Ed Burke verdict: Former Chicago alderman found guilty in corruption trial
CHICAGO - Former Alderman Ed Burke — the longest serving City Council member in Chicago’s history — was found guilty of several felonies on Thursday in his historic corruption trial.
Burke was facing 14 counts and found guilty on 13 of them, which included: racketeering; corruptly soliciting, demanding, accepting, or agreeing to accept things of value; using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity; and attempted extortion.
The corruption schemes occurred in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
"The public voted Mr. Burke into office, and they trusted that he would be guided by and motivated by pursuing the common good. He betrayed that trust," said Morris Pasqual, the acting U.S. Attorney for Chicago.
Arguments in the trial concluded earlier this week, and the jury – made up of nine women and three men – deliberated for 23 hours over four days before returning its verdict after weighing the testimony of 38 witnesses and hearing more than 100 recordings. It acquitted Burke on one count of conspiracy.
A key chapter of the trial was what federal prosecutors call a "shakedown" between Burke and the owners of a Southwest Side Burger King in 2017. Burke was accused of holding up building and driveway permits in an attempt to get tax business from the franchise owners for his private law firm.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Burke wouldn't sign off on the permits until he met face-to-face with the owners. A photo presented in court showed Burke at an in-person meeting in the parking lot of that Burger King in June 2017.
On a recorded call, Burke is heard saying that he took the owners to lunch at the Beverly Country Club and was "playing nice with them," but they never got back to him.
Political aide, Peter J. Andrews, then replied: "I will play as hard ball as I can."
"This case was about bribery and extortion occurring at the highest levels of Chicago city government," said Pasqual.
Federal prosecutors say the franchisees eventually obtained a building permit from the city and began their remodeling work – but Burke soon shut the construction down.
Former Ald. Danny Solis — who wore a wire for the FBI and in exchange avoided prosecution — testified on the stand. The evidence he gathered was central to the racketeering case against Burke.
During an in-person meeting that Solis recorded, Burke was seen on the phone, then said, "Give Danny a call because I think he is going to be a main player in this whole process."
Jurors also listened to a phone conversation secretly recorded in 2017, where the Burger King allegations were discussed.
"And, we were going to talk about the real estate tax representation, and you were going to have somebody get in touch with me so we could expedite your permits," Burke is heard on recorded phone call audio saying.
Someone then says, "I'm sorry Mr. Burke, was what that last part?" – to which Burke responds, "You were going to have somebody call me so we can help you make sure you get your permits, for the remodeling."
In response, Burke's defense attorneys had emphasized that the law firm was never actually hired, and the mentioned discussion was just a small part of a much longer conversation.
Additionally, evidence presented during the trial revealed Burke's role in other schemes, such as trying to muscle developers – like the Old Post Office development in the West Loop and a retail development on the Northwest Side – to hire his law firm.
Burke also threatened to oppose an admission fee increase at the Field Museum because the museum never responded to Burke regarding a request for an internship at the museum for a child of one of his friends.
"Alderman Burke is a very powerful alderman. This case has had massive publicity, and I’d like to think that public officials who are out there who are tempted to start down this path will be on further notice that the federal government is out there, the FBI is out there," said Pasqual.
Ed Burke guilty verdict: Reaction pours in from lawmakers, city leaders
Ed Burke's verdict drew reaction from present and former Chicago officials and leaders Thursday afternoon.
Co-defendant and real estate developer 52-year-old Charles Cui, of Lake Forest, was found guilty on five counts: corruptly offering or agreeing to give things of value; using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity; and knowingly making a false statement to the FBI.
Cui is due back in court on June 17 for sentencing.
Peter Andrews, 74, a longtime aide to Burke, was acquitted of all counts against him. He was accused of helping Burke pressure the owners of 150 Chicago area Burger King restaurants into hiring Burke’s law firm when help was sought in renovating a restaurant in his ward.
Burke, 79, left the Dirksen Federal Courthouse without comment on Thursday. His sentencing is scheduled for June 19.
"All sentencing decisions will be made, recommendations will be made after the completion of the presentence investigation report after we’ve had a chance to weigh all of the evidence, aggravating and mitigating evidence, and then we will formulate and submit our sentencing recommendations," said Pasqual.
The racketeering and extortion counts are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. The counts for corruptly soliciting and accepting things of value are punishable by up to 10 years, while the maximum for both using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity and making a false statement to the FBI is five years.