Sophie’s Tavern has been open close to the intersection of Archer Avenue and Pulaski Highway in Chicago’s 14th Ward virtually so long as Ed Burke was in workplace.
Over these roughly 40 years, the bar proprietor, Sophie herself, felt an unstated strain to contribute to Burke’s campaigns. However pointing to an erratically paved sidewalk on the bar’s entrance that she beforehand requested the Chicago Metropolis Council member’s workplace to handle, she says she by no means obtained a lot out of it.
“In the event you’re in a enterprise, they give the impression of being totally different at you in case you don’t assist him,” Sophie mentioned, declining to provide her final identify or say how a lot she has given to Burke’s campaigns through the years. “They [are] simply on the lookout for cash, that’s it — donation, donation, donation. In the event you don’t give them [a] donation, they don’t come and see you.”
Now, she’ll be watching her longtime former alderman’s corruption trial play out on the tv screens that encompass her oval-shaped bar — however she doesn’t have any hope the end result will clear up Chicago politics.
“I’m not going to achieve something out of this. So, you understand, court docket is so corrupt,” Sophie mentioned. “[All aldermen] ought to go… not solely him, all of them ought to go” on trial.
Sophie’s Tavern has been a mainstay in former Ald. Ed Burke’s 14th Ward for roughly 40 years. Sophie, who owns the bar and declined to provide her final identify, says she doubts Burke’s upcoming corruption trial will do something to wash up Chicago politics.
Mitchell Armentrout/Solar-Occasions
Sophie was amongst a dozen Southwest Siders who shared their ideas with WBEZ and the Solar-Occasions about Burke, who’s on trial beginning this week on fees he used his clout at Metropolis Corridor, together with his place as chairman of the highly effective Finance Committee, to steer enterprise to his regulation agency.
Burke constructed his affect over 54 years within the 14th Ward, which incorporates components of Brighton Park, Archer Heights and Chicago Garden. The ward appears lots totally different than it did when Burke took the mantle from his late father in 1969. As soon as a bastion of Polish and different principally white immigrants, the working-class ward is now 88% Hispanic.
Whereas the trial itself wasn’t prime of thoughts for a lot of of his former constituents, together with some who didn’t even know that they had a brand new alderperson as of Could of this 12 months, some have fond recollections of their longtime ward boss.
“He appeared like he was a good and good man,” mentioned Teresa Galvan, who was talking with a neighbor down the road from the Chicago Garden library department the place she mentioned she solid a number of ballots for Burke through the years. “The best way he talks and issues like that — like typically whenever you see the individual you may inform his look, and the way in which he appears, that he’s an excellent individual, that he’s doing one thing for the neighborhood.”
At an eyewear retailer down the road, an worker named Gerardo couldn’t recall Burke by identify however mentioned he wasn’t shocked to study one other Chicago politician was within the crosshairs of federal prosecutors “as a result of that won’t be the primary one.”
“Have you learnt that folks, they’re shifting out of Chicago, proper? I feel that’s one of many the reason why,” mentioned Gerardo, who didn’t wish to give his final identify.
Burke is a part of a protracted line of allegedly corrupt council members. Three dozen former or present Metropolis Council members have been convicted of a criminal offense previously 5 many years.
Burke appears a logical subsequent member of that ignominious group to Jordan Bettis, who walks by Burke’s gated, 5,600-square foot house on his strategy to work. The “bizarre compound,” as Bettis places it, has a hulking presence on the dead-end nook of 51st Avenue and South Harding Avenue.
Former 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke’s house within the West Elsdon neighborhood on the Southwest Aspect.
Mitchell Armentrout/Solar-Occasions
“I sort of really feel like he’s the quintessential like … whenever you consider sort of a crooked Chicago alderman – I really feel like Ed Burke is what you consider,” Bettis mentioned. “I feel it was most likely the least shocking factor ever” Burke being charged with corruption.
“I sort of really feel prefer it’s typical for the Southwest Aspect, like him and [indicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael] Madigan… we’ve had individuals who have been round for a very long time. And so they’re all sort of crooked, I suppose.”
Like Sophie and different residents, Bettis isn’t optimistic this one trial — and even Madigan’s trial subsequent 12 months — is “going to finish corruption in Chicago,” however he thinks it may imply “a change-up within the people who find themselves operating this space.”
Burke gave up his seat earlier this 12 months, after not submitting to run for reelection. He was succeeded by Ald. Jeylu Guitierrez, a first-time elected official who was endorsed by Burke’s longtime rival, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
“I’m positive it’s going to be a brand new wave of individuals — perhaps like Chuy’s individuals, or whoever, are going to maneuver in,” Bettis mentioned, “and hopefully, it’s for the nice.”
