This afternoon Burke was convicted of more than a dozen corruption charges, including bribery and racketeering, in federal court.
For 54 years, Burke was alderman of the repeatedly gerrymandered 14th Ward. Over the decades Burke's Irish Catholic base died or moved to the suburbs or Tennessee. Hispanics replaced them, but cartographers with the talents of Picasso kept Burke in power.
Who was alderman before Burke? Well, Ed's dad, Joseph, who died in 1969. That's so long ago that the Beatles were still together when the younger Burke, who is now 79, was elected to the City Council. In '69, Major League Baseball was in its first year of division play, and there were two professional football leagues, the AFL and the NFL.
Ancient times.
For much of his time in the City Council, Burke was chairman of the powerful Finance Committee. Only Chicago's mayor has more power than the Finance Committee chair.
Burke used that post to operate as a shakedown artist.
Did I leave anything out?
Nepotism.
Yeah, yeah, they were elected, but I'm sure there were more qualified candidates that could have served in their posts than these Burkes.
Burke's wife Anne is a retired Illinois Supreme Court Justice who was chief justice for a stint.
Did the Burkes file joint tax returns?
Ed's brother Dan is a former state representative.
Sentencing for Ed Burke is scheduled for June.
As for Boss Madigan, he's under indictment on a slew of corruption charges.
Since the early 1970s, 38 members of Chicago's City Council have been convicted of crimes.
Chicago's sports teams are rotten--but the city is number one in corruption.
Illinois and Chicago continue to lose population.
Hmm.
Term limits? Hello? Is anyone listening? Term limits?
Chicago hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1931.
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