Thursday, March 22, 2018

Bernie Sanders Supporters Look To Take Out Chicago Machine Boss. Brother’s defeat puts a political bullseye on the back of Ald. Ed Burke


The Chicago Sun-Times reports:
Two weeks after celebrating 50 years in politics, Ald. Edward Burke (14th) has a giant bulls-eye on his back that threatens to end his record-long City Council tenure.

“We are coming after Ed Burke,” said Clem Balanoff, head of Our Revolution Illinois, a grass-roots political organization that grew out of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign for president.



“The handwriting is on the wall — whether he chooses to see it or not. Ed Burke will not be alderman come May of 2019 . . . We have a young, energetic movement going on the Southwest Side. There’s no room for smoke-filled, back-room politicians like Ed Burke, who are only serving themselves and not the public.”


Burke, 74, could not be reached for comment on Balanoff’s bold prediction. The City Council’s most powerful alderman may well have been licking his wounds.

Burke’s brother, state Rep. Dan Burke (D-Chicago), was defeated in his majority-Hispanic district by 26-year-old college counselor and high school soccer coach Aaron Ortiz. The race was dominated by Edward Burke’s work to reduce the property taxes on the riverfront tower bearing the name of President Donald Trump.
There's more:
“This is more than just an alderman. This guy basically runs the City Council the way that Madigan runs the House.”
The struggles of one party Chicago.....