A letter to Harold Washington in heaven: Your buddy (ha!) Ed Burke is in trouble

Dear Harold,

How’s heaven?

Haven’t written to you lately because I know you’re an avid reader, and I’m sure you’re busy keeping up with the Trump scandals.

But I must tell you, your good buddy Ed Burke is facing criminal charges. Can you believe both Burke and Ed Vrdolyak are going to stand trial!?

You always said that Burke played the race card, while Fast Eddie was more about power. I know you’ll never forget the dirty deeds Burke did to you during Council Wars. It ticks me off that they held the city back during Council Wars, but you’re smiling and we’re finally going to get some justice.

Funny thing though — they didn’t charge him on the incredible mess around workman’s comp, or over his tax work representing another soon-to-go-under-guy-pol (Trump). Or one of the many other outrageous acts over his 50-year term.

No, they charged him for squeezing a neighborhood fast food restaurant by playing “the driveway permit game,” so Burke could get tax business for his law firm.

Well, I’ll keep you posted, my best to your buddies in heaven. I knew you’d get a great laugh out of this.

Your vice-mayor and dear friend,

David Orr

Former Cook County Clerk

Sun-Times archives

J.B.’s top staffers get extra dough. That’s rich

J.B. Pritzker, the billionaire governor in Springfield, wants to share his immeasurable wealth. But he is not investing in the impoverished South and West Side neighborhoods.

He is not helping social services that have been gutted by the state’s failure to pay its bills. And he certainly isn’t chipping away at the enormous pension debt that threatens Illinois very survival.

No, he is dropping at least half a million dollars on the salaries of his highest paid staffers.

Most of us don’t make $150,000 a year. But apparently that’s not enough for the people that will be carrying his water.

What better way to project yourself as an out of touch gazillionaire than to make wealthy people wealthier. It’s his money. He can do what he wants with it.

The trouble is, he hasn’t even assumed the oath of office and he is already treating Illinois like it is his and he can do what he wants with it. The current ruse is that he does it “with the goal of attracting and retaining top talent.”

Substitute the words “butt-kissers” for talent and he’s spot on.

Scot Sinclair, Third Lake