Chicago's Clout Candidates For Mayor Tainted By Burke Indictment

Every clout-heavy candidate running for Chicago mayor has benefited from a relationship with indicted Ald. Ed Burke by accepting his money, endorsement, mentorship or cutting a backroom deal with him over the years.

Burke’s connection to Toni Preckwinkle, Susana Mendoza, Bill Daley and Gery Chico is an important part of the mayoral candidates’ political histories.

They don’t want to talk about it, but voters need to know.

Burke’s indictment has a money trail that leads directly to Preckwinkle, the Cook County Board president and Democratic Party boss who has responded to the news by talking out both sides of her mouth.

Preckwinkle claims she didn’t have a relationship with Burke despite her friendship with his wife and the private fundraiser they threw for her at his house last January.

Preckwinkle tells people that she fights against the “Good Ol’ Boys Club” that controls the Democratic Party, but she didn’t shake things up after taking over as party chairman a few months after Burke’s fundraiser on her behalf. Specifically, she left Burke in charge of judicial slating — a powerful post that allows him to hand-pick judges who almost always win elections.

You’ll remember that when the feds raided Burke’s office a few weeks back she didn’t immediately speak out against him. Preckwinkle even said she wouldn’t give back the money he raised on her behalf, telling the Sun-Times she was “grateful for the contributions.”

On Thursday, her campaign’s response to details in the indictment didn’t add up. She told reporters she didn’t accept a donation that the feds claim Burke solicited in a shakedown to benefit her campaign, despite evidence in the indictment that says otherwise.

She attempted to deflect attention from her connection to Burke by dirtying up ballot rival Gery Chico, Burke’s former employee and longtime loyalist. Preckwinkle claimed Chico volunteered to co-host the fundraiser with Burke, who endorsed Chico over her for mayor. Chico called Preckwinkle a liar.

"In typical fashion, Toni Preckwinkle is being dishonest about her role outlined in a criminal complaint and deflecting responsibility. She personally called me and solicited a donation and requested that I help her raise money,” Chico said in a statement.

Chico says he gave Preckwinkle $750, saying he often donates to Illinois Democrats, “even when I don't agree with their policies or taxes that they push through.”

The little spat sullied them both. Chico, like Burke, is in the Good Ol’ Boys Club. Preckwinkle took his money without putting up a fight.

Mayoral ballot rivals, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza and Bill Daley also issued statements condemning Burke.

Mendoza’s call for Burke to step down as chairman of the City Council’s powerful finance committee didn’t mention that the indicted alderman is her political mentor. She wouldn’t have been elected to the state house without him.

Daley issued a statement reminding people that he’s been saying it’s time for a leadership change in Burke’s 14th Ward from the moment he announced his candidacy. What Daley didn’t talk about is his long history with Burke.

Insiders will tell you that in 1989 Bill Daley convinced Burke to drop out of the mayor’s race to clear a path to victory for his brother, Richard M. Daley, in exchange for being named City Council finance committee chairman. Burke has never relinquished that powerful post.

It doesn’t matter if Preckwinkle returns the dirty money.

It doesn’t matter if Chico renounces Burke’s endorsement.

It doesn’t matter if Daley and Mendoza say the 14th Ward needs a change in leadership.

They are the clout-heavy candidates running to replace Mayor Rahm Emanuel who practice politics the Chicago Way – with an acceptable level of corruption that keeps power with the status quo.

Lori Lightfoot, the former federal prosecutor running for mayor on the promise to end City Hall politics as usual, sums it up best.

“We’re watching Toni go through all these gymnastics about what her relationship with [Burke] is and she’s not giving full explanation because she’s tainted,” Lightfoot said.

“Bill Daley put the fox in the hen house. He’s hoping no one will remember and the past won’t come back to haunt him. Well there is a past, and he doesn’t get to walk away from it.

“All of them are part of this toxic ecosystem where deals are cut, favors are traded, unethical conduct is OK, and brushed to the side. We’re gonna step our toes right up to the line on illegal contact and sometimes we’re going to go over.

This is the kind of nonsense that has been going on for way to long, and we deserve better.”

The feds gave voters a gift by indicting Burke — and shining a spotlight on the political past that Preckwinkle, Daley, Chico and Mendoza don’t want to talk about — before city elections in February.

In the 2015 mayoral election, Chicagoans weren’t so lucky.

We didn’t find out that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration kept the lid on a deal to pay Laquan McDonald’s family $5 million in hush money to stay quiet about the video of 16 shots that killed the black teenager until after Rahm won re-election.

What happens in the past is important. Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.