Weekend Edition | Convicted ComEd 4 Defendants Ask Judge to Drop Case After Supreme Court Ruling

Illinois in Focus

Defense attorneys for the four former Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists convicted of bribing one of the state's most powerful politicians have asked a judge to drop the case. The four defendants, who have not be sentenced, want Judge Manish Shah to dismiss the indictment against them and issue an acquittal after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the federal bribery statute. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of a federal bribery statute that makes it a crime for state and local officials to accept gifts valued at over $5,000 from a donor who had previously been awarded contracts or other government benefits thanks to the official's efforts. The 6-3 decision could affect how prosecutors across the country pursue public corruption cases.