A former chief executive, recently imprisoned for her role in a $1.3 million bribery plot, has initiated a bold campaign seeking a presidential pardon that could secure her early release.
From Boardroom to Prison Cell
Anne Pramaggiore, 67, the first woman to lead Illinois energy giant Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), reported to the medium-security Federal Correctional Institution in Marianna, Florida, this week. Her arrival follows a conviction for orchestrating a scheme to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat, to gain favourable legislative treatment.
Pramaggiore was found guilty of bribery, conspiracy, and falsifying corporate books and records. In May 2023, she received a two-year prison sentence, though her reporting date was delayed several times, partly due to a hip surgery.
The Audacious Pardon Bid
Even before setting foot in prison, Pramaggiore began efforts to shorten her sentence. Public filings reveal she paid $80,000 to Washington DC lobbying firm Crossroads Strategies LLC in the third quarter of 2025 for advice on securing a pardon.
She currently has a clemency application pending before the Office of the Pardon Attorney, the body that assists the President in administering executive clemency. Her spokesman, Mark Herr, stated to The Daily Mail: 'Ms. Pramaggiore reported to her assigned site, as expected. Every day she spends in federal prison is another day Justice has been denied.'
Legal Appeals and Political Echoes
Concurrently with her pardon push, Pramaggiore is appealing her conviction. Her legal team's argument hinges on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), despite ComEd being a domestic company. Herr has cited President Donald Trump's past criticism of FCPA enforcement being 'stretched beyond proper bounds'.
Her case has attracted political attention. Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, himself pardoned by Trump in 2025, has publicly called for Pramaggiore's pardon, labelling her '100% innocent, a victim of the Illinois Democratic machine'.
The other figures convicted in the wide-ranging corruption scheme have also been sentenced. Michael McClain received two years, John Hooker eighteen months, and Jay Doherty one year. The scheme's main target, Michael Madigan, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and fined $2.5 million. The 83-year-old is also reportedly seeking a pardon, despite opposition from Illinois House Republicans.
As oral arguments for her appeal approach in the coming weeks, Pramaggiore's team remains defiant. Herr warned that even a successful appeal would mean 'she will have lost two years of her life while innocent'. Her fate now rests partly on legal proceedings and partly on the political calculus of clemency in Washington.
