Dupage Policy Journal

Mark Rice, a candidate for the 8th Congressional District, has spotlighted the conviction of former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke on 13 out of 14 counts in a significant corruption trial. He underscored Burke's association with the Democratic Party and his exploitation of political influence to profit his private property tax law firm. 

He also brought to light other Democratic Aldermen in Chicago who have faced corruption charges previously, accentuating the widespread occurrence of corruption among politicians in Illinois.

“Democrat Chicago Ald. Ed Burke, whose wife served on the Illinois Supreme Court before retiring recently, is headed to federal prison. He has been found guilty of 13 out of 14 counts, including racketeering conspiracy, after a six-week federal trial,” Rice said on Facebook. “This career racketeer schemed to use his political clout to pressure people into hiring his private property tax law firm.”

“Democrat party leader Michael Madigan will headline the newspapers with his corruption trial in April 2024.”

In an effort to highlight the extent of corruption within state politics, Rice provided examples of several aldermen convicted for their corrupt practices. He noted that "so much corruption in this state by politicians makes every hardworking taxpayer angry." 

He then listed numerous cases involving Democratic aldermen who were convicted for crimes ranging from mail fraud and extortion to wire fraud and money laundering.

"Thomas E. Keane (D), chairman of the Chicago City Council Finance Committee, was convicted in 1974 of mail fraud and conspiracy charges associated with questionable real estate deals. He was sentenced to five years in prison, and served a 22-month term.”

“William Carothers (D) was convicted in 1983 of extorting as much as $32,500 in remodeling work for his ward office from the builders of Bethany Hospital. He was sentenced to three years in prison.”

“Edward Vrdolyak (D) was an alderman from 1971 to 1987. In 2008 he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for accepting a 1.5 million dollar kickback in a real estate scheme. He was sentenced to ten months in prison. In 2019 Vrdolyak pleaded guilty to charges of income tax evasion connected to the state of Illinois’s tobacco lawsuit settlement in the 1990s. He was sentenced to another 18 months in prison.”

“Isaac ‘Ike’ Carothers (D) was an alderman from 1999 to 2010. He resigned after pleading guilty to accepting $40,000 in home improvements for backing a controversial project in his ward. He was sentenced to 28 months in prison. Isaac Carothers is the son of William Carothers, an alderman who was convicted of a similar crime in 1983.”

“Willie Cochran (D), a former police officer, was elected alderman in 2007. In 2016 he was charged in a 15-count indictment with stealing funds “meant for poor children and seniors”, taking bribes, and other crimes. In 2019 he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced to one year in prison.”

“Ricardo Muñoz (D) was an alderman from 1993 to 2019. In 2021 he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering, admitting that he had spent cash from a political fund on personal items such as sports tickets, meals and travel.In 2022 he was sentenced to 13 months in prison.”

“Patrick Daley Thompson (D) is the grandson of Richard J. Daley and the nephew of Richard M. Daley, both of whom served as mayor of Chicago. Thompson was the alderman of the 11th Ward from 2015 to 2022. He resigned after being convicted in federal court of income tax evasion and of lying to regulators about a bank line of credit that he received. He was sentenced to four months in prison.”

On Dec. 21, former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke was found guilty on 13 out of 14 counts in his historic corruption trial. The charges included racketeering, corrupt solicitation, use of an interstate facility for unlawful activity, and attempted extortion. The case exposed Burke's efforts to misuse his political power for personal gain over a period spanning from 2016 to 2018. According to Fox 32 Chicago, he is scheduled for sentencing in June 2024.

Rice's campaign for the 8th Congressional District is marked by key priorities such as promoting economic growth, maintaining fiscal discipline, implementing tax relief, and addressing immigration reform and border security. With a substantial 35-year residence in Illinois, Rice currently serves as the CEO of Energy CX, a leading firm in the energy sector. Under his leadership, the company has gained national recognition for delivering comprehensive energy solutions.

The 8th Congressional District, which includes northern Cook County, northern DuPage County and northeast Kane County, is presently represented by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.).