Too little, too late for Ed Burke?
Friday, Jun 8, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tim Novak at the Sun-Times…
“Irreconcilable differences” have led to countless divorces. Now, the same reason is being given for the breakup of President Donald Trump and Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th).
The powerful Chicago alderman’s small law firm had worked for Trump for 12 years, persuading Cook County officials to cut the property taxes on the president’s namesake downtown skyscraper by a total of more than $14 million.
But Burke announced his breakup with Trump in letters filed last month with the Cook County courts and the Illinois State Property Tax Appeal Board. He wrote that “irreconcilable differences” have led his firm to stop representing Trump’s company and stepped aside in five current cases that seek refunds of millions of dollars in property taxes the president’s company has paid.
Those letters came two months after the alderman’s brother, state Rep. Dan Burke, narrowly lost a Democratic primary battle amid Hispanic voters’ outrage that the alderman was doing work for a president who wants to build a wall to thwart illegal immigration from Mexico. […]
Clem Balanoff — a longtime [Chuy Garcia] ally and chief strategist for Aaron Ortiz, who defeated Dan Burke in the Democratic primary despite being outspent 3-to-1 — said Ed Burke’s move to distance himself from Trump is “one more indication of just how afraid Ed Burke is.”
I agree with Balanoff here. People begged the Chairman to dump Trump before Rep. Dan Burke’s primary kicked into high gear. He ignored that advice. His brother lost.
Chuy and Clem haven’t yet announced a candidate to run against Ald. Burke and you can’t beat somebody with nobody. But I figure they’ll find someone and then the 14th Ward will be the scene of a battle royale.
- OneMan - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 9:54 am:
Good thing Ed has a ton of money and Sneed on his side.
Get it, forget it.
- Colin O'Scopy - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:01 am:
Ed Burke was caught flat-footed on this. He should have bailed on Trump after the Trump press conference declaring his candidacy for president. You know the one, the one where he called Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals.
But, as Ed is prone to do, he put dollar signs ahead of political expediency. And now he will likely pay the price for it.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:01 am:
Wouldn’t it have been worse for Burke to keep Trump after his brother’s loss?
What if his brother won? He could still have this association and that could have sunk him, right?
- Amalia - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:01 am:
Burke was on WGN tv today talking about creating a new hotline, just for people in his ward to call in sexual assault issues in schools. here’s what I don’t get. they say the calls will then be transferred to DCFS. which already has a hotline to do this. sounds like Anne Burke gave him a contact to make him look as if he’s really adding something other than another phone line.
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:02 am:
Think about the backstory here
Millionaires and Billionaires hire the most powerful politicians in Chicago, Cook County and Illinois and just one client saves $14 million dollars in taxes.
A great deal for both parties. Politicians get to rage about the wealthy not paying their fair share two or 3 days a week and spend the other days making sure that doesn’t happen.
No wonder Illinois leads the nation in distrust of their Government
- Shelby Thomas Weems - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:02 am:
Would be great to get that 14th Ward seat in some new hands.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:06 am:
Ed Burke is more vulnerable than ever. He’s been in office since 1969. Links to Trump, next election will be anti-Rahm.
Can’t beat somebody with nobody,as Rich pointed out.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:10 am:
The Burkes have been playing with house money, in more ways than one, for quite some time.
But you can expect an endless stream of Burke goo-goo proposals from now until election. He’s always been good at attracting (of distracting) attention that way.
- Shelby Thomas Weems - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:13 am:
==next election will be anti-Rahm==
Certainly not a big Rahm guy but I’m far from convinced that’ll be the truth. Not one of the challengers seems like they have a snowball’s chance to beat him — but perhaps I’m wrong?
- a drop in - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:15 am:
“Ed Burke was caught flat-footed on this.”
Guess that makes him “Slow Eddie”
- Regular democrat - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:22 am:
He is actually walking the ward going door to door knocking on doors. He really scared and rightfully so. Back to basics after 50 years pretty incredible
- 44th - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:24 am:
So sad when all of our part time politicians can’t eat everything they want at the trough. Conflicts, no problem!
- Chris - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:25 am:
Will be a great day for Chicago when Ed is out of office.
@Shelby—if there were one opponent, there would be a decent chance. With 10 (or whatever), one will get into a runoff, but probably not the one with the best chance for broad support.
- Colin O'Scopy - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:25 am:
=Guess that makes him “Slow Eddie”=
While he may have been “slow” on this issue, do not underestimate Ed Burke’s political acumen. There is no one smarter than he when it comes to political chess. You don’t survive at the top for as long as he has without a great political instinct. In other words, don ever count him out until he’s out.
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 10:34 am:
Burke has been in office since 1969. He needs to stay. Where else is there anyone with that much government experience. Except for maybe Madigan
- walker - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 11:47 am:
Lucky Pierre 10:02
Nicely done.
(and not about pensions, LOL)
- MacombMike - Friday, Jun 8, 18 @ 1:29 pm:
===Can’t beat somebody with nobody,as Rich pointed out.===
It’s not that he hasn’t had an opponent…it’s that he and his organization have done a lot of work towards: 1. scaring off potential opponents, and 2. getting any opponent taken off the ballot.
Whoever is challenging him had been have their stuff together and get at least 5 times the requisite signatures. Otherwise, Burke and his team will come after them…HARD.