North Cook News

Lou Lang, a former state representative and longtime Skokie resident testified in the “ComEd Four” trial. The case centers on longtime associate to former house speaker Michael Madigan Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, and lobbyist and former City Club of Chicago head Jay Doherty. 

Lang was formerly Deputy Majority Leader serving under Madigan. He also told prosecutors he concluded she would not be able to eventually succeed Madigan as he had hoped.

“It was very clear to me that there had been a decision made by the speaker that I was not going to move up in the ranks, and the reputation I had built over 32 years was not going to avail me to much progress in my career,” Lang said, The State-Journal Register reported. 

He resigned amid accusations of sexual harassment and the urging of the defendant McClain. 

“In my entire 32-year career, Mike Madigan never ordered me to do anything,” Lang told prosecutors.  

However, wiretapped phone calls tell a different story. In a wiretapped call with Lang, McClain was heard saying "This is not just me talking. This is someone who cares deeply for you, who wants you to move on," according to ABC7 Chicago. 

"I would never embarrass him that way," Lang responded. "Do you think he [Madigan] would be helpful to me in business procurements?” 

In response, McClain said Madigan would assist.

Hannah Meisel of WGEM wrote that in another call, Madigan was overheard directly discussing the problem. 

“You know, I think the guy’s going to be a continuing problem, that’s my expectation,” Madigan said of Lang. “And I mean, you can understand my position, right? I have to sit and think…do I appoint him to the leadership or not?"

Opening arguments were heard the day before the former legislators testified. Capitol Fax noted Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker's opening statements. She argued, “The defendants sought to bribe Mike Madigan in order to influence his actions in the General Assembly, to ensure that he didn’t take action to hurt the company in the General Assembly and to reward past beneficial conduct to ComEd in the general assembly with legislation that was worth hundreds of millions of dollars.” The four are accused of participating in a $150 million bribery scandal meant to sway favor with the former house speaker.

The trial is set to feature over 100 hours of audio collected throughout its duration. On one of the recordings that will be used in the trial, McClain said, “We had to hire these guys because Mike Madigan came to us.” He used euphemisms such as “our friend” or “a friend of ours” to refer to Madigan, tapes reveal, according to WTTW.

Madigan is slated to stand trial on 22 counts of corruption involving ComEd and one related to a different bribery conspiracy with AT&T on April 2024. He reportedly participated in the 2022 election campaign while facing charges, despite losing his leadership roles in the Democratic party and the General Assembly. Also, he has taken the final $10 million from his campaign budget and put it toward his defense fund.

Lang served in the state legislature from 1987 to 2019. His district included Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, and parts of Chicago. 

When Lang retired from the General Assembly in 2019 he announced plans to become a lobbyist as a “full partner” at Nancy Kimme’s Advantage Government Strategies, Patch reported.