Alder Eddie Burke and cash bail.

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14th Ward alder Eddie Burke did not file petitions for the upcoming municipal election yesterday. It was the last day to file. After 50 years we won’t have “slow” Eddie in the Chicago City Council any longer.

When Harold Washington was elected Chicago Mayor in 1983 it was “Fast” Eddie Vrydolyak and “slow” Eddie Burke who led the opposition.

Most observers of what became known as “Council Wars” will tell you that for Vrydolyak it was just about power, greed and money.

But Burke was a racist who couldn’t stand the idea of a Black mayor.

In 2019 a federal grand jury indicted Burke on racketeering and bribery charges for allegedly abusing his position to solicit and extort private legal work and other benefits from companies and individuals with business before the city.

Here’s the thing.

Although the judge released Burke on $10,000 bail, Burke didn’t have to put up any money unless he didn’t show up for trial.

So no cash bail for Eddie.

What if it were some poor defendant charged with a minor non-violent offense prior to the state’s reform of the cash bail system.

They would have to put up bail or bond or be locked up until their trial.

For the rich and powerful the cash bail system has worked just fine.

Burke has been out free since 2019 and now has a trial date for November of 2023, four and a half years after his indictment.

When Lori Lightfoot was elected mayor, the first thing she did was remove Eddie Burke as chairman of the powerful City Council Finance Committee.

It was Lightfoot’s first Council meeting. Burke was in the middle of one of his long-winded filibusters about gender names in a pending ordinance.

Block Club reported on Mayor Lightfoot’s this first encounter with Burke.

Lightfoot: “Ald. Burke, you’ve been in the City Council for approximately 50 years. Is that correct?”
Burke: “Yes, ma’am.”
Lightfoot: “And you’re a lawyer. Is that also correct?”
Burke: “Yes, you are.”
Lightfoot: “You’re aware that, under the terms of the law and particularly as provided in the municipal code, that gender, whether it’s designated as ‘his’ or ‘her,’ applies with equal force. So if you’re making an objection please make it so we can move forward.”

When Burke continued to try to object, Lightfoot replied, “Sir, we’ll take your issue under advisement. We’re gonna move forward.” The comment led to a small round of applause.

Afterward, while trying to speak with another alderman, Lightfoot criticized Burke’s comments as a “soliloquy.”

And when Burke tried to speak again several minutes later, Lightfoot pointed to Burke and said, “Alderman, I will call you when I’m ready to hear from you.”

There was then another brief round of applause.

14th Ward boss Eddie Burke.

It was the beginning of a long adversarial relationship between Lightfoot and Burke that has lasted for the past nearly four years.

Lightfoot’s predecessors Richard Daley and Rahm Emanuel were more cordial with the 14th Ward boss. Even after Burke’s office was raided by the feds, Rahm refused to remove Burke from his position as Finance Committee chair.

I’ve lived in Chicago for 50 years, never without Eddie Burke in Council. It’s now like a breath of fresh air.

The air will be even fresher if Eddie Burke ever ends up behind bars.