“Two Eddies” Aim for 16th District Domination
Filed under: Campaign News, Corruption, Reform, Uncategorized
Longtime Chicago Alderman Ed Burke was in the news this week — this time for helping “friends with city deals.”
To those familiar with Cook County politics and corruption, this story about Burke was no surprise. During his career, he has been far from a model of clean and honest government.
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform describes Burke as a “career patron of Governor Rod Blagojevich.”
He has also long been a close political ally of uber-insider Ed Vrdolyak, who last year magically beat corruption charges in federal court after being indicted on fraud and bribery charges. Burke’s and Vrdolyak’s political alliance goes back to the “Council Wars” of the early 1980’s, when the two formed an opposition group — called “The Eddie’s” — to oppose Mayor Harold Washington’s policies, proposals and political organization.
The “Two Eddies” also share something else in common: they both vehemently oppose the reform efforts of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16th).
Well, Burke’s opposition to Peraica most likely stems from him “sticking up” for his buddy Vrdolyak, a political power broker in Cicero and other Western Suburbs located within Peraica’s 16th District. Peraica has long tussled with Vrdolyak on behalf of the taxpayers — thus making Vrdolyak a political enemy.
And when Eddie V. is your enemy — so is Eddie B.
So, in 2006 the dynamic duo teamed up to try to defeat Peraica. Vrdolyak (specifically, the “Vrdolyak Law Group”) was the largest contributor to Michael LaPidus, who opposed Peraica in the Republican Primary for Lyons Township GOP Committeeman.
And Burke — through various political entities — ensured that William Gomolinski — Peraica’s Democratic opponent for the 16th District commissioner’s seat — was well-funded.
How well-funded? Well, according to State Board of Election reports, “The Burnham Committee” (a political committee of which Ed Burke is chairman) contributed $7,000 to “Friends of William E. Gomolinski” on 11/17/06.
The Burnham Committee previously made a $1,000 contribution to Gomolinski’s campaign fund on 3/22/06.
Also on 11/17/06, Friends of Edward M. Burke contributed $1,500 to the “Gomolinski Campaign Fund.”
So, the double-team was apparent: Eddie V. hit Peraica in the Primary … Eddie B. hit him hard in the General Election.
What will the 2010 election cycle hold? That remains to be seen. But with Vrdolyak having avoided jail time, the Vrdolyak-backed LaPidus already stirring up trouble in Lyons Township, and Ald. Burke still freely engaging in his shenanigans, it stands to reason that the “Two Eddies” will once again make a play to take over the 16th District.
Kelly Heads to Jail … Best Yet to Come this September?
Blagojevich friend and fundraiser Chris Kelly today was sentenced to 37 months in prison on federal tax fraud charges related to the use of company funds to pay gambling debts.
But perhaps most interesting to Cook County taxpayers should be Kelly’s upcoming court appearance in September on “charges charged with paying an unnamed consultant $450,000 in kickbacks to get $8.5 million in inflated roofing contracts from two airlines at O’Hare International Airport.”
Kickbacks and O’Hare Airport? Hard to believe these kickbacks could’ve been arranged without the knowledge of at least somebody at City Hall…
Of course, a quick glance at the contributions from Kelly’s roofing company, BCI Commercial Roofing, shows a bunch of political cash contributed to Cook County insiders, including Mayor Daley and Alderman Ed Burke.
And is it a coincidence that Kelly’s attorney — Michael Monico — is the same attorney used by longtime political insider Ed “Fast Eddie” Vrdolyak in his very own corruption trial earlier this year?
You can draw you own conclusion after reading this story of an alleged shakedown of a Hollywood movie producer involved in a deal regarding the Teachers Retirement System. According to court testimony, both Kelly and Vrdolyak (along with Stuart Levine) were connected in this plot to get cash in exchange for awarding a hefty state contract.
Nobody was charged in that specific deal, but … when the same names keep popping up together in federal court, it certainly makes you wonder.
So, while we say “goodbye” to Chris Kelly for now … he will emerge in federal court in September so we can hear more about this roofing contractor deal involving contract at Mayor Daley’s “baby” — O’Hare Airport.
(In the interest of full disclosure, we add that Vrdolyak is a longtime political opponent of Commissioner Tony Peraica, who hosts this blog. Vrdolyak was the largest single contributor to Michael LaPidus, who challenged Peraica in the Republican Primary for Lyons Township Committeeman in 2006.)
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