Former Lawmaker’s Death Could Affect Federal Corruption Probes

The Center Square

By Cole Lauterbach

The death of former state lawmaker Martin Sandoval could change the landscape of Illinois’ ongoing corruption investigations.

Former Sen. Sandoval, a Chicago Democrat who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a red-light camera company and others, died last week of a COVID-19 related illness. In exchange for a lesser sentence, Sandoval agreed to cooperate fully with U.S. Attorney John Lausch Jr.’s office in ongoing investigations.

His admission detailed the work he had done on behalf of the red-light camera company, but federal investigators appear to have tied him to their investigation into utility ComEd. A search warrant for Sandoval’s senate office in Springfield sought communication between Sandoval, ComEd and its parent company, Exelon, and other executives. The utility spelled out in a deferred prosecution agreement with ComEd a decade-long patronage scheme aimed at currying favor with House Speaker Michael Madigan. The speaker has not been charged with a crime and has denied wrongdoing. Sandoval was Madigan’s state senator.

Sandoval’s daughter, Angie, has worked for ComEd since 2013.

While Sandoval had likely communicated with authorities in the months between his guilty plea and his untimely death, Saint Xavier University Center for Fraud and Corruption Director David Parker said the loss of a potentially key witness in ongoing investigations is likely to have brought “panic and a few expletives” in the U.S attorney offices in Chicago.

“If this does go to trial and it’s a jury trial, this man could have laid the foundation and really spelled things out in giving a jury a picture of what was going on,” he said. “That could have had tremendous value for the prosecution.”

Parker said that it “likely stings” to lose a witness like Sandoval for any future prosecutions, but his absence probably isn’t fatal to their case. He said there will likely be a “battle of motions” to get comments from Sandoval removed or to remain admissible in a court of law.

Lausch’s office didn’t respond to questions about Sandoval on Monday.

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