Burke PAC Targets Runoff Elections

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 14, 2011 8:30PM

Mayor-elect Emanuel isn't the only City Hall player trying to influence next month's aldermanic runoff elections. 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke is making good on a promise to dip into the $8 million he has in three campaign funds to donate to runoff elections. According to Chicago News Co-Op, Burke is funneling donations to aldermen he's backing through a political action committee he controls called The Burnham Committee.

Candidates receiving donations so far through the Burnham Committee include 17th Ward Ald. Latasha Thomas and 46th Ward candidate Molly Phelan. Phelan campaign manager told Chicago News Co-Op that Burke's donation was unsolicited, but that a conversation Burke had with Phelan revealed that Phelan's great-grandfather was mentioned in End of Watch, a book Burke co-wrote about Chicago policemen killed in the line of duty.

Other aldermen who received campaign donations through the Burnham Group during the general election include 15th Ward Ald. Toni Foulkes, 16th Ward Ald. JoAnn Thompson and 38th Ward Ald. Tim Cullerton. Foulkes, Thompson, Thomas and Cullerton are all being supported by Emanuel's The New Chicago Committee PAC in next month's runoffs. Emanuel is staying out of the hotly contested 46th Ward race between Phelan and James Cappleman to replace the departing Helen Shiller.