The Latest Breaking News from John Hooker

With the eyes of his since-indicted former co-workers burning in the direction of Fidel Marquez, a defense attorney pointed their way and demanded of Marquez, “You didn’t choose to sit over there, did you?”

The feds’ key witness, former ComEd Vice President Fidel Marquez, spent hours testifying Tuesday about how he and other ComEd executives fielded constant requests to find jobs for people he said were pushed for employment by Madigan, even when evaluations found their qualifications lacking.

Today’s update is about an eight-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

The opening statements Wednesday kicked off the highly anticipated trial of Madigan confidant Michael McClain, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and onetime City Club President Jay Doherty.

Today’s update is about an eight-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Jurors at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse are expected to get a close-up look at how Springfield operated in the last decade when four political power players head to trial.

She says she doesn’t expect to be a witness in the trial of four people accused of trying to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan to benefit ComEd. Ex-Ald. Mike Zalewski, her father-in-law, has a role in the trial but isn’t charged.

U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber said releasing the recordings to the public would “sensationalize the trial more than we want.”

The four were indicted in November 2020 and accused in a nearly decadelong scheme to sway Madigan. They allegedly landed his associates jobs, contracts and money while legislation crucial to ComEd’s bottom line moved through Springfield.