Federal Prosecutors Oppose ‘ComEd Four’ Defendants’ Push for Sentenci…

(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Federal prosecutors have once again expressed their opposition to any delay in sentencing for the “ComEd Four” defendants, arguing it’s “wishful thinking” that an unrelated case making its way before the U.S. Supreme Court could put those verdicts in jeopardy.

The four former Commonwealth Edison officials were found guilty last May of conspiring to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for his support on favorable legislation in Springfield.

But despite the verdicts, defense attorneys for the four now argue that the Supreme Court could rewrite the federal bribery statute that was at issue in many of the charges they were convicted on. They’ve asked a judge to delay sentencing until after the high court’s ruling, claiming that its decision could mean “the convictions are not going to stand.”

But prosecutors strongly disagree.

“Only two circuits are in the minority of the circuit split being considered by…