Law firm that’s profited on Chicago deals hosts Alderman Ed Burke fund-raiser

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

As the head of the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Finance, Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) holds sway over all worker compensation claims filed by city workers — and all of the outside lawyers the city hires to fight those claims.

Now, Hennessy & Roach, a law firm that the powerful Southwest Side alderman’s committee paid more than $1.4 million over a three-year period to fight injury claims from city workers, is giving back: It’s hosting a political fund-raiser Thursday for the powerful alderman, who already has the richest campaign war chest of any politician in Illinois.

Burke had a total of more than $8.6 million in his three political campaign funds at the start of this year, records show. By comparison, Mayor Rahm Emanuel had $1.2 million, the Illinois Democratic Party had a little more than $1 million, and Gov. Pat Quinn had about $720,000.

Thomas G. Hennessy, one of the law firm’s managing partners, is hosting this week’s fund-raiser, a cocktail party at the swanky Union League Club downtown. He’s asking people to donate as much as $1,500 to The Burnham Committee, one of Burke’s campaign funds.

As you can see if Rahm Emanuel had more money in his campaign fund: he'd be in charge but he's not.