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| Is Anne Burke now as much a political … |
Burke
is the alderman who is going to push to the limit a defense that his actions in
the City Council are merely the way things get done. It seems his wife will
wind up having to make the same arguments over-and-over.
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| … target as husband Ed? |
FOR
IN THE case of Anne Burke, she has the authority to make appointments to fill
vacancies within the judiciary of Cook County. It would seem that she used her
power to place people with whom she has political ties.
Which
has more activist-types offended that Anne Burke didn’t give preference to “their”
people instead of “her” people.
Her
first offense occurred earlier this month when she used her authority to
appoint a white attorney to be a judge in a sub-circuit meant to cover much of
Chicago’s West Side. The intent when the sub-circuit was created in the 1990s
was that it would somehow result in more judges of an African-American
persuasion being picked.
Now,
politicos of Latino ethnic origins are offended.
THEY
SEE A different sub-circuit – one meant to cover city neighborhoods such as
Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards (all of which have become
Spanish-speaking enclaves) and stretching out to Cicero. Where there also is a predominance
of people who habla en Espanol.
Yet
as various Latino aldermen and legislators are pointing out, that judicial post
was given to Cara Smith, whose qualifications were serving as an aide to the Cook
County sheriff’s police, where Sheriff Tom Dart is a long-time ally of Alderman
Burke.
There
also are signs that she gave Burke’s aldermanic re-election campaign last year
a significant campaign contribution, which has those of a more
criminally-conspiratorial mindset thinking she bought the judicial post. Anyway, she was sworn in to the post on Monday.
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| GARCIA: As critical of her as much as him |
It
wasn’t given to an attorney of Latino origins. For all I know, there were no
such attorneys who were even considered for the post.
THE
LATINO POLITICOS, including Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., who sent along a letter
of support, are trying to make this an issue of ethnic prejudice, just as those
interested in the initial appointment wanting to see it as a case of black
political empowerment being undermined.
Of
course, there’s also the fact that the Latino activist types tried seriously in
the aldermanic elections this year to undermine Ed Burke and get him defeated
from the City Council post he has held for half a century.
Garcia
was prominently behind that effort – which failed, as voter turnout was particularly
strong in the precincts of his ward that still have sizable white-ethnic
populations – rather than the parts that have become solid Latino (mostly
Mexican-American) neighborhoods.
So
I don’t doubt this is partisan politicking, just as much as the Burkes’ activities
may have its own political taint.
THEY
COULDN’T BEAT him on Election Day (Ed solidly won re-election as alderman
without a runoff, while Anne won a 10-year term to her Supreme Court post last
year), so they’ll dredge up other dirt.
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| The image the alderman may be giving off |
Which
may, or may not, be true. In politics, “dirty pool” is downright fair – or to
be expected – from all sides.
So
I don’t doubt that much of these allegations is about trying to make up for Burke
electoral victories – which some of those of an activist mentality likely
regard as defeats for the good of the people. At least their people.
And
taking a few pot shots at Ed Burke’s wife may hurt him just as much as anything
they fire off directly at him. Although it does create the possibility that
Burke will take great offense to Anne being criticized and could add people to
his personal ‘enemies’ list.
WHAT’S
THAT OLD cliché, remembered by many as a line from the film The Godfather? “Revenge
is a dish that tastes best when it is served cold.”
The
bottom line is that we could be in for an ugly political war, with Ed Burke
doing his best to be none other than “Don Corleone” himself.
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