Former Chicago City Councilman Ed Burke Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Corruption

CHICAGO (CBS) — Former Chicago City Councilman Ed Burke was sentenced Monday to two years in prison after being convicted of racketeering and corruption.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall announced the sentence Monday afternoon. She also imposed a $2 million fine and one year of supervised release after Burke served his sentence. Burke is due to report to jail on September 23.

“Corruption within the Chicago City Council is destroying the lifeblood of a vital organ of local government,” Morris Pasqual, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, said in a statement. “When an alderman fails to carry out his duties with honesty and integrity, he betrays not only the citizens of Chicago, but also his fellow public servants who are doing their jobs the right way. Our office will continue to vigorously pursue corruption cases and hold public officials accountable for their actions. violate public trust.

Before announcing the sentence, Burke looked up very intently as Judge Kendall spoke about her reasoning for the sentence.

The judge said there was “no mitigation” of the seriousness of Burke's crimes and that his actions constituted “unfortunately an erosion of confidence in public officials.”

“Citizens are losing confidence… a sad progression for an elected official: you think you deserve something for a public official,” the judge said. “You tried to make money for your business and your family.”

But Judge Kendall said she had never seen so many letters written on behalf of a defendant as for Burke.

“I've never seen anyone attend as many funerals as in this book. It's such an important time in someone's life,” Kendall said. “He goes to each one of them. Not only does he go to them, but also with these handwritten notes to give people hope when they're down.”

Kendall said she doesn't believe Burke's criminal conduct erases all of his good deeds.

“The judge didn't put him on home confinement, she didn't send him home, she didn't give him a slap on the wrist,” Miller said, “but she didn't send him away for a long time neither. She split the difference.”

After the sentence was handed down, Burke turned and hugged his wife, former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, tightly for about 30 seconds.

Three clergy members were present in the courtroom for the sentencing Monday. Also present was Pete Andrews, Burke's former aide, who was acquitted in the case.

In December, a federal jury convicted Burke on 13 of 14 counts against him, including racketeering conspiracy, federal program bribery, attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion and use of an interstate establishment to promote illegal activity.

During a six-week trial, prosecutors accused him of trying to use his political influence at City Hall to pressure people into hiring his private property tax law firm.

He was found guilty of schemes to undermine the developers of the Old post office in downtown Chicago in exchange for help in the form of tax incentives, owners of a Burger King franchise restaurant in its neighborhood in exchange for help with permits, and a developer who wanted help getting a pole sign approved for a new Binny's Beverage Depot store. He was also accused of threatening to block a fee increase for the Field Museum after learning that the museum had not considered her goddaughter for an internship.

These acts occurred late in Burke's career, between 2016 and 2018.

Burke did not speak to reporters as he left the Dirksen federal courthouse Monday afternoon. CBS 2 cameras were rolling as Burke left the courthouse and slipped into a sport utility vehicle alongside his wife.

CBS 2 legal analyst Miller said Burke could have stayed silent for a reason.

“That's why he didn't say anything in front of the judge, like, 'I'm sorry,'” Miller said. “He wants to retain his right to appeal.”

It was not yet known Monday afternoon where Burke would serve his sentence. The defense wants him sent to Camp Oxford, a minimum-security federal correctional institution, in Oxford, Wisconsin.

“It's a place where they put people who they know won't escape, won't run away, so they don't have to worry about guard tours and that kind of thing,” Mille said, “but he's locked up 24/7, which is not an easy thing for most people, especially those who have lived life like Alderman Burke. »

Burke is expected to appeal in the coming weeks. Although Burke's appeal can begin immediately, the process could take months or even years.

Defense reads letters of support

The sentencing hearing Monday lasted about six hours.

During the hearing, the defense read letters of support for Burke, focusing on his generosity over the years. Prosecutors challenged the use of the letters of support, pointing out that an appeals court ruled that a judge gave too much weight to the letters on behalf of former Ald. Ed Vrdolyak when Vrdolyak was initially sentenced only to probation for a real estate kickback scheme in 2008.

The letters documented Burke helping people in need of financial or emotional support, or words of encouragement. The defense said Burke paid college tuition, paid funeral expenses and, in one case, a mortgage payment — without the recipients asking, and sometimes for complete strangers.

A letter from a former wrestling coach at Brother Rice High School, which noted that in 2008 a student had faced a family tragedy and that Burke had paid the tuition and offered other acts of charity for the student and his family.

Another letter came from Jim Mullen, a former Chicago police officer who became a paraplegic on a ventilator after being shot in the line of duty in 1996. Mullen, who also later worked as a disability reporter for CBS 2, said Burke was a constant supporter who offered resources, helping Mullen create a new life and find a suitable living space.

“Without Ald. Burke, I truly doubt I would be alive today to write this letter,” Mullen wrote.

The defense added that former Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said he never imagined writing a letter for someone convicted of a crime, but he did it for Burke.

Burke also addressed the court himself, saying he was blessed with a large family and wonderful friends, and that he regretted the pain and heartbreak he had caused. He asked the judge for mercy and compassion.

“I was blessed with wonderful family and friends…a great career, and I'm sorry to see it end this way. The fault lies with me and me alone. I regret the pain and heartbreak caused to my family and friends, I ask for compassion and mercy,” Burke said. “Whatever time God has decided to leave me on this earth, I would like to spend as much time as possible with my devoted wife, my wonderful children and grandchildren.”

Federal prosecutors argued that Burke, 80, deserved a sentence of more than 10 years in prisonarguing that the lengthy prison sentence is necessary to “protect the public from future criminal acts.”

“Burke has thus far taken no responsibility in this matter and maintains to this day that he did nothing wrong,” prosecutors said. “It would be naive to think that anything would prevent Burke, the consummate political insider with his coterie of misguided friends and supporters, from engaging in the same type of collaborative conduct with public officials in the future. ”

Burke's defense team argued for a sentence of less than five years in prison, and even possibly alternatives to incarceration.

“Such a sentence would be a powerful and just expression of mercy for an 80-year-old man, in the twilight of his life, who gave so much of himself to so many people and for so many years,” said the Burke's lawyers in a court filing. the sentencing hearing.

During Monday's hearing, the defense also noted that Burke is no longer a lawyer and will never hold elected office again. They said Burke posed no threat to society.

The defense called Burke an “uncollared priest” for his acts of generosity and charity.

The judge also lowered the sentencing guidelines Monday before imposing the sentence, following a lengthy debate in court over the amount actually involved in Burke's bribery schemes, from 10 years to a maximum of six to eight years.

But prosecutors again emphasized Monday that “Burke has yet to express a single ounce of remorse and has not taken a single ounce of responsibility for what he did.”

Judge Kendall also sought to have Burke accept responsibility for the conduct for which he was convicted, but Burke chose not to do so.

CBS 2 legal analyst Irv Miller said his own position on what type of sentence Burke should receive was influenced by the letters on his behalf – and there was no way the judge couldn't also be influenced .

“As a former prosecutor, I thought he should pay the price for the crimes he was convicted of,” Miller said. “Then I read those letters and I said, 'You know what? There's got to be some pity for this guy.'

Burke was the longest-serving alderman in Chicago history: he took office in 1969 when he was 25 to replace his late father, Joseph Burke, and left in 2023 after not running for office. another warrant while under indictment. The elder Burke's tenure on the City Council dated back to 1953, for a total of 70 years of Burke's rule over the 14th Ward on the city's southwest side.

For much of his tenure, Burke served as chairman of the city council's powerful finance committee.

After his conviction, Burke – who was the longest-serving alderman in the history of the Chicago City Council – retired as an Illinois attorneyweeks after tThe Illinois Supreme Court was unable to act on an attempt to disbar him. lack of quorum.