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Edward Burke
Edward Burke was a member of the Chicago City Council in Illinois, representing Ward 14. Burke assumed office in 1969. Burke left office on May 15, 2023.
Burke ran for re-election to the Chicago City Council to represent Ward 14 in Illinois. Burke won in the general election on February 26, 2019.
He was first elected to the council in 1969.[1]
Elections
2019
See also: City elections in Chicago, Illinois (2019)
General election
General election for Chicago City Council Ward 14
Incumbent Edward Burke defeated Tanya Patino and Jaime Guzman in the general election for Chicago City Council Ward 14 on February 26, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Edward Burke (Nonpartisan) | 54.2 | 3,917 |
| Tanya Patino (Nonpartisan) | 29.4 | 2,123 | ||
| Jaime Guzman (Nonpartisan) | 16.4 | 1,181 | ||
| Total votes: 7,221 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Irene Corral (Nonpartisan)
- Jose Torrez (Nonpartisan)
2015
The city of Chicago, Illinois, held elections for city council on February 24, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was November 24, 2014.[2] In Ward 14, incumbent Edward M. Burke was unopposed.[3][4]
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Chicago 2019 Candidate Survey
Edward Burke did not complete Ballotpedia's Chicago candidates survey for 2019.
Noteworthy events
Conviction on racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion (2019-2024)
On June 24, 2024, Burke was sentenced to spend two years in prison and pay a $2 million fine after being found guilty of racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion in December 2023.[5] He reported to prison on September 23, 2024.[6]
Extortion charges filed (January 2019)
On January 2, 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) filed a complaint in the U.S. Northern District of Illinois court alleging that 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke attempted to commit extortion. The complaint alleged that Burke attempted to use his position as alderman to solicit business for his law firm, Klafter & Burke, from a restaurant owner who was seeking permits for remodeling in 2017. It also claimed that Burke illegally sought a donation for another unnamed politician from an executive of the company.[7][8] The FBI had conducted raids of Burke's offices on November 29 and December 13, 2018.[7][8]
Burke said of the charges, "I believe that I’m not guilty of anything, and I’m trusting that when I have my day in court, that will be clear beyond a reasonable doubt." He stepped down from his role as chairman of the city council Finance Committee on January 7, 2019.[9] He withdrew from the law firm in April 2019.[10]
Charges expanded (May 2019)
On May 30, 2019, Burke was charged with two counts of attempted extortion, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of racketeering, two counts of federal program bribery, and eight counts of using interstate commerce to facilitate an illegal activity. The May 30 indictment included the one charge of attempted extortion from January 2. Other charges were related to the redevelopment of the Old Main Post Office and a museum that wanted to increase admission fees.[11][12]
Burke released the following statement: "Any suggestion that Ald. Burke abused his position as a public official for personal gain is simply not true. The charges are unfounded and not based on actual evidence."[13]
Trial, conviction, and sentencing (2019-2024)
On June 4, 2019, Burke pleaded not guilty in court.[14][15]
On February 8, 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Dow heard oral arguments.[16] Dow rejected motions from Burke's team to dismiss charges in June.[17] In July, Dow set the trial date for November 6, 2023.[18]
On November 28, 2022, Dana Kozlov of CBS Chicago reported that Burke would not run for re-election, saying she learned "this action happened the same day as a big bombshell dropped in Burke's federal bribery case. ... Adding to Burke's case now is a filing issued Monday, which states federal prosecutors have almost 90 hours of videos of consensually recoded meetings, and more than 2,000 texts, involving a cooperating witness – former Ald. Danny Solis (25th)."[19]
On December 21, 2023, Burke was found guilty on 13 counts related to racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion.[20] On June 24, 2024, he was sentenced to spend two years in prison and pay a $2 million fine.[5]
Personal
Ed Burke is married to former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke.
See also
2019 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Chicago, "Ward 14," accessed November 24, 2014
- ↑ Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, "2015 Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2014
- ↑ Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, "General Election Candidate List," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Unofficial election results," accessed February 24, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 NBC Chicago, "Ex-Chicago Ald. Ed Burke sentenced in federal corruption case," accessed June 24, 2024
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Ex-Ald. Edward Burke reports to prison, where he’s now federal inmate No. 53698-424," September 24, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Chicago Tribune, "Feds charge powerful Ald. Edward Burke with corruption," January 3, 2019
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chicago Sun-Times, "Ald. Ed Burke charged in attempted extortion of Burger King," January 3, 2019
- ↑ CBS Chicago, "Ald. Edward Burke, Facing Corruption Charge, Resigns As Finance Committee Chairman," January 4, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Ald. Ed Burke no longer partner at tax appeals law firm at center of indictment," August 23, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Ald. Edward Burke indicted on expanded federal racketeering, bribery charges," May 31, 2019
- ↑ WTTW, "Ald. Ed Burke Indicted on 14 Counts of Racketeering, Extortion, Attempted Bribery," May 30, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Ald. Ed Burke charged with racketeering in sweeping indictment," May 30, 2019
- ↑ WGNTV, "Chicago Ald. Burke pleads not guilty in federal court to corruption charges," June 4, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Burke could go to trial in the middle of 2021, but judge declines to set specific date," February 4, 2020
- ↑ The Chicago Sun-Times, "Judge in Ed Burke’s criminal case tells lawyers ‘stay tuned’ after crucial hearing on evidence," February 8, 2022
- ↑ Chicago Sun Times, "Judge rejects motions from Burke and co-defendants, says evidence should be considered at trial," June 6, 2022
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Judge sets Ald. Ed Burke’s racketeering trial for November 2023 — giving Burke a chance to run again," July 12, 2022
- ↑ CBS Chicago, "Ald. Edward Burke, longest serving Chicago alderman, is not running for reelection," November 28, 2022
- ↑ United States Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois, "Former City of Chicago Alderman Convicted on Federal Racketeering, Bribery, and Extortion Charges," December 21, 2023
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Chicago City Council Ward 14 1969-2023 |
Succeeded by Jeylú Gutiérrez |
| |||||||||
