Ed Burke

Ex-Ald. Ed Burke retires as a lawyer after the state’s highest court failed to pull his law license

Burke’s legal retirement marks a shift from earlier this month, when the state listed him as eligible to practice law despite his federal conviction.

By Dave McKinney | WBEZ and Jon Seidel

Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes speaks about his Democratic primary race for the Illinois Supreme Court against Justice Joy Cunningham, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Candidate for Illinois Supreme Court decries high court’s inaction against ex-Ald. Ed Burke

Appeals Justice Jesse Reyes called on his Democratic primary opponent to say if she recused herself when the court failed to suspend Burke’s law license.

By Dave McKinney | WBEZ

Ex-Alderman Ed Burke and his wife, former Illinois State Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Burke, walk as tall yellowed grasses loom in the background.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Ex-Ald. Ed Burke keeps law license after most Illinois Supreme Court justices recuse themselves

Dressed in an overcoat, shirt and tie, Ed Burke leaves the federal courthouse.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Ed Burke's lawyers say he deserves acquittal or a new trial and call last year's verdict 'inexplicable'

Former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke waves and wears a brown coat as he leaves federal court.

The Watchdogs

Ed Burke is still in line for millions in payouts from pension, campaign funds after corruption conviction

Ed and Anne Burke return to the Dirksen Federal Building to hear jurors’ verdict in his corruption trial on Dec. 21, 2023.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Ed Burke’s conviction ‘sad’ and ‘a tragedy,’ City Council colleagues say

Flanked by family members and attorneys, former Ald. Edward Burke (14th) walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse after being found guilty of racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion.

Ed Burke ‘had his hand out for money.’ Powerful politician convicted of extortion, bribery in historic verdict

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Former Ald. Ed Burkę enters his home after being found guilty of racketeering and bribery. Jurors deliberated for about 23 hours before delivering the verdict about 2 p.m. Thursday.

Mayor Brandon Johnson, city leaders react to Ed Burke guilty verdict in corruption case

By Jon Seidel, Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ, and 1 more

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Ed Burke’s unwelcome birthday present

The disgraced — and now guilty — former member of the Chicago City Council enters his ninth decade as a convicted felon.

By Neil Steinberg

Former Ald. Edward Burke and his wife, Anne Burke, walk on Thursday to the Everett M. Dirksen Courthouse.

Editorials

A federal jury has convicted Ed Burke. Chicago is better for it.

It was a conviction not just of Ed Burke, but the old ‘Chicago way’ of trading favors for political gain. Jurors finally said ‘No more.’

By CST Editorial Board

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Jurors begin deliberating historic racketeering case against Ed Burke

The case against the former Chicago alderperson has been pending for nearly five years.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) at a Chicago City Council meeting in September.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Feds close corruption case against Ed Burke by telling jurors his words on secret recordings are ‘absolutely devastating’

“What’s the best evidence of defendant Burke’s intent?” asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker. “The words that came out of his mouth.”

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Former Ald. Ed Burke wears a tie and brown hat and coat in this close-up shot outside the Dirksen Federal Building.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Prosecutors ‘didn’t have the decency’ to call their key witness in Ed Burke’s corruption trial, defense says in closing arguments

“They ran an undercover investigation on Mr. Burke for 30 months — with the star witness being Danny Solis — and they didn’t have the decency to bring him to you,” said attorney Joseph Duffy.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Former Ald. Ed Burke walks out of the Dirksen Federal Building during a lunch break Monday.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Former Ald. Ed Burke wielded power to ‘satisfy his own greed,’ prosecutor alleges in closing arguments

‘You have heard about a pattern of unlawful activity,’ prosecutor Diane MacArthur said. ‘Standing at the center of that steady drumbeat of unlawful activity is this man, Edward Burke.’

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Attorney Lisa Noller and former Ald. Danny Solis, both wearing dark suit jackets, enter a cab outside the Dirksen Federal Building while street lights glow in the cityscape background.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

So long, Solis? Defense rests in Burke trial after briefly questioning ‘hostile’ witness and FBI mole Danny Solis

Ed Burke’s defense attorneys made good on their promise to call Solis to testify, forcing him out into the open nearly five years after the Chicago Sun-Times revealed his cooperation with the feds in January 2019.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Former Ald. Danny Solis walks towards a waiting vehicle outside the Dirksen Federal Building Monday.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

100 secret recordings, 36 witnesses later, feds winding up case against Burke — but will defense call Solis as ‘hostile’ witness?

Burke’s defense team has promised to summon former Ald. Danny Solis to the witness stand — finally giving Burke the chance to confront the man who famously turned on him while wearing an FBI wire.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Feds play recording of call with Gery Chico as they allege Ed Burke used threats over permits ‘to extort benefits’ from businesses

Prosecutors in Burke’s corruption trial say the call in 2017 demonstrated the former alderman’s “modus operandi.”

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Ald. Ed Burke (14th) attends a Chicago City Council meeting at City Hall in 2022.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Defense: ‘Computer mistake,’ not pressure from Ed Burke, caused delays in Burger King work

City Hall bureaucracy took center stage in former Ald. Ed Burke’s corruption trial Thursday as one of the finer disputed points in the case came to a head.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Ald. Ed Burke (14th) wears a pinstriped suit and sits with his fingers laced during a Chicago City Council meeting.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

‘Do you have memory issues?’ Defense hammers at credibility of witness at Ed Burke corruption trial

Restaurant employee is pressed why he didn’t initially tell FBI agents about the former alderperson’s apparent interest in getting private business from Burger King owners.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

A very head shot of Ald. Edward Burke (14th) wearing glasses and a suit.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Feds play recording of Burke seeming to link Burger King permit approval with business for his law firm

“We were going to talk about the real estate tax representation, and you were going to have somebody get in touch with me so we can expedite your permits,” Burke was recorded saying during a call with an executive.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Ald. Ed Burke (14th) attends a Chicago City Council meeting at City Hall in the Loop, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Why Burger King did not hire Ed Burke’s law firm, despite alleged pressure from the powerful politician

An executive for Shoukat Dhanani, which owned hundred of Burger King locations, said the Klafter & Burke firm “seemed very disorganized.”

By Jon Seidel

Ald. Ed Burke (14th) speaks during a Chicago City Council meeting last year.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

The one that got away? Burke comes up empty after yearslong pursuit of the ‘tuna,’ jurors hear

Burke tried, but failed, to leverage his political clout to strong-arm business for his tax appeals firm out of the New York business that redeveloped the Old Post Office.

By Jon Seidel

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (left), businessman James T. Weiss (center) and former Gov. George Ryan are among those convicted in political corruption scandals in Illinois.

Corruption in Illinois breeds voter cynicism, but what about voter apathy?

By Dave McKinney | WBEZ Chicago

Ald. Edward Burke (14th) at a Chicago City Council meeting in November 2022.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Landing a ‘tuna,’ lobbing an F-bomb — Burke’s famous quotes played for jurors after defense mistrial denial

U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall denied a request for mistrial over a remark about the ‘Chicago way of doing business’ being ‘very corrupt.’ That allowed prosecutors to proceed with recordings of Burke and witness testimony.

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Former Ald. Ed Burke (center) walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse earlier this month.

USA vs. Edward M. Burke

Mistrial in Burke case? Judge to rule on defense objection to ‘very corrupt’ remark during corruption trial

When Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur explained that she did not expect Amtrak executive Ray Lang to make the comment, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall quickly asked, ‘What were you expecting him to say?’

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ

Five years ago, butcher paper signaled FBI raid on offices of ‘untouchable’ Ed Burke — changing Chicago history

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ