CHICAGO — The trial of longtime Chicago alderman Ed Burke continued Wednesday, with testimony centered around the Old Main Post Office and more secretly-recorded video of conversations centered around Burke, fellow former alderman Danny Solis, and a post office developer.
One of the conversations presented was from 2017 when Solis asked Burke about a potential kickback, and if he could persuade a post office developer to hire Burke's property tax law firm.
"The last time we met, you got me thinking," Burke said. "My son is at Ignatius and I have a big mortgage. If there's any thought you have on that."
"If you can tee him up, you can be our consultant," Solis said. "That would be okay? No legal problems?"
"You're not going to get into any trouble and I'm not going to get into any trouble at this stage in the game," Burke replied.
Another recording showed Solis and Burke met with Harry Skydell, the property developer of the Old Main Post Office. Burk told Skydell he could help him with permits and delays with Amtrak, who were pushing the project back at the time.
Burke said he had connections with an Amtrak executive, Jeff Moreland, who's daughter he helped become a Cook County judge.
"He’s a presidential appointee to the Amtrak board," Burke said in the recording. "We made his daughter a judge here in Cook County and one of his other daughters went to high school with my daughter, Sarah, so we’re family personal friends. I know if you run into a problem there, Jeff can be helpful."
Ray Lang, Vice President for State Supported Services for Amtrak, also testified Wednesday.
Lang read through emails from Burke and other City officials that asked about entry permits developers needed to access the post office property near Union Station, and the delays that came with acquiring them.
Lang characterized the interaction between Burke and Skydell as being symbolic of old school corrupt Chicago politics — a statement Burke's attorney's objected and called for a mistrial.
The judge presiding over the trial, U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Kendall, told both legal teams to file written briefs by Thursday morning, which she will consider.
Another recording heard during testimony was one where Burke used inflammatory statements against Jewish people during a conversation with Solis over competing law firms.
"You know as well as I do," Burke said during the recording. "Jews are Jews and they’ll deal with Jews to the exclusion of everybody else. Unless there’s a reason for them to use a Christian."