ComEd bribery trial kicks off, Johnson and Vallas backpedal public safety comments and more in your Chicago news roundup

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about an eight-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

— Matt Moore (@MattKenMoore)

This afternoon will be slightly cloudy with a high near 51 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low near 41. Expect some rain tomorrow with a high near 50.

Top story

Jurors in ComEd bribery trial will hear more than 100 recordings, federal prosecutors say

Federal prosecutors told jurors today they would hear more than 100 recordings over the next several weeks, as the wide-ranging case against four allies of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan kicked off in earnest with opening statements. 

Speaking for roughly 90 minutes to a newly empaneled federal jury, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker made several disclosures about the investigation that roiled state politics, ended Madigan’s political career and landed him under indictment for racketeering.

She described former Cook County Recorder of Deeds Edward Moody as a cooperating government witness who has “not been charged with a crime in exchange for his truthful testimony.”

She placed former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo squarely in the middle of the scheme as a Madigan ally allegedly paid by ComEd through a third party. 

And the prosecutor detailed a stream of benefits paid by ComEd to four additional Madigan allies — former Alds. Frank Olivo and Michael Zalewski, Raymond Nice and Moody. She said Olivo was paid more than $360,000, Zalewski was paid $45,000, Nice was paid more than $400,000 and Moody was paid more than $350,000 while allegedly doing little or no work.

Streicker’s comments kicked off the trial, more than two years in the making, of Madigan confidant Michael McClain, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and onetime City Club President Jay Doherty. A federal grand jury indicted the four in November 2020, accusing them of a scheme to arrange jobs, contracts and money for Madigan’s associates. McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty are charged with a bribery conspiracy and falsifying ComEd’s books and records.

Madigan is charged with the same scheme, but in a separate broader indictment. His trial is not expected to begin until April 2024.

Jon Seidel and Tina Sfondeles have more on the trial’s kickoff.

More news you need

• In the last hours of her life, Summer Day-Stewart’s family held on to one consolation. Plans were made to donate her organs and those of her three young children who died in a house fire in Montclare last week. “I think she would have liked knowing that was her final act, saving lives,” Summer’s sister told the Sun-Times yesterday. Sophie Sherry has more on this tragedy.
• Northwestern Medicine said today that it is launching a first-of-its-kind clinical trial for cancer treatment called DREAM, for double lung replacement and multidisciplinary care. The hospital said the trial is aimed at some of the most “hopeless patients” who are “out of treatment options and have limited time to live.” Our Allison Novelo has more on the hospital’s new trial.
• Since winning control of the main union for Chicago cops and retirees nearly three years ago, Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7 President John Catanzara Jr. has waved off criticism about the lack of diversity among his union’s elected leaders. Yet following its latest election, the board’s 27 elected members will include six Latinos but just one woman and one African American. WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell has more on why this underrepresentation could be troublesome for the city. 
• A City Council reorganization hatched by three of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s closest allies would increase the number of committees from 19 to 28 to divvy up the political spoils, appease a majority and ensure approval. Former Inspector General Joe Ferguson had pushed for a more independent Council, but slammed this approach as a “preemptive power move of the status quo wrapped in a package that includes meaningful reforms.”

Elections 2023

Mayoral hopefuls Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas expanded on their different approaches to tackling crime in the city during a debate on public safety Tuesday at the UIC Forum.

Both candidates appeared to take a step back from comments they have made in the past about their philosophies toward solving the issue, which has dominated much of the mayoral campaign so far. Our Emmanuel Camarillo has more on the candidates’ responses when they were pressed by moderators about their past remarks.

Additionally, with Chicago’s first casino in the works, both Vallas and Johnson have expressed support for bringing video gambling — which has been long-outlawed — to the city. WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg have more on where the candidates stand on this issue.

And Vallas nabbed another endorsement today, this time from former mayoral challenger Ja’Mal Green. Johnson countered with the formidable endorsement of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, the first statewide official to back Johnson. Our Fran Spielman has more on these latest endorsements.

A bright one

The curiosities of a freak crappie caught in northern Illinois

Kyle Tepper knew.

“As soon as I set the hook, I told my buddy, ‘Grab the net, this is not a bass,’” he said.

Tepper was shore fishing for crappie with Rick Hamann and Kyle Anderson at a lake in the Chain O’Lakes area on March 4 when he hooked into a freak crappie for northern Illinois on a pearl Z-Man Shad FryZ.

“It is a very large crappie,” he understated. This one was 19 1/2 inches with a girth of 17 1/4 inches, looking like something from far southern Illinois or Mississippi.

“As soon as the 19 was landed and in the net, the bobber went down on a 17 1/2,” he said. “We probably caught 10 over 14 inches over that day and another 60.”

Even among those, this was a freak, more like something from Mississippi. Tepper took it to his workplace, Triangle Sports & Marine in Antioch, where weighed 3 1/2 pounds.

The Illinois crappie records are remarkably similar in weight: hybrid (4 pounds, 8.8 ounces, caught by Ryan Povolish, March 28, 2017, Kinkaid Lake); black (4-8, John Hampton, May 15, 1976, Rend Lake); and white (4-7, Kevin Dennis, April 8, 1973, Morgan County farm pond.)

Tepper’s was not a state record, but special for northern Illinois.

“I might do a replica. I let him go. I have a video of it,” Tepper said.

Sun-Times outdoors columnist Dale Bowman has more on Tepper and the crappie.

From the press box

• Aaron Rodgers says his intention is to play for the New York Jets next season as he awaits a trade out of Green Bay.
• Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, a top prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, would “look really good in a Chicago Bears uniform,” Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald told reporters at their pro day in Evanston.
• At Cubs spring training, Maddie Lee spoke to infielder Zach McKinstry, who’s competing for a roster spot, about how he learned to optimize his throwing to turn his arm into a strength.

Your daily question☕

When you think back to some of your hardest days during the pandemic, what’s something that got you through?

Send us an email at newsletters@suntimes.com and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday we asked you: Think back to the first wave of the pandemic — what’s one way you and your neighbors help each other during that tough time?

“My neighbors and I did a group email each morning to check on everyone. We still do it.” — Jo Ann Reksel

“Our next-door neighbors started hosting a weekly backyard get-together during lockdown which continues every Wednesday afternoon at 5. Pretty much the whole block has come, or when they want. It’s been a great way to keep up with what we need or have to offer and get to know each other better.” — Celia Jordan

“We just checked in.” — Jackie Waldhier

“We gave each other weed when one was out.” — Rob Butkus

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