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Burke legislative initiatives include protecting non-smokers from second hand smoke, mandating pet-spaying, regulating fatty restaurant food and absolving [[Catherine O'Leary|Mrs. O'Leary's cow]].<ref name="Strahler"/>
Burke legislative initiatives include protecting non-smokers from second hand smoke, mandating pet-spaying, regulating fatty restaurant food and absolving [[Catherine O'Leary|Mrs. O'Leary's cow]].<ref name="Strahler"/>

=== Attorney in Burke law firm convicted of ghost payrolling on Burke's Finance committee ===
Joseph A. Martinez had been a full-time real estate tax appeal attorney in Burke's law firm since about 1977, when in 1981 Mayor [[Jane Byrne]] appointed him to replace the resigning 31st Ward Alderman Chester Kuta. Martinez declined to run for re-election 1983.<ref name=Fremon/> Martinez was a target of the U.S. Justice Department's investigation into ghost payrolling in City Hall known as Operation Haunted Hall. Martinez was charged and plead guilty on January 23, 1997. In his plea agreement, Martinez admitted he was a ghost payroller on three City Council committees, "appointed as an employee" with the Finance Committee between 1985 and 1987, while Burke was chairman. Burke lost control of the Finance committee during Mayor [[Harold Washington]]'s reorganization in 1987, when Martinez switched to the Land Acquisition payroll. then the Disposition and Leasing Committee between 1987 and 1988, and finally the Traffic Committee between 1988 and 1992. Martinez said he received $53,143 in wages and $37,352 in benefits for doing little or no work for the committees between 1985 and 1992. Martinez repaid $91,000, sending the money out of the blue to City Hall in three installments starting in April 1995. Martinez said that in each case he was employed "in order to receive health insurance." Martinez's attorney, said Burke got Martinez the jobs because health insurance was not provided by Burke's law firm. Burke was not been charged with any wrongdoing in the probe.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burke named in case of ghost payroller |url=http://quickproxy4.chipublib.org/SuZoN1261/url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB422E92416E710&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=C23BE832E46446E3AEC1CCAEBDEAF5AE |work=[http://www.suntimes.com Chicago Sun-Times] |date=January 24, 1997 |accessdate=March 10, 2010 |first1=MICHAEL |last1=GILLIS |first2=FRAN |last2=SPIELMAN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Burke Devised Ghost Scam, Lawyer Says |date=1998-01-28 |accessdate=2012-09-12 |first=Matt |last=O'Connor |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-01-28/news/9801280239_1_health-insurance-city-council-committees-traffic-committee }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Burke Linked To Payroll Scandal; Ghost Worked For His Firm, Not City Council
|date=1997-01-28 |accessdate=2012-09-12 |first1=Matt |last1=O'Connor |first2=Ray |last2=Gibson |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-01-24/news/9702150166_1_ed-burke-ghost-jobs-mr-burke}}</ref>


=== Leader of opposition to Mayor Harold Washington ===
=== Leader of opposition to Mayor Harold Washington ===

Revision as of 04:19, 14 September 2012

Edward M. Burke
City of Chicago Alderman
Assumed office
1969
Constituency14th ward
Personal details
Born (1943-12-29) December 29, 1943 (age 80)
Chicago, Illinois
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAnne Burke
Residence(s)Chicago, Illinois

Edward M. Burke (born December 29, 1943) is alderman of the 14th Ward[1] of the City of Chicago. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 1969, and represents part of the city's Southwest Side. Burke has been called Chicago's "most powerful alderman" by the Chicago Sun-Times.[2] Burke is the longest serving alderman in Chicago history.[3]

Early life

Burke is a life-long resident of Chicago. His father, Joseph P. Burke, was a Cook County Sheriff's policeman[4] who worked as a court bailiff. Joseph Burke served as Committeeman from the 14th ward (a local Democratic party post), and was elected Alderman from the 14th ward in November 1953.[5]

Ed Burke is a 1961 graduate of Quigley Preparatory Seminary. He attended DePaul University, graduating in 1965 with a bachelor's degree. Following graduation, he worked for three years as a Chicago police officer while studying law at DePaul University College of Law, where he received a J.D. degree in 1968. In 1968 he was admitted to the Illinois Bar and married his wife, Anne Marie.[6]

While in law school, Burke received a draft deferment as a full-time student. After his marriage and the death of his father, he applied for and was granted a hardship deferment (3-A), as the sole support of his wife, mother, and two younger brothers. In June 1969, the Illinois Selective Service board of appeals reclassified him 1-A ("available for unrestricted military service").[7] At the same time, he was accepted into a Chicago-based United States Army Reserve unit, the 363rd civil affairs group, as a private.[8] Political rivals expressed concern that Burke had received special consideration that allowed him to join the Reserve unit ahead of many others who had been waiting to join the unit, but an Army investigation found no evidence of manipulation in his favor.[9][10]

Election as committeeman and alderman

Burke succeeded his father first as Democratic Committeeman and then as Alderman from the 14th ward.

Joseph Burke died of cancer[4] in office May 11, 1968.[11] The 25-year-old Edward Burke took leave of his job as a City policeman to replace his father as Democratic committeeman.[12] Burke was elected Democratic Committeeman in the 14th ward in 1968 and retains that position. Burke's first election was his toughest. In a secret vote of 65 precinct captains, Burke won his father's committeeman's seat (and assurance of party slating for alderman) over a veteran precinct captain by 3½ votes.[4]

Burke was the Democratic candidate in the special election held March 11, 1969, to fill the 14th ward alderman's seat.[12] The 14th Ward Democrats slated their committeeman and their former alderman's son.[13] He faced 6 opponents.[14]

Aldermanic career

In 1970 John J. Wisniewski, an administrative assistant with the City's Department of Urban Renewal, and a precinct captain in the 14th ward for 30 years, was fired from his City job. Mr. Wisniewski stated that filing to run as an independent candidate for alderman against Burke was why he was fired.[15]

Burke has served as the powerful Chairman of the Committee on Finance. The Committee on Finance has a 63-member staff and $2.2-million annual budget, dwarfing the resources of other council committees. Burke is also a member of the City Council's committees on Aviation; Budget and Government Operation; Energy, Environmental Protection and Public Utilities; and Zoning. Additionally, Burke is a member of the Chicago Planning Commission and Economic Development Commission.

Burke legislative initiatives include protecting non-smokers from second hand smoke, mandating pet-spaying, regulating fatty restaurant food and absolving Mrs. O'Leary's cow.[16]

Attorney in Burke law firm convicted of ghost payrolling on Burke's Finance committee

Joseph A. Martinez had been a full-time real estate tax appeal attorney in Burke's law firm since about 1977, when in 1981 Mayor Jane Byrne appointed him to replace the resigning 31st Ward Alderman Chester Kuta. Martinez declined to run for re-election 1983.[4] Martinez was a target of the U.S. Justice Department's investigation into ghost payrolling in City Hall known as Operation Haunted Hall. Martinez was charged and plead guilty on January 23, 1997. In his plea agreement, Martinez admitted he was a ghost payroller on three City Council committees, "appointed as an employee" with the Finance Committee between 1985 and 1987, while Burke was chairman. Burke lost control of the Finance committee during Mayor Harold Washington's reorganization in 1987, when Martinez switched to the Land Acquisition payroll. then the Disposition and Leasing Committee between 1987 and 1988, and finally the Traffic Committee between 1988 and 1992. Martinez said he received $53,143 in wages and $37,352 in benefits for doing little or no work for the committees between 1985 and 1992. Martinez repaid $91,000, sending the money out of the blue to City Hall in three installments starting in April 1995. Martinez said that in each case he was employed "in order to receive health insurance." Martinez's attorney, said Burke got Martinez the jobs because health insurance was not provided by Burke's law firm. Burke was not been charged with any wrongdoing in the probe.[17][18][19]

Leader of opposition to Mayor Harold Washington

Burke was, along with Alderman and Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Edward Vrdolyak a leader of the "Vrdolyak 29", a faction of mostly white aldermen who controlled the City Council and were chronically in conflict with the aldermen who supported Mayor Harold Washington from 1983–1986, a period referred to as the Council Wars. Some commentators referred to Vrdolyak as "Fast Eddie" and Burke as "Slow Eddie."[4]

Campaign fund chair accused of running Hired Truck firm as woman-owned business

Burke's top political aide Peter J. Andrews was running a trucking company in the name of his wife and another woman to get work as a woman-owned firm under the city's scandal-ridden Hired Truck Program, according to the City of Chicago's Inspector General Alexander Vroustouris. In June 2004, Vroustouris recommending that the company, Base Trucking, be stripped of its favored status as a woman-owned business and barred from the program. Base Trucking, which made $3.4 million in Hired Truck business between 1999 and 2004, was co-owned by Ginger Andrews, whose husband Peter J. Andrews was chairman of one of Burke's campaign funds and treasurer of another at the time. City records showed Ginger Andrews was the secretary of Base Trucking. Company president Carmel McGuire was the wife of John McGuire. Their husbands Peter J. Andrews and John McGuire worked together at the Chicago Park District.[20]

Rezoning for new home construction for Burkes

In June 2004, Burke formed a partnership "51st Street Townhomes LLC" with two campaign contributors[21] to purchase and develop a little-used triangular parking lot in the 3900 block of West 51st St. in the 14th ward. Burke and his partners purchased the lot for $300,000 from a former client of Burke's law firm. The city's Zoning Department deemed their proposed project "not recommended," reporting that the development, one massive, 4,400-square-foot (410 m2), three-story house along with 13 town homes, wasn't "compatible" with the Archer Heights neighborhood, where it would tower over the surrounding bungalows. Burke and his partners hired a lobbyist, Marcus Nunes, a law partner of Mayor Daley's former chief of staff, Gery Chico, to re-zone the property. The City Council approved the project on September 1, 2004, with Burke recusing himself. Burke and his partners sold the home for $900,000 to his wife's Anne M. Burke Trust on Oct. 10, 2005, and sold the 13 town homes for a total of $3.7 million.[2]

In his official capacity as alderman Burke wrote a endorsement letter for a zoning change for his partner in 51st Street Townhomes LLC, Anthony DeGrazia, who needed city approval to build 200 homes on the site of a former chocolate warehouse in Burke's ward. "Please feel free to use my endorsement of this project as you see fit," Burke wrote in a July 13, 2005, letter to DeGrazia and DeGrazia's development partner, former Ald. Ted Mazola.[22]

Opposition in 2007 re-election

In 2007, Burke faced his first opponent since 1971: Paloma Andrade, a teacher who had never run for office. A supporter of Mr. Burke’s unsuccessfully challenged the validity of her ballot application, but the case was tied up in court for most of the campaign, and Mr. Burke went on to win with nearly 90 percent of the vote.[23]

City funds used for improvements near home

In an April 17, 2008, letter to city officials, Burke requested that tax increment financing (TIF) funds be used to build a fence near his Southwest Side home "to prevent the students from Curie High School using this rail-road grade cross as a shortcut." Burke eventually used $45,499 of his "aldermanic menu" ($14,079 for the sidewalk, $31,420 for the wrought-iron fence). The "aldermanic menu" is a perk given to members of the Chicago City Council, taxpayer funds aldermen can spend on whatever public works projects they want in their wards. Burke had the fence put up three years after his family moved into the house on the far southwest edge of his ward in 2005. Work on the wrought-iron fence began in late 2008 and was finished in April 2009, city records show.[24]

Burke endorses project of campaign contributor Calvin Boender

In his official capacity as alderman Burke wrote a letter July 18, 2007, endorsing a development project for Calvin Boender, who was indicted in May 2009 month along with Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th) on bribery charges stemming from a different project. Boender had been a client of Burke's law firm for at least four years. Boender also has made $17,000 in campaign contributions to Burke since 1997. In addition, Boender hosted a fund-raiser for Burke's wife, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, raising $58,250, four months before Ald. Burke penned the letter supporting Boender's project.[22] Burke was among 49 aldermen who approved giving $5.3 million in taxpayer funding to a labor organization, the Chicago Construction and General Laborers' Council, to buy the 24-acre (97,000 m2) site from Boender. Boender made a 37 percent profit on the land, which he had owned for about six years, city records show.[25] On March 18, 2010 a federal jury convicted Boender on five counts including bribing Carothers for a zoning change.[26][27]

Co-author with paid staff

Burke maintains, at taxpayer expense, a salaried staff to ghost-write speeches, resolutions, and works of non-fiction for him, including among others Thomas J. O'Gorman, carried on Burke's City Council staff payroll as a "legislative aide" since 1995, currently earning $7,233/month, $86,796/year.[28] In October 2006, Burke and O'Gorman published End of Watch, a book which details the lives and tragedies of police officers who have died in the line of duty. Also, Burke and R. Craig Sautter published the book Inside the Wigwam: Chicago Presidential Conventions 1860–1996.[29] Under Burke's direction, the Finance Committee staff compiled historical exhibits that hang on the walls in City Hall, and drafts resolutions which memorialize the deaths of prominent Americans and Chicagoans as well as honoring special visitors to Chicago.

Police detail and expense account use for automobile lease

Burke is among several aldermen who lease sports utility vehicles at taxpayer expense. In 2008 Burke expensed $9,712 for the year to lease a Chevrolet Tahoe. Burke also has at his disposal an unmarked Chicago police car as part of a city-funded security detail. Burke's Finance Committee provides expense-account guidance to all newly elected aldermen.[30] Burke is the only Chicago alderman who has police officers assigned to him as bodyguards.[31] For a nine month period in 2005, the Chicago Police Department bodyguards assigned to the city clerk, city treasurer and Burke did not file a single police report.[32]

Ethnic gerrymandering

The 14th Ward is a gerrymandered area shaped like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. When Mr. Burke started his political career, the 14th Ward was centered in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, more than a mile and a half east of where the ward is now. With each new ward map, drawn at least once every 10 years, its boundaries have been moved farther west, away from the burgeoning Mexican population in Back of the Yards. For the last decade, the boundaries have stretched from 39th Street south to 59th and from Western Avenue west to Cicero Avenue, including most of the Brighton Park, Gage Park and Archer Heights neighborhoods.[23]

Finance committee chair controlled payroll account

Burke controls a $1.3M taxpayer-funded payroll account available to aldermen with no scrutiny. Burke spent the largest chunk of the payroll - $70,164 - in 2008, a total higher than any other ward by more than $26,000. According to the city budget, payments must be approved in writing by Burke.[33]

Molaro pension boost

Illinois lawmakers' benefits are based on 85 percent of their final pay on the last day of service. On Dec. 4, 2008, Illinois State Representative Robert S. Molaro resigned from the state legislature after serving about 15 years in the House and the Senate, making him eligible to receive a public pension of about $64,000 based on his roughly $75,000 salary. One month later, Molaro nearly doubled his pension by spending one month as an aide to Burke. Burke paid Molaro $12,000 to write a 19-page white paper about Chicago's ailing pension funds. When Molaro officially retired on January 1, 2009, his pensionable salary was calculated at $144,000, the amount he would have earned had he worked for Burke for a full year.[34][35]

Political career

Burke controls two well-funded political action committees, the "Friends of Edward M Burke" and "The Burnham Committee."[36] In July 2009, Burke's campaign fund totaled $3.7 million – more than any other alderman's.[16]

Unsuccessful bid for Cook County State's Attorney

Burke was an unsuccessful candidate for State's Attorney against Richard M. Daley in 1980. At the time Burke was aligned with Daley's rival, Mayor Jane Byrne. Burke received the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee but still lost to Daley in the 1980 Democratic primary election.

Professional career

Burke is the leading partner in a Chicago law firm, Klafter and Burke, that specializes in property taxation. The firm represents clients in appealing property tax assessments and was successful in several "significant legal challenges" to Illinois real estate law.[37] In 2007, although one of eight alderman who were attorneys, only Burke disclosed local government clients, and Burke had 37 law clients that did business with the city or other local government agencies, according to his annual ethics statement filed with the city.[38] Burke disclosed 2008 income above the reporting threshold of $5,000 from each of 31 law clients that do business with the city.[16]

Personal life

Burke resides in the southwestern Chicago neighborhood of Archer Heights, close to Curie Metropolitan High School and the Pulaski Station of the CTA Orange Line.[24]

Burke's wife Anne was installed as an Illinois Supreme Court Justice on July 4, 2006 and has served as an Illinois Appellate Court Justice.

Their adult children are Jennifer, Edward, and Sarah. Jennifer is an attorney who worked in the City of Chicago Law Department under Mayor Richard M. Daley's corporation counsel and now is on the Illinois Pollution Control Board.[39]

Burke's brother Daniel J. Burke is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from Illinois' 23rd District, which includes the 14th ward.[2]

Baby T

In February 1996, the Burkes became foster parents to a child, known in public by his court name "Baby T," born to a woman suffering drug addiction. The child's natural mother, Tina Olison, an addict in recovery, sued to regain custody of her child several times in a protracted, highly publicized, and racially charged court battle. The suits ultimately reached the Illinois State Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of custody for the Burkes in 2001.[40][41][42][43][44][45][46]

Bibliography

  • Burke, Edward M.; O'Gorman, Thomas J. (2006). End of Watch: Chicago Police Killed in the Line of Duty 1853–2006. Chicago's Neighborhoods, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9788663-2-7.
  • Sautter, R. Craig; Burke, Edward M. (1996). Inside the Wigwam: Chicago Presidential Conventions 1860–1996. Loyola Press. ISBN 978-0-8294-0911-6. {{cite book}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  • Burke, Edward M. (March 22, 2002). "Lunatics and anarchists: political homicide in Chicago" (PDF). Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 92 (3–4). Northwestern University School of Law: 791–804. Retrieved June 6, 2009. {{cite journal}}: External link in |journal= and |publisher= (help)

References

  1. ^ Chicago ward map
  2. ^ a b c Novak, Tim (May 25, 2009). "Burke gets zoning break, special parking; Powerful alderman gets zoning break, special parking". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 25, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  3. ^ Dardick, Hal (March 18, 2009). "City Council offers to tribute to Ald. Ed Burke for 40 years of service". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e Fremon, David (1988). Chicago Politics Ward by Ward. Indiana University Press. p. 102. ISBN 0-253-31344-9. {{cite book}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Burke, New Alderman, Resigns Post as Bailiff". Chicago Daily Tribune. November 11, 1953. p. B12.
  6. ^ "Committee on Finance Chairman Edward M. Burke". Chicago City Council - Committee on Finance. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  7. ^ "Draft Board Reclassifies Burke as 1-A". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 14, 1969. p. N2.
  8. ^ "Ald. Ed Burke Joins Reserve, Avoids Draft; Enters Unit Headed by Lawyer Friend". Chicago Daily Tribune. July 25, 1969. p. 16.
  9. ^ "Probe Begins in Draft Case of Ald. Burke". Chicago Daily Tribune. August 28, 1969. p. C26.
  10. ^ "Draft Escape Charge Denied". Chicago Daily Tribune. December 5, 1969. p. 3.
  11. ^ "ALD. J. BURKE IS HONORED BY CITY COUNCIL". Chicago Daily Tribune. May 15, 1968. p. A4.
  12. ^ a b "Democrats Move Fast to Fill Five Empty Seats in Council". Chicago Daily Tribune. November 9, 1968. p. 5.
  13. ^ "29 CANDIDATES ENTER RACES IN SIX WARDS: Democrats Will Face Stiff Competition". Chicago Daily Tribune. January 7, 1969. p. 5.
  14. ^ Schreiber, Edward (March 5, 1969). "7 Candidates in 14th Ward Race Tuesday". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. A6.
  15. ^ Jones, William (December 25, 1970). "Fired City Aide Now a Candidate". Chicago Tribune. p. 4.
  16. ^ a b c Strahler, Steven R. (July 13, 2009). "Amid crisis, where's Ed?". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved July 14, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  17. ^ GILLIS, MICHAEL; SPIELMAN, FRAN (January 24, 1997). "Burke named in case of ghost payroller". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved March 10, 2010. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  18. ^ O'Connor, Matt (January 28, 1998). "Burke Devised Ghost Scam, Lawyer Says". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  19. ^ O'Connor, Matt; Gibson, Ray (January 28, 1997). "Burke Linked To Payroll Scandal; Ghost Worked For His Firm, Not City Council". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  20. ^ Spielman, Fran; Novak, Tim; Warmbir, Steve (June 3, 2004). "Burke aide, not women, ran truck firm: city". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 22, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  21. ^ "Alderman Burke's partners". Chicago Sun-Times. May 25, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help) [dead link]
  22. ^ a b Fusco, Chris; Novak, Tim; Spielman, Fran (June 29, 2009). "Ald. Edward Burke helped friends with city deals; SUN-TIMES INVESTIGATION: Alderman couldn't vote on associates' projects in his ward, but he did back them". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  23. ^ a b Dumke, Mick (December 19, 2010). "Old-School Politician Thrives in a Changed Ward". New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2010. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  24. ^ a b Fusco, Chris (September 8, 2009). "The fence that Burke built: Powerful alderman spent $45,499 in taxpayer money to build a sidewalk and fence longer than a football field that keeps teens from hanging around the railroad track behind his home". Chicago Sun-Times.
  25. ^ Novak, Tim; Fusco, Chris (July 6, 2009). "Indicted Chicago developer made big profit on city deal; Builder allegedly bribed Ald. Carothers, but other aldermen had ties to him, too". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  26. ^ Korecki, Natasha; Golub, Art (March 18, 2010). "Calvin Boender convicted on all five counts in bribery scandal; Developer was charged in case that cost Chicago alderman his job". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 14, 2010. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  27. ^ Lighty, Todd (March 18, 2010). "Developer found guilty of bribing alderman; Boender provided nearly $38,000 in home improvements to then-Ald. Carothers, jury finds". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 14, 2010.
  28. ^ "Public Payroll Database". Better Government Association. Retrieved June 6, 2009. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ Curry, Jessica. "The Private Life of Ed Burke, 2005 Chicago Life interview".
  30. ^ Dardick, Hal (August 15, 2009). "What's in Chicago aldermanic expense accounts?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  31. ^ Spielman, Fran (January 19, 2006). "Will other city officials lose police guards?". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved October 25, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  32. ^ Bradley, Ben (January 19, 2006). "Are police bodyguards necessary for some politicians?". ABC7Chicago. Retrieved October 26, 2009. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  33. ^ Dardick, Hal; Gabler, Ellen (November 19, 2009). "Friends & family fund for Chicago aldermen; Shadowy $1.3 million payroll helps them get around ban on patronage hiring". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2009.
  34. ^ Grotto, Jason; Long, Ray (December 16, 2011), "Ex-lawmaker nearly doubles his pension with one month of work; Robert Molaro's short stint as aide to Ald. Ed Burke brought him windfall for life", Chicago Tribune
  35. ^ "You, Molaro, Burke and $3 million; The pols count on you to get mad and then … forget", Chicago Tribune, December 19, 2011
  36. ^ "Illinois State Board of Elections".
  37. ^ "About". Klafter and Burke. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  38. ^ Spielman, Fran (May 2, 2007). "Burke scores big with law firm, Wall Street; Finance chief has 37 clients with government ties, made thousands on stocks". Chicago Sun-Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  39. ^ Thomas, Charles (July 28, 2011). "Ald. Burke's daughter gets $117,000 state job". ABC 7 News.
  40. ^ Sneed, Michael (October 7, 2001). "The "Baby T" case is over". Chicago Sun-Times.
  41. ^ Cohen, Adam (January 17, 2000). "Who Gets The Kid?". Time. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  42. ^ Main, Frank (October 20, 1999). "Burkes keep Baby T Olison fails in bid for her child". Chicago Sun-Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  43. ^ Belluck, Pam (September 19, 1998). "In Tug-of-War Over a Toddler, a Cry of Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  44. ^ "Couple Win Racially Charged Custody Fight". Washington Post. Associated Press. January 5, 2000. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  45. ^ Usborne, David (March 10, 1999). "Race furore as addict wins son". The Independent. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  46. ^ "White Couple Wins Custody of Black Baby". The New York Times. January 5, 2000. Retrieved September 11, 2012.

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