(The Center Square) – Former ComEd board member Juan Ochoa has completed his testimony at the bribery and racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Last month, ComEd general counsel and Senior Vice President Tom O’Neill testified that Madigan, then-speaker, recommended Ochoa for a position on ComEd’s Board of Directors in 2017. O’Neill said he expressed reservations about Ochoa to then-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore.
Ochoa had served as CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, also known as McPier or MPEA, which was formed by the Illinois General Assembly in 1989. Ochoa also served as CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for 10 years.
As he answered questions from prosecutor Diane MacArthur, Ochoa described his relationships with various politicians. Ochoa said he did election work for then-Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1993 or 1994 and for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich between 1993 and 2007. Ochoa said he was very close to former Congressman Luis Gutierrez, as well as current U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Chicago, and former state representative and current Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, D-Chicago.