Chicago City Wire

State Sen. Emil Jones III (D-Chicago) was recently highlighted by the Illinois Republican Party Facebook group as it unveiled its “Continuing Corruption” series detailing state corruption.

“Welcome to the first installment of Continuing Corruption, a glimpse at the longstanding history of corruption among Illinois Democrats. With the ComEd Four being held accountable for their actions earlier this year, it’s time to look at the many other Illinois Democrats embroiled in legal scandals,” the Illinois Republican Party said on Facebook. “This week we’re focusing on Democrat Sen. Emil Jones III who was indicted for taking a $5,000 bribe from a red-light camera company, SafeSpeed LLC. But that’s not all! Jones is also accused of lying to the FBI about the scheme. Just par for the course for Illinois Democrats."

Jones, the son of former Senate President Emil Jones Jr., has been charged with federal bribery and lying to the FBI in connection with the red-light camera company SafeSpeed LLC, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Jones III allegedly lied about his agreement to protect the company in the Illinois General Assembly and is now facing charges three years later. If he pleads guilty, he would be the second member of the Senate to do so this year. 

Despite the charges, Jones III won re-election in November. 

The charges stem from a Senate bill filed in 2019 related to automated traffic law enforcement systems. Jones III allegedly agreed to limit the scope of studies to systems used in Chicago, benefitting SafeSpeed. The investigation into SafeSpeed has already resulted in charges against other politicians and the company's partner, Omar Maani, who has reached a deferred-prosecution agreement with the federal government. SafeSpeed itself has not been charged with wrongdoing.

Illinois lawmakers passed new legislation aimed at strengthening ethics laws in response to recent federal bribery convictions involving Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists, the Chicago Tribune reported. The proposed legislation focuses on the red-light camera industry, which has been at the center of multiple corruption investigations involving state, county, and local officials. The bill seeks to establish stricter ethical guidelines, including prohibiting campaign contributions from red-light camera companies and their affiliates to state and local candidates. It also imposes a two-year prohibition on officials working for or receiving compensation from these companies after leaving office. The Illinois Department of Transportation would have the power to revoke authorization for red-light cameras if officials involved in their placement are charged with bribery or misconduct.

The reforms come after former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker along with former House Speaker Michael Madigan associate Michael McClain and lobbyist Jay Doherty, who previously ran the City Club of Chicago, were convicted of scheming to pay $1.3 million to Madigan-connected people and companies, Prairie State Wire reported. The "ComEd Four" face sentencing in January 2024. 

As part of the scheme, ComEd provided jobs – some of which were no show – and contracts to those with connections to Madigan who at the time controlled the Democratic Party and had wielded power as the state’s most powerful politician as the longest-serving state House Speaker in the nation. 

ComEd, the state’s largest utility, engaged in the scheme to influence Madigan in order to get preferential treatment in the state House. Madigan will undergo trial in April 2024. Prosecutors called the defendants "grandmasters of corruption.” ComEd paid a $200 million fine in July 2020 and admitted to the scheme.