Indicted Ald. Ed Burke — deemed “thoroughly corrupt” by federal prosecutors — will not run for a 15th term representing parts of Chicago’s Southwest Side, ending an era of Chicago politics that stretched for more than half a century.
Burke’s palatial City Hall offices were raided on Nov. 29, 2018, exactly four years and one day ago, the first public indication that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois had Chicago’s longest serving alderperson and the chair of the City Council’s Finance Committee in their sights.
Three months later — after the corruption allegations had completely reshuffled Chicago politics, helping a little-known Lori Lightfoot win the race for mayor —federal prosecutors hit Burke with a 14-count indictment, outlining a scheme to “land the tuna” by forcing the firm redeveloping the Old Post Office to hire his private law firm in return for an $18 million subsidy and a tax break worth $100 million.
Charged alongside Burke was his longtime aide Peter J. Andrews and Portage Park businessman Charles Cui. Andrews and Cui also pleaded not guilty. That meant that a bid by Burke for a 15th term would be perhaps his most difficult yet, with much of his voter base moved to adjacent wards. The ward is now more than 88% Latino.
I'm going nowhere, however.
The comedy stylings of Heather Cherone! It is indeed a great day for Chicago!
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