Federal agents swarmed Ald. Ed Burke’s City Hall and ward offices Thursday morning, kicking out employees and hours later hauling boxes of records and computers from rooms that for decades have been at the center of Chicago’s longest-standing political power structure.
The scenario was a somewhat familiar one for Burke, Chicago’s longest-serving politician known for his bold pinstripe suits, great political wealth and as half of one of the city’s elite power couples. In his 50 years in politics, the Southwest Side alderman has been under federal scrutiny several times before, but never convicted or indicted.
“As you are aware, there have previously been several other investigations such as this. In every instance we cooperated fully. And in every instance nothing has been found,” Burke said in a statement. “So once again, we will be cooperating fully, and I am completely confident that at the end of the day nothing will be found amiss in this instance either.”
When the 74-year-old alderman arrived at his Southwest Side home late Thursday, he repeated variations of the same statement as reporters inquired about the investigation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-chicago-alderman-ed-burke-offices-raided-fbi-20181129-story,amp.html?__twitter_impression=true