Alderman Burke Indicted: 19 Counts Of Bribery, Extortion And RICO

Charges filed by the Northern District U. S. Attorney in Chicago May 28 allege that long time Alderman and Finance Chair Ed Burke is guilty of seeking payoffs in the form of legal work assigned to his private tax appeal law firm from several different applicants for TIF funding and building permits needed to complete adaptive reuse of the old Post Office building above the Congress Expressway, a Burger King driveway permit, reuse of a sign at the former Bank of America building at 4901 West Irving Park Road, and increased museum entry fees within the Chicago Park District. Apparently the FBI has ben listening to Burke’s cell phone calls for quite some time.

Burke already submitted his resignation as finance chair, and Mayor Lightfoot has asked him to resign as alderman.