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The governor, who has railed against political corruption for the entirety of his term, said [Chicago Ald. Ed Burke’s] arrest was “long overdue.”
“Unfortunately there are others — other elected officials who do exactly the same type of thing, using their political position and political power to exert pressure on businesses and property owners to enrich themselves,” Rauner said. “This is not a one person thing. I am ecstatic that they finally indicted him. …There are others that do the same and worse. They haven’t been indicted yet. I hope they are.”
Burke has not actually yet been indicted by a grand jury, but has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with one count of attempted extortion for allegedly trying to use his position on the City Council to win business for his private law firm.
Rauner, a former venture capitalist, too said Burke’s “behavior is relatively common knowledge in the business community in Chicago.”
“A lot of the business community has remained silent out of fear of retribution, and it’s wrong. It is fundamentally wrong and I’m glad they finally got him, and I hope they get some of the others who are doing it. And it’s some of the most powerful people in the state.”
Gee, I wonder who he could be talking about?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:19 am
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When the Rauner bill is tallied he will top the list of those that abused their office.
Comment by El Conquistador Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:21 am
Over a year of wiretaps on Burke’s phones.
Inquiring minds can’t wait to see those transcripts.
Comment by Fuel For the Fire Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:23 am
I recall that the Governor and his wife dined with the Cullertons and the Madigans at Burke’s home shortly after the 2014 election. In the ensuing years, and of course, I may be wrong, I do not ever recall the Governor mentioning Alderman Burke. To do so now and state that he is “ecstatic” about Burke being charged absolutely sickens me. It is absolute cowardice to do so now - to kick Burke when he is down. But I have come to expect nothing less from Governor Rauner. He will not be missed, at least by me.
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:23 am
I hope they figure out if his contributions match with investment work.
Comment by hmmmm Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:24 am
What he did with the state, did he gain any income from the blind trust, of that never happened
Comment by 13th Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:24 am
Said in his best Church Lady/Dana Carvey voice…”Who could it be, who, who, who…”
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:25 am
Adios Bruce. Go away, you’re done. Just stop talking.
Comment by Brendan Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:30 am
Rauner: “Now, I’m not gonna stand here and tell you who I’m referrin’ to, but I’ll tell you his initials…….”Mike Madigan”, “Mike Madigan”…..
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:31 am
Only time will tell who’s on those 9700 phone calls to Alderman Ed Burke.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:35 am
Bruce should look in the mirror. On one shoulder is Stu Levine and on the other is Bill Cellini.
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:40 am
For crying out loud, the man is still the governor for a little while longer. He’s saying he has evidence of other criminal behavior, where is his criminal referral? Who is he talking about?
By refusing to do anything about criminal conduct he says he knows about, Rauner makes himself part of the problem.
Comment by GOPgal Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:42 am
Other than the people directly extorted, Madigan is theoretically one of Burke’s biggest victims. They are in the same line of work, in the same city, fighting for the same clients, and Burke was inappropriately using his political influence to make sure he was the one who got them.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:47 am
“A lot of the business community has remained silent out of fear of retribution, and it’s wrong.”
Again, Rauner points a finger at others. By his own admission he’s got 4 pointing back at himself. Why did he stay silent when he says Burke’s conduct was “common knowledge”?
Comment by GOPgal Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:47 am
–There are others that do the same and worse. They haven’t been indicted yet. I hope they are.”–
Now that you’ve finished your self-pitying press pop, it’s your duty to bring your information and evidence to the proper authorities.
Actually, you should have done it long ago. You swore an oath to see that the laws are faithfully executed.
If you don’t, well, gee whiz, I’m going to have to question your honesty and sincerity. Again.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:51 am
If it was common knowledge “guv” why didn’t you speak up?/s
Comment by Steward As Well.... Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:55 am
you mean corruption where people with clout call the mayor to get their kid into an elite CPS school?
Comment by 100 miles west Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:55 am
Wordslinger = Bingo
Comment by Red Ketcher Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:59 am
Durkin, he’s definitely talking about Durkin (snark, obviously)
Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:07 am
He just had to get in one last dig at his nemesis, didn’t he.
Here’s one for BVR as he exits stage left: I’ll give you three guesses who won the titanic political battle you needlessly waged against the citizens of your own state, a state which you purportedly loved and yet never stopped bad-mouthing…
Comment by dbk Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:11 am
my people sure are touchy when their hero Madigan’s business practices come up.
Comment by jim Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:19 am
The fact that we all know who he is talking about should be a warning sign to us.
Comment by Not It Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:34 am
“to kick Burke when he is down.” Sorry, no sympathy. He is accused of breaking the law.
I suspect MJM is careful and disciplined. It is not illegal for him to operate a law firm that does tax appeals.
Comment by Southwest Sider Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:34 am
–The fact that we all know who he is talking about should be a warning sign to us.–
Yes, warning: You’re not in a coma.
For crying out loud, he’s been calling Madigan corrupt non-stop for five years.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:47 am
Not sure why you’d want one of your last statements in office to be, ‘I, a former business person, knew about many of these bad deeds, but, like everyone else, I was too scared to say anything.’
If you’ve got the goods, Bruce, out with it. What have you got to lose? Otherwise, jog on.
Comment by lakeside Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:58 am
If “Bye-bye Bruce” has evidence of extortion, he needs to turn it in to the proper authorities. If not, doesn’t he have some packing he needs to do before moving to Italy?
Comment by CharlieKratos Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:59 am
- Anon -
You could be more right than you know. We will have to find out in court who the Texas businessman used for his property taxes appeals business. It would be very interesting if it was Mike Madigan’s firm.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:29 pm
There is a lot of soft corruption in Chicago and downstate that people in the comments brush off as the way things work in Illinois. Ed Burke is a good reminder that pigs get fat and hogs eventually do get slaughtered.
Comment by Chicagonk Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:32 pm
How Does Bruce justify the move he made for Representative Jimenez husband from answering phones to a division manager, and now to a “protected” division manager upon his dismissal. Remember she was Rauner’s wife’s chief of staff. Somebody should probably let JB know when he cleans out all the Rauner plants. Typical Illinois politics with no repurcussions
Comment by EthicsTrained Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:34 pm
Gov. Bruce must have received a tie for Christmas. I have never seen him wear one as Governor
Comment by northshore cynic Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:37 pm
I hate to say it; but when you’re right, you’re right.
Comment by NATTY BOY Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:37 pm
Who was the Treasurer of that downstate county who stole millions from taxpayers? This wasnt puttting the heavy hand to get side business for a law firm of hers. This was outright theft.
As for Burke being a typical case, wrong again. We suspected it for a long time but no one came forward w EVIDENCE. And if Citizen Bruce has evidence he should bring it forward like the owners of this corporation did.!!
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:39 pm
I add my voice to the…
“You took an oath and still you remained silent on what you think you knew?”
Rauner would have far more credibility had this not been dripping with sour grape jelly… like making his (Rauner) crusade all worth it…
…
… while Rauner said nothing.
Bad form, sour note again by Rauner.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:47 pm
=my people sure are touchy when their hero Madigan’s business practices come up.=
To you and others posting in the same vein-
What you miss is the fact that Rauner is acting as if he knows or has evidence about other pols (most likely Madigan) but to the extent we can know has not done anything. The truth is, if he had ANYTHING on Madigan he would have done everything he could have to get him in front of a jury. He clearly has never had the goods on Madigan, just lots of name calling.
Rauner is a joke.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:11 pm
Another vast criminal spree by an elected official that Lisa Madigan’s office missed.
Comment by Fuel For the Fire Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:18 pm
–There is a lot of soft corruption in Chicago and downstate that people in the comments brush off as the way things work in Illinois. –
Could you point out one of those comments here?
=my people sure are touchy when their hero Madigan’s business practices come up.=
Could you point out one of those comments here?
What I’m seeing is many people saying that if Rauner has information or evidence of crimes he should report them to the authorities. He’s the governor, and he took an oath to see that the laws are faithfully executed.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:31 pm
Confirmed its Jose Jimenez. He now announces himself at meetings as the new division manager of I think another big aging program, and even says it was all done legally. LOL, and sounds like he used to be the head of a program that his wife would have influential decisions over. Let’s talk about corruption. Those types of people are why illinois fails
Comment by EthicsTrained Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:31 pm
I’m still shacking my little nogin trying to figure out why Burke needed 23 guns in his government offices. Seem Psychotic.
Comment by Annie Oakley Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:34 pm
EthicsTrained what are you even talking about? why are you name dropping someone totally unrelated to the post?
To the comments about, and i’m paraphrasing, “why did Rauner not say anything if this common knowledge.” Something being common knowledge does not mean you can prove it. The governor is not a law enforcement officer.
Comment by anananaomous Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:42 pm
“I’m still shacking my little nogin trying to figure out why Burke needed 23 guns in his government offices”….. in my Sean Connery voice ” Because Its the Chicago way”
Comment by theq Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:47 pm
===The governor is not a law enforcement officer.===
Article V
“SECTION 8. GOVERNOR - SUPREME EXECUTIVE POWER
The Governor shall have the supreme executive power, and
shall be responsible for the faithful execution of the laws.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
Rauner swore an oath to uphold the law. There’s that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:50 pm
The first true words Bruce has said as governor.
Also, Stu Levine and Cellini, so not a good look coming from him,
Comment by Akeyrock Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:55 pm
Bruce is at home by himself styling a a wild west cowboy sherrif outfit practicing quick draws watching himself in the hall mirror.
Comment by DeseDemDose Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 2:22 pm
Well there is truth about the corruption in the Chicago City Council, as a child at the dinner table my mother who worked in George Dunn’s offfice near oak street and Clark would reference the same sort of nefarious stuff in the early 1960s. I have little doubt Alderman Burke learned his shake down skills from his own father.
I do understand the anger at Governor Rauner, but really a 75 year old guy shakying down Buger King for more property tax appeals business he doesn’t need at this point in his life. It is really very sad.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 2:36 pm
Since Rauner enjoys scandal so much, perhaps he will finally enlighten us as to why he fired his General Counsel and had him escorted out of the building.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 4:13 pm
Go away already Bruce. If you have something specific, lets hear it otherwise please hit the road.
Comment by "Old Timer Dem" Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 6:01 pm
–Well there is truth about the corruption in the Chicago City Council,–
Thanks for the scoop. Pulitzer is in the mail.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 7:09 pm