EXTRA: From Donald Trump down to Burger King, the deals that exist in Chi

If you think about it too long, it becomes pathetically laughable.

BURKE: An ultimate petty political scam

Edward M. Burke, who is about to hit the 50-year mark in terms of his service on the City Council, faces criminal indictment because of deals his law firm did connected to a Burger King franchise that wanted to operate in his neighborhood.

THAT'S RIGHT, BURGER King. As in the makers of the Whopper who used to challenge McDonald's by giving us the chance to "have it your way" when eating a hamburger. Most definitely NOT Donald Trump.

It seems the operators of a Burger King franchise at 4060 S. Pulaski Rd. had plans for remodeling the place, and that effort was going to require permits issued by City Hall. Those people were advised to hire their legal counsel from Burke's law firm to ensure the process was done correctly.

Then, it is alleged that a company executive was advised how it would be advantageous to their interests to make a campaign contribution that Burke would then pass along to other political people. News reports on Thursday indicated that mayoral hopeful Toni Preckwinkle was meant to be the recipient of the money.

The U.S. Attorney's office, however, is viewing all this behavior as criminal; hence the criminal complaint made public Thursday that files one count of attempted extortion. Although I can easily envision how political operatives will argue this charge is an attempt to criminalize the political process.

TRUMP: So much for taking down president

REMEMBER HOW SOME people were getting all hyped up over the idea that Burke was somehow under investigation because of his ties to Donald Trump in pre-presidential days, back when he was trying to get City Hall to approve the construction of his monstrosity of a namesake building along the Chicago River? Which even Trump himself has complained about.

We had some seriously drooling at the very thought of a political scandal connecting da Hall to the White House -- and one that could take down Trump as well! Not quite. Not even close.

The new preferred 'fast food' of the City Hall set?

Instead, it seems that all that really was at stake was someone trying to do a remodeling so that you could eat a Whopper in slightly-less-grungy conditions the next time you happened to be in that particular neighborhood.

And that Burger King franchise now gets a further bit of notoriety, as early news reports noted it was the same place where Laquan McDonald was walking past on that date in 2014 when he was shot dead by police for ignoring their demand that he stop his erratic behavior.

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