Crooks and pols and lobbyists, oh my

Image by jontintinjordan via Flickr

In Chicago, politicians partake in a form of insider trading almost daily. And today, we can read about how state Rep. Daniel J.  Burke earns cash lobbying the city while pulling a pension from his stint as Chicago’s deputy city clerk.

That’s right. Burke “makes $68,828 a year, on top of the $85,903 a year he makes as a state legislator.”

But times are tough and a politician from Illinois can’t be expected to subsist on a mere mid-six figures. What’s a well connected former city/current state employee to do? Become a lobbyist of course.

A year after he picked up his first pension check, he set up Burke Cornell Consulting Co. with businessman and former Florida cop Terry Cornell Jr. as his partner. They set up the lobbying firm at 2650 W. 51st St. in Gage Park on the Southwest Side. It’s the same building where Burke and his brother also have their government offices. He says there never was any danger that Illinois taxpayers might somehow end up picking up the rent for his lobbying business because his landlord — his brother, the alderman — doesn’t charge him to lease his state office.

“No state dollars have ever paid for my operation of the state office,” Dan Burke says.

We can see the conflict of interest even if neither Burke can. His brother, the alderman Ed Burke, donates the office space and then approves the development deals. No conflict, here.

Not to worry, Burke says he hasn’t lobbied in a year. He was busy with a re-election campaign.  Read all about it in this report from the Better Government Association and the Chicago Sun Times.

Rep. Burke: From deputy city clerk to City Hall lobbyist :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: The Watchdogs.