* Fran Spielman…
Indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14th) has already been stripped of his two biggest power bases: chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee and head of judicial slatemaking for the Cook County Democratic Party.
Now, he’s lost the one job he has held the longest: 14th Ward Democratic committeeperson.
State Rep. Aaron Ortiz, whose 2018 victory over Burke’s brother Dan was the beginning of the end for the Burke family dynasty, declared victory over Edward Burke in a three-way race. Burke has held the committeeperson job since his father’s death in 1968.
Ortiz got 40.4% of the vote to Burke’s 32.8%. Alicia Elena Martinez got 26.7%, with 29 out of 31 precincts reporting. She was widely viewed as a candidate put up by Burke to divide the vote and pave the way for his re-election.
Martinez didn’t do much of anything and raised no money. She passed one piece of literature that played up her family ties to police. Burke should’ve thrown her a few bucks.
- Paddyrollingstone - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:02 am:
Its a shame to see him go out this way. I know its probably a minority opinion here but I will miss his presence when he is gone.
- JoanP - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:03 am:
Indictments, as well as elections, have consequences.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:13 am:
==Burke should’ve thrown her a few bucks. ==
If he had, she might have gotten more votes than Burke…
- Stones - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:14 am:
These setbacks are minor compared to what he is probably facing down the road.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:23 am:
Burke is currently the posterchild for “quitting while you’re ahead”. If he chose to retire a few years ago, he would have been given a highly publicized farewell by prominent city leaders and would have been able to still make a pretty penny with his law firm. Waiting to get over the 50-year mark didn’t win him any gold stars.
Find a new hobby. Retire while you can.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:29 am:
If you’re going to gum up the works with a candidate, at least make it possible for them to help.
Then again, - Pot calling kettle - might be most right in that thought too(?)
(Snark)
Burke Bounced
Alderman, and former powerful finance committee chairman, Ed Burke was bounced from his 14th Ward committeeman’s slot, losing to state Rep. Aaron Ortiz.
To wit;
Upshot - Alderman Burke will have more time to spend with his family, and work to stay out of Federal Prison.
Downshot - Burke is down another role, committeeman, a role to help with his patronage army that is probably looking for a new General.
Backshot - Sneed hears the Burkes, including the ageless and priceless Chief Justice Anne M. Burke, feel they are being stabbed in the back by a ward they have ruled so benevolently
Buckshot - Had Burke given a few more bucks to his plant in the race, who knows what difference it could’ve made.
Both Burkes were seen with Jay Doherty, having a quiet late dinner in a hush-hush place plotting all their next moves. Sneedless to say, no one was over the moon about the results.
Stay tuned.
(End Snark)
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:37 am:
I noticed something lately about Rep. Ortiz…for such a young, rising star, he does not have the most active social media presence. This should be a lesson for those disappointed Bernie supporters: Get off Twitter and start knocking on doors.
- Been There - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:39 am:
=====Burke should’ve thrown her a few bucks. ==
If he had, she might have gotten more votes than Burke… =====
Or may have even won. Which at least would put some of Burkes precinct captains in a better mood.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:40 am:
===If he had, she might have gotten===
I said a few bucks. Not the bank.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:51 am:
Burke got less than 1/3 of the vote. No matter how the anti-burke vote split, he would still have lost. #math
- Steve - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 10:59 am:
OW
I must praise you here. This was one of your best posts ever.
- Boomerang - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 11:16 am:
Refreshing when good Government finally triumphs. This will be the end of the old 14th Ward. Between the inevitable conviction and the 2021 remap, I believe you’ll see justice finally prevail in that part of town.
- City Zen - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 11:17 am:
Burke already started moving money out of his 14th Ward PAC into his other PACs.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 12:34 pm:
@City Zen: You think who ever wins the committeeman race gets to control that PAC? The officers control that PAC. Burke doesn’t have to move that money now or ever, if he doesn’t want to. https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?ID=HVHbSWQqUDM%3d&T=637202179332654956
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 1:02 pm:
Robert the Bruce, it’s your math that is off. With a bit of money, she could have attacked Ortiz. Understand now?
- amalia - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 4:10 pm:
how can we miss you if you won’t go away? just move on, Ed. and we will all keep talking about your piano playing in a hotel for a Dem convention, your history lessons, and how you got your very inexperienced lawyer wife all the way to the Supreme Court.
- DuPage Dave - Thursday, Mar 19, 20 @ 6:08 pm:
NIU grad you are most correct- Burke woulda, coulda, shoulda retired 5 or 10 years ago. Yes, he would have had a great sendoff. Then he would be forgotten while the feds went off indicting others.