Former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke, one of the state's longest serving Democrat lawmakers, on Thursday was convicted of racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion, the New York Post reports.
Burke, indicted for using his power to win private law business from developers, "had his hand out time and again demanding money and benefits from the very people he was supposed to be working on behalf of," Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur said during closing arguments.
Defense attorney Joe Duffy said, however, that prosecutors presented a "murky" case.
"Fifty years on the job, [Burke] knows how to cut through red tape. That's why people come to him. He can get it done," Duffy said.
Burke left the Dirksen Federal Courthouse without comment. His sentencing is scheduled for June 19.
Burke is the 39th former Chicago alderman charged with crimes since 1972, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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