Thursday, January 24, 2008

Is Richard M. Daley Ed Burke’s Puppet?

It’s Alderman Ed Burke the Finance Committee Chairman that doles out millions of taxpayer cash like water to campaign contributors like Jenner & Block to do the work of Chicago’s Corporation Counsel’s lawyers. This is done with little or no oversight.

Alderman Burke that is perhaps the only Alderman in America with a 1$ million dollar a year police bodyguard detail over a long forgotten decades old threat. Is Daley asleep at the wheel or just too afraid of Alderman Burke to end this kind unnecessary waste? What about the 49 other Aldermen and women?

How does Alderman Burke get to keep a $9 million dollar donated campaign war chest when he’s not been opposed in any election in memory? Generous contributor’s with lots of clout and huge wasteful city contracts paid Burke well for throwing tax money away.

The Shackman Decree may have ended patronage appointments but Burke and Daley have been able to outsource enough work. Work like that of the Hired Truck scandal to maintain any power lost because of Shackman.

Why do Chicago’s taxpayers have to pay millions of dollars to lawyers to protect Edward Burke whenever he’s been the target of federal investigations?

This Burke story is one that will keep on giving. Club Fed is waiting for their new residents.

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