Some of Chicago Alderman Ed Burke's Massive Campaign Fund May Violate Ethics Law

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) -- who is sitting on an $8 million war chest -- has accepted campaign contributions of $5,000 and $4,500 respectively from two controversial airport concessionaires in apparent violation of the city's ethics ordinance.

The ordinance prohibits elected officials from accepting more than $1,500 a year from city contractors or companies seeking city business.


That didn't stop Burke from accepting $5,000 June 18 from Timothy Rand, co-owner of Midway Airport Concessions. The City Council's most prolific fund-raiser also accepted three June checks totaling $4,500 from Sam Sianis, whose Billy Goat Tavern has an outpost at O'Hare Airport. Two of the three Sianis contributions went to The Burnham Committee, one of Burke's four campaign funds.

In 2001, the city gave Midway Airport Concessions, owned by Rand and his brother, a 13-year contract to run nearly a dozen Midway restaurants under the pretense that their company was a disadvantaged business.

The Chicago Sun-Times subsequently discovered that the company never applied for that certification -- and wouldn't have qualified for it anyway -- because Tim Rand's net worth was more than 20 times higher than the $750,000 certification ceiling. Nevertheless, the Rands were allowed to retain their disadvantaged business certification until the contract expires.

You'll want to read the whole article.No word from the U.S. Attorney's Office on this one.Why does Alderman Burke have more money in his campaign fund than Mayor Daley and all 49 Aldermen put together? Click on this link to learn about Alderman Burke's rise to power.Click on this link to learn how Robert Cooley was asked by the FBI to develop a case on Alderman Burke.Stay tuned to Newsalert, we are working on a long blog entry on Alderman Burke's relationship with The Chicago Mob.