Federal prosecutors are seeking a 10-year prison sentence for former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke, who argued in a lengthy filing late Monday that the 80-year-old Democratic machine was “steeped in corruption” and abused his office for personal gain for years.
“Time and time again, Burke used his considerable political power to solicit and receive bribes from entities doing business for the city of Chicago – all so he could obtain legal business for his private law firm and financially benefit his close personal associates,” prosecutors wrote in their 51-page filing. “To this day, Burke has expressed no remorse for his crimes; In fact, he continues to deny that he has done a single thing wrong.”
The sentence requested by the U.S. Attorney’s Office would mean that Burke could very well die in prison. But it’s a punishment prosecutors say is justified given the “mountain” of evidence in the case — including hundreds of undercover recordings — that Burke captured in his own words and made it “clear that Burke was no novice when it came to corruption.” went’.
“Burke operated as a seasoned professional when it came to identifying new potential clients for his law firm and exploiting his power and position to secure their business,” prosecutors wrote.
Attorneys for Burke were scheduled to issue their own sentencing recommendation Monday, but nothing had been filed as of 11 p.m.
Burke, 80, was convicted in December of racketeering conspiracy, federal program bribery, attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit racketeering and using interstate commerce to facilitate unlawful activity.
The jury found the longtime leader of the City Council’s powerful finance committee guilty of a series of schemes to use his considerable influence at City Hall to win business from developers for his private property tax law firm.
These included efforts to woo the New York-based developers of the massive $600 million renovation of the Old Post Office, extorting the Texas owners of a Burger King who wanted to renovate a restaurant in Burke’s 14th Ward, and intervening on behalf of the police. Charles Cui, a developer in Portage Park who wanted help getting a pole sign approved for a new Binny’s Beverage Depot location.
Burke was also found guilty of attempted extortion for threatening to withhold a fee increase for the Field Museum because he was angry that the museum had ignored an internship application from his goddaughter.
The jury acquitted Burke on one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering in connection with the Burger King project.
Kendall will sentence him on June 24.
Also convicted was Cui, whose sentencing will take place next month.
Meanwhile, the jury acquitted Burke’s longtime assistant from the 14th Ward, Peter Andrews, of all charges, alleging that he helped Burke pressure the owners of Burger King to hire Burke’s law firm by halting the renovation of their restaurant to put.
Burke’s high-profile, six-week trial featured some 38 witnesses and more than 100 secretly recorded videos and wiretapped recordings, providing a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of Chicago’s top political power brokers at work.
At the heart of the case were dozens of wiretapped phone calls and secretly recorded meetings of Daniel Solis, the former 25th Ward alderman turned FBI mole after being confronted with his own wrongdoing in 2016.
In closing, prosecutors showed on large video screens a series of now-infamous statements from Burke about the shootings. Among them: “The cash register hasn’t called yet,” “They can go themselves (expletive),” and “Have we landed the tuna?”
Several letters in support of Burke were made public last month, including one from former mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, who wrote that Burke’s “professional impact on Chicago is a great legacy.”
In their filing Monday, however, prosecutors quoted the late U.S. District Judge James Zagel, who in sentencing former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to 14 years in prison, said he was responsible for corruption that tore the fabric of the state.
Prosecutors said Burke had caused similar damage and that a long sentence was necessary to deter others.
“Burke no longer holds public office. “But it is clear from the character letters received to date that there are people hiding in the bowels of city government and walking the corridors of power who remain strong allies of Burke,” the prosecutor said. “It would be naive to think that there is anything stopping Burke, the consummate political insider with his host of misguided friends and well-wishers, from engaging in the same kind of behavior with government officials in the future.”
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
