CHICAGO — The ongoing ComEd bribery trial continued Thursday as jurors heard witness testimony from the former CEO.

The four defendants, charged in November 2020, are former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore; former ComEd Vice President and lobbyist John Hooker; Jay Doherty, a former ComEd lobbying contractor and President of the City Club of Chicago; and Michael McClain, another former ComEd lobbying contractor and consultant who, for decades, has been a close confidant of Madigan. All have pleaded not guilty.

Madigan was charged in 2022 with racketeering, bribery and other crimes. He’s denied wrongdoing. A year earlier, he resigned from the Legislature as the longest-serving House speaker in modern U.S. history amid speculation that he was a federal target.

The indictment accused Madigan, among other things, of reaping the benefits of private legal work illegally steered to his law firm.

In 2020, ComEd admitted to the bribery scheme and paid $200 million fine.

The defendants’ lawyers argue their actions were normal, legal legislative lobbying.

Joe Dominguez, the CEO of Constellation Energy who replaced Ann Pramaggiore as CEO of ComEd in 2018, was the first witness called by the defense to testify at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago on Thursday.

Dominguez was asked if in the three years he spent trying to get FEJA, an energy legislation passed, did he see anything that made him think ComEd was bribing Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. He said no. When asked if he had noticed any crime being committed, he again said no.

During questioning, Mike McClain’s attorney, Patrick Cotter, asked about his client’s value to ComEd, including his relationship with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Dominguez said “he was one of the best lobbyist I’ve ever seen.”

Pramaggiore planned on starting Thursday by testifying, but attorneys spent most of the day questioning Dominguez.

Thursday marked the 18 day of the ComEd bribery trial.