Emanuel Aims at Ald. Burke's Police Posse

Did you know Ald. Ed Burke has six police bodyguards?

Read that again.

Six.

Police.

Bodyguards.

That's more bodyguards than Darth Vader had when he walked onto the Rebel Ship at the beginning of "Star Wars." Six? Does this guy live on a firing range? Why the entourage, Ald. Burke?

Burke's posse became an issue in last night's debate. Rahm Emanuel suggests Burke may have to shed some of his orbiting gunmen when a new mayor takes office.

Burke is a big fish in the City Council fishbowl. He's chairman of the Council Finance Committee. Miguel del Valle says the Council has an "unhealthy dependence" on Burke. Perhaps if all the Council's eggs are in Burke's basket, he's worth six cops keeping him in a hermetically sealed zip-lock bag.

To get elected, any of these candidates may privately promise Burke his very own tank with a built-in flamethrower and an unlimited supply of grappling hooks. But to the public, it makes sense to suggest that one man may not need a half-dozen of Chicago's finest surrounding him like groupies at a Justin Bieber concert.

Maybe we can just spring for a used PopeMobile.

Contact Us