Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke Makes Illinois corruption naughty list

By Patrick Andriesen

12/22/2023

Chicago’s longest-serving alderman, the “ComEd Four” and a collection of public servants in some of the highest-profile corruption cases in decades.

TAGS: Chicago, Ed Burke

Testimony begins in former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke corruption trial

By Patrick Andriesen

11/20/2023

After serving more than half a century as a “fixture” on the Chicago City Council, former Ald. Edward Burke now faces 14 counts of federal corruption charges for allegedly abusing his finance chair position and aldermanic powers for personal gain.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, Ed Burke

Secret footage of Chicago alderman detailed in corruption probe

By Patrick Andriesen

01/18/2022

Chicago Ald. Edward Burke was secretly videotaped in City Hall by federal authorities as part of the corruption probe into Illinois politics. Burke reportedly confided in an informant how they would avoid being caught.

TAGS: Chicago City Council, corruption, Ed Burke

Feds call Chicago Ald. Ed Burke ‘thoroughly corrupt’

By Patrick Andriesen

04/22/2021

Chicago’s longest-serving alderman, Ed Burke, tried to extort redevelopers of the old West Loop post office and others. They said there was no need to entrap Burke because his hand was regularly out.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation

Ald. Burke, Sen. Sandoval political crony guilty of lying about bribes

By Brad Weisenstein

04/13/2021

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about bribes.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Martin Sandoval

Political operative for Ald. Burke, Sen. Sandoval charged with lying to FBI

By Patrick Andriesen

04/01/2021

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval was charged with lying to the FBI about bribes.

TAGS: corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, Martin Sandoval

Man who recorded Madigan, led Burke charges, pleads guilty

11/16/2020

A Chinatown developer made the recording in 2014, which is still a piece to a lengthy federal investigation.

TAGS: corruption, Ed Burke, federal investigation, Mike Madigan

Audit: Chicago saves $1 million after Ald. Burke quits finance committee

09/02/2020

Chicago’s longest-serving alderman used his power as chair of the City Council Finance Committee to pad staffs, give himself a security detail.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, Ed Burke

‘Fair tax’ backer pleads guilty to tax fraud

By Vincent Caruso

01/28/2020

Former state Sen. Martin Sandoval once headed the powerful Senate Transportation Committee. He now faces up to 13 years in prison on corruption charges involving a controversial red-light camera company.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, conflict of interest, corruption, Ed Burke, embezzlement, ethics, fair maps, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, fraud, graduated income tax, house rules, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, pork barrel spending, progressive income tax, red light cameras, redistricting, revolving door, Springfield, tax fraud, Tom Cullerton

Feds indict champion of Illinois gas tax hike, ‘fair tax’ on tax fraud and bribery

By Vincent Caruso

01/27/2020

The former chair of the influential Senate Transportation Committee is the fourth Illinois politician indicted on federal charges amid a sweeping FBI probe.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, conflict of interest, corruption, Ed Burke, embezzlement, ethics, fair maps, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal, federal government, federal investigation, fraud, gas tax, graduated income tax, graduation rate, house rules, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, Legislative Inspector General, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, Mike Madigan, pork barrel spending, progressive income tax, red light cameras, redistricting, revolving door, SafeSpeed, Senate Transportation Committee, Smart Scale, Springfield, tax fraud, transparency, waste, watchdog