Chicago Alderman Charged with Attempted Extortion

Edward Burke, a former Chicago Police Officer, turned politician, was charged with attempted extortion of a Chicago Burger King. The complaint details how Burke wanted the restaurant to give a campaign donation to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who is running for Mayor.

According to the charge, Burke tried to extort the owners of a company that operates dozens of fast-food restaurants (Burger King and Popeyes) in the Chicago area after they came to him in 2017 for help with permits for remodeling a restaurant in Burke’s 14th Ward on the Southwest Side. The complaint does not name the restaurant, but sources said it was a Burger King located at 4060 S. Pulaski Road — the same business that 17-year-old Laquan McDonald passed by moments before he was fatally shot by a Chicago police officer in October 2014.

It was determined 86 minutes of footage was tampered with and the restaurants District Manager was adamant Chicago PD erased footage of them pumping 16 bullets into McDonald’s body.

In an unrelated case, Inglewood residents have elected a former Inglewood Police Officer as our Mayor. James Butts previously worked as Deputy Police Chief in Inglewood before becoming Chief of Police in Santa Monica.

Five Inglewood police officers murdered Kisha Michael and Marquinitin Sandlin at the intersection of Manchester Blvd and Inglewood Ave on February 21, 2016. The intersection has visible police cameras on the street lights and has a 7-Eleven and Carl’s Jr sitting at the intersection. No footage was either discussed or requested to ascertain what happened that early morning.

In a peculiar move Mayor Butts and his councilmates destroyed 20 years of police investigations, which includes documents related to the Michael/Sandlin case, during the final 2018 city council meeting. The five fired officers have filed a lawsuit over their firing, alleging they were fired for being white and the supervisors on scene are still at work. The city has mysteriously settled with the families of Michael and Sandlin for $8.6 million dollars, without it being identified on any of the city council agendas as a settlement. It was reported by one lone source, Frank Stolze.

When the FBI raided Alderman Burke’s office they confiscated 23 weapons, that he was forced to turnover. It is unclear why the former cop needed 23 guns in his offices.

Mayor Butts has beefed up his personal security detail in 2018 with the hiring of Emery Ward. A public records request to Inglewood City Hall shows Ward was hired as a “Public Safety Supervisor” despite the city having its own police force. A request on the positions Ward supervises has gone unanswered for nearly three months.

Despite Mayor Butts firing of five officers, for their involvement in the shooting, IPD unions supported his re-election. The question now needs to be asked if the Inglewood Mayor and Council shredded documents related to the shooting, to ensure the fired officers an easy payday at taxpayers expense?

The family of Laquan McDonald received $5 million and with the destruction of video and the subsequent actions of Chicago PD, it appears as their was collusion and coordination between Alderman Burke and Chicago PD to ensure their actions would not be made public. In Inglewood Kisha Michael and Marquintin Sandlin’s will never know either.

Read the full details of the complaint by clicking here.