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Feds re-raid Ald. Burke’s office

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This time there was no brown paper covering the entrance to the third floor finance committee office at Chicago’s City Hall, but federal agents returned to the office of Alderman Ed Burke on Thursday, sources tell NBC 5.

According to two sources, six to eight federal agents arrived at the alderman’s City Hall office at approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon with a search and seizure warrant.

Just two weeks ago on Nov. 29, agents executed search warrants on both Burke’s 14th Ward office and his finance committee suite.

Like the previous search, there is still no official word on what agents were looking for when they searched the offices.

…Adding… Sun-Times…

Former Chicago Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans is laying out a bill of particulars against Ald. Edward Burke (14th), alleging that he worked repeatedly behind the scenes to inappropriately pressure her and her staff on airport business. […]

• Burke personally intervened to make sure that the clout-heavy United Maintenance, which held janitorial contracts at O’Hare Airport, got paid promptly.

• Burke pushed to renew or extend a contract with Go Airport, which operates a shuttle service at O’Hare.

• Burke worked to help Clear Channel, the company that controls indoor advertising at O’Hare, when it was upset over a competitor’s actions at the airport.

• When dozens of leases for hangars and aviation support facilities were coming up for renewal, the City was obligated to offer them the same business terms. Those terms required City Council approval. However, Burke insisted that each lease be separately submitted to Council – which delayed and complicated the approvals.

Click here for some background on United Maintenance.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:13 am

Comments

Guess the Feds wanna get all the raidin’ done before the holidays…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:14 am
Maybe it just that one of the agents hasn’t been able to find their keys since the first raid.

Comment by Montrose Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:18 am
1) When the Feds left 2 weeks ago, did they say “See you later”? 2)Did the Burke people think that was just a throwaway line?

Comment by Matts Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:21 am
Former Aviation Commissioner?

Comment by O my goodnes Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:22 am
Good news for Alderman Burke: they didn’t find what they were looking for the first time. Bad news: the feds may feel they have to indict him on something now that they’ve made two trips. If he isn’t indicted they really owe him an apology. If Burke isn’t indicted someone should lose their job over this.

Comment by Steve Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:24 am
I think they’ll need bigger boxes.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:26 am
The Sun-Times reports “sources” say it ain’t the workers comp fund or Trump tax work. But they don’t what it’s about, either.

The Ginger Evans story yesterday was interesting. And any Ricky Simon angle perks the ol’ ears up.

I imagine a lot of political and business playas are searching the memory banks, wondering what Burke could trade.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:27 am
I think Rahm is getting kind of sloppy, or he doesn’t care if this points back to him. He is no friend of Ed, and to have Evans give a memo to Fran says lots, me thinks.

Comment by AnneBancrupt Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:39 am
Who could Burke give them? I doubt he wants to die in jail.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:50 am
Steve- guess you are not a lawyer. You have no idea the strength of probable cause the Feds needed to get a judge to sign off on the warrants. The reason tgeycmost likely went back is the initial material triggered an additional line of inquiry. Not like you get to use the same warrant twice. They had to present additional probable cause. Won’t predict any outcome and if is unfair to reach a conclusion but there is evidence of a crime or crimes and no question Burke is sweating this big time

Comment by Sue Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 9:51 am
I was re-watching the Untouchables last night. If they can’t get you on what they originally hoped to, they find something else.

Comment by Because I said so.... Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:00 am
Steve, I’ve noted your comment and will remind you of it later when Burke is either found guilty or pleads guilty.

Comment by Just Me 2 Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:08 am
Sue is spot on with her comment. The first thing I thought was, what did they find in the first raid that was so interesting, and not part of the original warrant, that they had to go back and get it? Was it separate computer files? Audio recordings? A log book? Could be very interesting.

Comment by Bit Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:15 am
He might have a list of 2 things he wants for Christmas…
A shredder
A ticker tape parade…for anyone.

Comment by A guy Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:18 am
–He might have a list of 2 things he wants for Christmas…
A shredder–

Shredding anything would be the stupidest act possible at his point, and Burke is a lot of things, but stupid ain’t one of them.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:28 am
>I was re-watching the Untouchables last night. If they can’t get you on what they originally hoped to, they find something else.

It’s not like Capone was innocent of tax fraud, or made a minor little miscalculation on his 1040-EZ. He did the crime for which he did the time.

If Burke occasionally drives 6 mph over the limit, but otherwise has been trying in good faith to follow our laws, he’ll be fine.

Comment by statehoss Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:34 am
Curious that there’s been no federales action at his law office.

I’ve always thought if they ever got Burke, it would be due to the intersection of his public office and private practice.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:38 am
The ginger evans stuff may provide a roadmap to where this is going

Comment by Regular democrat Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:48 am
Sue

I’m not defending Burke at all or saying he will not be indicted. He’s been through many investigations so far and never got indicted. This could be the one that changes that record.

Comment by Steve Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 10:53 am
While I have no doubt Ald. Burke has done a multitude of things ‘the Chicago way’ those four points don’t see illegal or even unethical…

Comment by Fav Human Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 11:11 am
==Shredding anything would be the stupidest act possible at his point==

Thus the ticker tape parade….

Comment by A guy Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 12:05 pm
Guy, surprisingly, you don’t get it. Any shredding at this point could be seen as prima facie destruction of evidence under subpoena and obstruction of justice.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 12:15 pm
Actually in terms of pols committing offenses- the only difference between a lot of elected officials and the Blago types is the absence of wire taps. The power and money is corrupting and if they were not so inclined before being elected- they learn pretty quick. The line between politics and official misconduct is pretty damn thin. Be interesting if it comes out they had Burke on a wire from a confidant and that is what led to a warrant. Too bad warrant applications are under seal

Comment by Sue Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 12:22 pm
It’s curious that they didn’t raid his law office.
I have no inside information or insight but looking at his elected office duties inside of his personal dealings is significant. I would he has more “buffers’ in his finance committee than Michael Corleone.

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 12:37 pm
“I was re-watching the Untouchables last night. If they can’t get you on what they originally hoped to, they find something else.”

An often overlooked fact is that Al Capone may have been particularly dense since the Feds made income tax evasion cases stick against his brother, Ralph Capone, Frank Nitti, and Jake Guzik, all of whom did prison time, before they came after him. What was he thinking?

In contrast, future Chicago mayor, Edward J. Kelly, paid a substantial amount of back taxes and penalties for undisclosed income and never spent a day in jail and his career advanced. The difference being that the government was willing to accept a settlement in one case and wanted a conviction in the other case.

Comment by Practical Politics Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 12:38 pm
I’ve heard Burke is a yeller in addition to sticking his beak in everything.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 1:00 pm
Isn’t there some saying about indicting a ham sandwich? Wonder if Burke’s sandwich is on rye and the FBI is bringing the mustard.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 1:02 pm