Prosecutors Want Madigan Ally’s Remaining Charges Thrown Out

Federal prosecutors have moved to throw out the remaining charges against Michael McClain, a former lobbyist whose close friendship with ex-Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan (D) made him a state politics power player and a target of long-running criminal investigations.

McClain, 77, was sentenced last week to two years in prison for his convictions in the “ComEd Four” case, but a separate corruption trial in which he was Madigan’s co-defendant ended with a split verdict earlier this year, when jurors deadlocked on all McClain’s counts. Judge John Robert Blakey of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois declared a mistrial on those charges.

In a filing Friday morning, federal prosecutors sought dismissal of those counts, which include racketeering, wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy.

McClain’s friendship with Madigan goes back decades, to when the two served alongside each other in the state legislature. When McClain turned to lobbying, he stayed extraordinarily close to Madigan, who for decades was considered the most powerful man in Illinois politics.

A federal probe into Madigan’s alleged abuses of power resulted in charges for McClain and three other utility insiders, the so-called ComEd Four, who were accused of bribing Madigan to look favorably on their preferred legislation. The investigation reached its peak with charges against McClain and Madigan himself, who were accused of running corrupt schemes to reinforce and maintain Madigan’s power.

The ComEd Four were convicted on all counts in 2023, though a judge this year threw out the bribery convictions in light of the US Supreme Court’s decision in Snyder v. United States. Three of the four, including McClain, have been sentenced on the remaining counts, which allege they covered up the bribery scheme in ComEd’s books and records.

Madigan and McClain’s four-month trial ended in February. Madigan was acquitted of some charges and jurors deadlocked on others, but he was found guilty on 10 counts including conspiracy and bribery. He was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison but has launched an effort to remain out of custody pending appeal.

The case is United States v. McClain, N.D. Ill., No. 1:22-cr-115-2, motion to dismiss filed 8/1/25.