Following the announcement of a verdict in which a jury found longtime former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke guilty on 13 of 14 counts, leaders from Chicago and around Illinois are sharing their reactions to the conclusion of the momentous case.
According to court documents, Burke, who turns 80 next week, is scheduled to be sentenced June 19.
Burke was indicted in 2019 on 14 counts of racketeering, extortion and bribery, accused of using his immense government power to steer business to his private law firm specializing in property tax appeals. Also charged alongside Burke were his longtime 14th Ward aide Peter Andrews and real estate developer Charles Cui.
Reactions to the verdict began pouring in shortly after the jury announced what signaled the final chapter of a decades-long reign as the city's most powerful alderman, just months after he left office.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot quickly weighed in on the decision:
“With this jury's verdict, Ed Burke should rightfully be remembered as a man who elevated personal ambition and greed over doing the people's work.
Along the way, Burke has had many, many enablers: the pernicious practice of aldermanic prerogative which, despite efforts to eliminate it, persists to this day, especially in zoning and development decisions. The other elected officials who, over the years, looked the other way as Burke systematically monetized the Finance Committee for his own personal benefit. And the party who gave Burke control over judicial nominations, so that decades of jurists became beholden to him.
But like many before who feasted on their gluttonous power, Burke was felled because this total lack of accountability made him foolishly think he was invincible. So he grossly overplayed his hand. He dug his own grave and jumped in.
Only time will tell if the lessons of Ed Burke’s ascent and spectacular fall will lead to desperately needed reforms begun, but not nearly finished, around transparency and accountability. But meanwhile, with this verdict, rendered by a jury of his peers, the tyranny of Ed Burke is over. I like to think somewhere, Harold is smiling," Lightfoot said in the statement.
Former Chicago Alderman, mayoral candidate and current Congressman Chuy García released the following statement on the verdict in Burke's corruption trial.
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“Today, the long history of corrupt Chicago politics righted itself. A man who abused his position of trust for over 50 years, who manipulated the public for his personal gain, was rightfully reprimanded. The trial of former Alderman Ed Burke and conviction on corruption and racketeering charges highlighted the culture of impunity that allowed him to govern for more than half a century. I strongly condemn his gross abuse of power and emphasize the need to dismantle systems that perpetuate unequal representation.
Throughout my career, I have been committed to creating an environment that rejects such politics and strives for genuine representation. For 40 years, I battled against his politics. I am certain that we will achieve a government that reflects our communities' diversity and values, ensuring that individuals, like former Alderman Burke and others trying to carry his legacy, who use their power to gain greater status and personal enrichment have no position of influence in our communities," García's statement said.
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson offered this brief statement in reaction to the verdict:
"Elected officials are responsible for serving with honesty and integrity, with a moral responsibility to their constituents to uphold and abide by the law. In the case that they fail to do so, it is imperative that they are held accountable. That is what the jury decided today," Johnson said.
Don Tracy, the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, called the verdict in Burke's case an example of "Illinois Democrat corruption at the highest levels of government."
"Years of machine electioneering, pay to play politics, insider dealings, and catering to special interests have driven working families out of Chicago and Illinois, increased the tax burden and regulations on those of us who have stayed to fight for a better state, and hugely benefited the powerful few. As the latest prominent Illinois Democrat to be convicted of official corruption, Alderman Burke will finally be held accountable much like Democrats Senator Sandoval, Senator Link, Governor Blagojevich, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr, and the 38 other Chicago Aldermen convicted in the last 50 years as we await Speaker Madigan's corruption trial," Tracy's statement continued.
Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie called for ethics reforms in Illinois laws following the verdict, despite Burke's trial being a federal case.
“Illinois has weak ethics laws and House Republicans have been pushing for significant reforms for years. Democrats’ complacency with the status quo continues to cheat and take advantage of Illinois families by the very government who says it is there to protect them. House Republicans have filed common sense proposals and are more than willing to have bipartisan discussions to close loopholes and enhance penalties for those who violate the public’s trust," McCombie said
Former colleague and 15th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez issued the following statement after Burke's conviction:
"I have known Ed Burke since 2012, shortly after being elected Democratic Committeeman of Chicago's 15th Ward. We have not always had a good relationship. In fact, he openly supported a candidate against me when I ran for Alderman in 2015. We eventually learned to work together for the betterment of our shared communities of Brighton Park and Gage Park. He always advocated for his residents and, powered by his extraordinary knowledge of Chicago history, was able to find ways to improve our city’s shortcomings. My thoughts are with his wife Anne and their children during this difficult time.
Elected officials should always be held to a higher moral standard than the general public. The public trusts us to be principled and honest. Unfortunately, we, as the flawed humans God has created, sometimes fall short, and when that trust is questioned, it makes it harder for anyone in office to be viewed without skepticism.
As Alderman, I have fought to bring transparency and good governance to the Chicago City Council. Under the last two administrations, I have advocated prohibiting Alderpersons from outside employment. The first time was under Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration with Ordinance O2019-342 and again under Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration with Ordinance O2019-5587.
Both times, the Chicago City Council was not ready to do what is necessary. I urge Mayor Brandon Johnson to join me in cosponsoring and passing a ban on outside employment for City Council members. This long-overdue reform legislation would be the first step on the road to rebuilding the public's trust in the Council.
To my City Council colleagues and all elected officials in every level of government: Let the outcome of today's trial be a clarion call to action, always putting the people's business first," Lopez said.
34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway, who took office in May and did not serve in City Council with Burke, released the following statement:
“This was a complicated case spanning several decades but the bottom line is quite simple: you can’t do the people’s business in exchange for private benefit. Period. As an Alderman and former public corruption prosecutor, I hope this welcome decision ushers in a new era of high ethical standards, professional behavior, and restored trust in government. The people of Chicago deserve nothing less," Conway said.
