Chicago Tonight | Spotlight Politics: Recapping the ComEd Trial Verdict | Season 2023

THE GUILTY VERDICTS IN THE CONED BRIBERY TRIAL WERE A BOMBSHELL, AS WE JUST SAID.

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MORE IN TONIGHT’S ADDITION OF SPOTLIGHT ON POLITICS.

JOINING US ARE OUR GOOD FRIENDS.

HEATHER SHARON, WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT THEY ARE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT A PLEA DEAL?

>> I BELIEVE THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO GO TO THE FORMER SPEAKER AND SAY, LOOK.

THEY CONVINCED A JURY OF 12 MEN AND WOMEN THAT YOU ARE BEHIND A BRIBERY SCHEME THAT AFFECTED THE OUTCOME OF THE STATE’S LARGEST PUBLIC UTILITY.

PLEASE THINK CAREFULLY.

I DON’T THINK MANY OF US EXPECT MUCH FROM THIS DEAL, BUT IT IS A SIGN THAT WHEN THE OFFICE BRINGS CHARGES AGAINST YOU, THEY DO NOT GO IN HALF COCKED OR WITHOUT HAVING THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW.

>> YOU HEARD WITH THE JUROR JUST SAID.

THEY ALL WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE.

WE DON’T ACCEPT THIS.

WE DON’T LIKE THIS.

LET’S HEAR FROM PATRICK COLLINS, WHO PROSECUTED GEORGE RYAN AND IS NOW A DEFENSE ATTORNEY.

>> WE CAN’T THINK, OH GREAT, WE HAVE TRIAL TOMORROW, BECAUSE WHAT IT WAS WAS A PRETEXT FOR LEGAL LOBBYING.

THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU SAW HOW THIS HAS PLAYED OUT.

>> SO THESE FOUR DEFENDANTS NOW FACE JAIL TIME.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT ALL OF THEM FLIP TO AVOID A LONG JAIL SENTENCE?

>> SO COUPLE OF THINGS THERE, PARIS.

DURING THIS CASE, YOU DIDN’T REALLY SEE IT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEFENSE BROUGHT UP, HE SAID THAT ESSENTIALLY IT WAS PAY OR NO PLAY.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY HELP MATT AGAIN WHEN IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO GO TO TRIAL.

OF COURSE THAT COULD HURT HIM, BUT I ASKED THAT VERY QUESTION, AND HE SAID THEY HAVE BEEN PRETTY DARN WELL.

HE HAD NOT ONE BUT TWO CASES BROUGHT AGAINST HIM BY THE FEDS.

>> HE SAID HE WAS A CLOSE FRIEND.

>> SHE TESTIFIED, BUT COLLIN SAID THAT THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF THE ABILITY FOR HER TO THEM FLIP AWAY.

IF THEY ARE NOT THAT CLOSE, WHAT ALL DOES SHE KNOW?

>> SO HEATHER, IS THERE A VERY CLEARLY DEFINED LINE AS A RESULT OF THIS BETWEEN LOBBYING, LEGAL LOBBYING AND BRIBERY?

>> I THINK THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS VERDICT SO STRONG.

THE JURY CLEARLY SAID OKAY, LOOK.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

THIS IS NOT POLITICS AS USUAL.

IT IS NOT ONLY MICHAEL MADIGAN WHO IS HAVING HARD CONVERSATIONS TODAY.

I WOULD EXPECT ALDERMAN ED BURKE TO BE GETTING A SIMILAR MESSAGE FROM HIS ATTORNEY.

HE WOULD SAY OH, THIS IS POLITICS, AND THE JURY SAYS NOT ANYMORE, AND NOT IN ILLINOIS >> WHO ARE YOU GOING TO DECIDE TO HIRE IS A CONTRACT LOBBYIST?

>> WHAT ARE THEY SAYING RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK IT IS JUST THAT.

IT IS, IN SOME WAYS, THE JURY SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE.

BUT THERE IS MURKY GROUND THERE.

WHY WOULD YOU HIRE SOMEBODY?

YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL DOING PRETTY DARN GREAT!

SOME OF THEM, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, YEAH.

THEY ARE HARD-WORKING.

THEY DESERVE TO BE HIRED.

BUT THEY WERE RECOMMENDED BY SOMEBODY.

>> I THINK CLEARLY PROVIDING — >> THEY SAY IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SEEK OUT LEGAL ADVICE.

>> GIVING JOBS FOR CONTRACT FOR NO WORK, CLEARLY THAT IS CROSSING A LINE!

LET’S SHIFT GEARS TO ANOTHER BIG STORY TODAY.

WALLER IS GOING TO TAKE OVER ON AN INTERIM BASIS.

DOES THIS SURPRISE YOU?

>> WELL, WALLER WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF HIGH PROFILE CHICAGO POLICE LEADERS UNDER FORMER SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN .

HE CAME BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT A VERY DIFFICULT MOMENT.

BRENDA JOHNSON SAID THAT HE IS THE RIGHT GUY TO THROW HIS HAT INTO THE RING AND LEAD THE DEPARTMENT, BUT ANYBODY WHO WORKS FOR THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR 34 YEARS, THEY HAVE HAD A BRUSH WITH CONTROVERSY.

FRED WALLER WAS VERY CLOSE TO SERGEANT RONALD WATTS, CLOSE TO A MASSIVE POLICE SCANDAL.

TODAY I ASKED FRED WALLER.

HE SAID THAT HE APOLOGIZED FOR THAT, BUT THAT IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF