends and the other begins. Simply put, according to chairman State Rep. Chris Welch (D-Hillside), the Northern District’s John Lausch says Welch’s panel can call witnesses but not ask them questions. 

Republicans asked that the committee be formed to investigate the utility which has admitted bribery and the Illinois House Speaker who is uncharged. A “deferred prosecution agreement” extracted a $200 million payment from Com Ed.

Welch says the committee will likely have its second meeting next week.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…