Chicago : Ald. Ed Burke charged in attempted extortion case

[lunasun]

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/chicago-alderman-ed-burke-federal-court-case/
Ald. Ed Burke has been charged with one count of attempted extortion for allegedly trying to use his powerful position on the City Council to solicit business for his private law firm, according to a newly unsealed criminal complaint.

The charges revolve around a fast-food company’s remodeling project in 2017. The company sought support from Burke for the project, and he tried to land the company as a client for his firm.

He is expected to appear in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse at 3 p.m., according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

As part of their investigation into Burke, federal agents secretly recorded some of his cell phone conversations, according to the complaint.


Rememnber that his office was raided awhile back when federal agents showed up unannounced kicked everyone out and papered over the windows and walked out with boxes of possible evidence.
more @ link

[fleur-de-lisa]

1. Burke is Trump's former real estate attorney.

The Hoarse Whisperer @HoarseWisperer

Edward Burke is also Trump's former real estate attorney.

His work for Trump included helping him get preferential tax treatment that may well have involved the kinds of schemes and frauds reported in the NYT's blockbuster report on the Trumps' long legacy of grift.

Link to tweet

[TexasTowelie]

2. Burke's own words could come back to haunt as wiretap on cellphone lasted at least 8 months

Longtime Ald. Edward Burke has spent decades at the pinnacle of the city’s power structure, but in the end, he may have buried himself with his own words.

The FBI had Burke’s cellphone tapped over at least an eight-month period, and during that time, at least 9,475 calls were made or received on the phone, according to the bombshell corruption charges unveiled Thursday.

Agents were listening in as the powerful Finance Committee chairman allegedly talked about extorting two executives seeking to renovate a fast-food restaurant in Burke’s ward. When the businessmen didn’t seem to be cooperating, Burke plotted with a ward staffer on how to play “hardball,” holding up permits and sending a city worker to the site to harass them with unwarranted citations, according to the charges.

Legal experts who spoke to the Chicago Tribune said the fact that Burke himself was captured on recordings allegedly talking about the shakedown scheme makes it an extremely difficult case to defend — if not a slam-dunk for the government.

More at https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-alderman-ed-burke-wiretap-20190104-story.html