EVIDENCE OF THE SECOND OF 4 CRIMINAL SCHEMES.

PROSECUTORS SAY FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE WAS INVOLVED MEANWHILE, A NEW STATE LAW BRINGS FURTHER ACCOUNTABILITY TO KEEP ILLINOIS POLITICIANS FROM ABUSING THEIR OFFICE.

AND CHICAGO HAS STARTED LIMITING MIGRANTS TO 60 DAYS IN SHELTERS HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE IS OUR SPOTLIGHT.

POLITICS TEAM HEADER, SHARON, AMANDA, VICKI AND PARIS JURORS HEARD EVIDENCE TODAY, AS WE MENTIONED, THE FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE, ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO EXTORT BURGER KING OWNERS.

HEATHER, WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?

WELL, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL CHARGE LEVIED AGAINST ALDERMAN ED BURKE.

HE'S ACCUSED OF ESSENTIALLY SHAKING DOWN THE OWNERS OF SEVERAL BURGER KING RESTAURANTS IN CHICAGO.

ONE SPECIFICALLY IN THE 14TH WARD, WHICH WAS REPRESENTED BY ALDERMAN ED BURKE FOR 54 YEARS.

THEY WANTED TO RENOVATE THAT RESTAURANT BURKE WANTED THEIR PROPERTY TAX APPEALS BUSINESS.

AND ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS, HE LINK THE 2 IN A SERIES OF MEETINGS.

>> THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW BEING SURVEILLED BY THE FBI AS THEY HOMED IN ON THE VERY POWERFUL ALDERMAN.

NOW WE HAVE NOT FINISHED HEARING THE TESTIMONY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SCHEME IN WHICH HIS LONGTIME AIDE PETE ANDREWS IS ALSO CHARGED AND THE DEFENSE HAS SAID, LOOK, IT WAS NOT A CRIME.

FRED BURKE TO WORK AS PROPERTY TAX ATTORNEY AT THIS POINT, IT WAS NOT A CRIME FOR HIM TO TRY TO SOLICIT BUSINESS FROM THESE PEOPLE.

NOW, PROSECUTORS ARE GOING TO SAY IT WAS A CRIME BECAUSE HE HELD UP A PERMIT THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO THE WORK.

AND THAT'S WHERE EXTORTION CAME.

SO THERE WAS ALSO A CONTINUING DISCUSSION OF BERKS ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO EXTORT THE FIELD MUSEUM IN 2017.

>> HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TEMPER BECKONS EXPERIENCE WITH BURKE.

>> THAT WAS PRETTY FRIGHTENING.

SO DIFFERENT BACK IN ON BEHALF OF THE FIELD MUSEUM ON THE PHONE WITH ED BURKE AND HE'S AUDIO AUDIO SAID THAT HIS PREFERRED INTERN CANDIDATE TO NOT GET HIRED.

THE DAUGHTER OF TERRY CONVINCE KI HIS LONGTIME FRIEND AND HE SAID, WELL, I SUPPOSE AS SOMETHING OF ME NOW, YOU KNOW, HE'S GRUFF KIND OF COMMUNITY IS CUTTING HER OFF BECAUSE, YES, SHE WANTED TO GO TO THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO TRY AND INFLUENCE PARK DISTRICT BOARD TO APPROVE A RATE HIKE FOR THE FIELD MUSEUM.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING OVERTLY OR EXPLICITLY ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD OR WOULDN'T BUT HE PRETTY MUCH SUBLIMINALLY SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA IS NOT SOMETHING REALLY WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW.

SO SHE GOES AND SENT AN EMAIL TO HER.

IS SAYING I THINK WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.

SHE TOOK IT AS A TESTIFIED.

SHE TOOK IT TO THE THREATS TO FIND THAT AND THEN FURTHER, I THINK IS ALWAYS INTERESTING AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE JURY'S GOING TO PROCEED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS, OF COURSE, IS ALL ABOUT RIGHT?

>> IS WHAT YOU HEAR.

THIS IS ONE YOU HEAR THE PHONE CALL.

>> YOU HEAR THAT GRAFANA SORT OF THAT DOMINANCE IN BERKS VOICE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE JURY CAN IGNORE THAT.

YOU ALSO HEAR IN HER VOICE SORT OF THAT THE FEAR THE OH, MY GOSH, I'M INTIMIDATED.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO THAT?

OH, YOU HEAR THAT IN HER VOICE.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT WILL RESONATE IN SORT OF LINGER.

THIS.

THIS TRIAL GOES ON LONGER.

THOSE ARE THE MEMORIES WILL.

THE JURY ALSO HEARD TESTIMONY THAT NOT ONLY DID SHE SEND THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM E-MAIL, BUT EVERYBODY AT THE FIELD MUSEUM IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED INTO ACTION, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH MOLLY DOBUZINSKIS APPLICATION AND WHAT COULD THEY TO MOLLIFY HIM BECAUSE THEY WERE TERRIFIED THAT HE WAS GOING TO HOLD UP.

THE PROPOSED ADMISSION FEE HIKE THAT THEY DESPERATELY SCHOLARSHIP, WRITE YOUR AND DIFFERENT.

I CAN PUT IN AN EMAIL.

WE NEED TO OFFER HIM A CULPA PRIZE AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT THEY KNEW.

>> THAT BURKE WAS ANGRY AND THAT HE ESSENTIALLY WANTED EXCEPT SOMETHING TO MAKE IT BETTER.

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING HERE IS THAT BURKE HAD NO AUTHORITY OVER PRICE HIKE FOR FIELD MUSEUM.

NOT DONE, BUT THEY KNEW THAT IF HE WENT TO REPORTERS, HE CAN GUM IT UP OR HE COULD INTRODUCE SOMETHING TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAKE PASS.

AND ANOTHER INTERESTING THING FOR ME IS ALSO THAT AGAIN, SIMILAR TO HOUSE SPEAKER MICHAEL MADIGAN, WHO HE'S ALSO SAID HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG AS DID PARK.

>> OVER AN INTERNSHIP.

THESE ARE REALLY POWERFUL.

>> SUCCESSFUL CAREERS POLITICIANS KNOW THE RULES AND IT IS ASTOUNDING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THIS AND SEE SORT OF JUST THAT THAT OVERPAID EXACTLY WHAT.

BUT IT A QUESTION OF THE MATTER OF WIELDING THAT POWER BY LETTING LITTLE THING GO.

THEN OTHER BIG THINGS ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF MY BUT IT WAS THAT AND WHAT ELSE DID RIGHT THING?

AND BURKE USED UTILIZES KIND OF ALLEGED BEHAVIOR FOR A LOT.

PROBABLY SO.

YOU MENTIONED AND SPEAKING BEING ACCUSED OF ABUSING YOUR AMANDA, THERE'S A NEW STATE LAW THAT PROHIBITS POLITICIANS CONVICTED OF A FELONY OR CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIMES FROM HOLDING STATE OFFICE.

>> HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM EXISTING LAWS WILL JUST FASCINATING TO ME.

I'M NOT SURE SPEAKER MADIGAN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HE'S CONVICTED OR NOT, HAS ANY.

>> INDIA, FOR ASIANS OR HOPES FROM VOTERS OF RETURNING TO OFFICE.

BUT I MEAN, BY STATE LAW, WHAT IS IN WHAT HAD BEEN THE CASE IS THAT IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE CONVICTIONS, BRIBERY OR CERTAIN OTHER FELONIES, YOU COULDN'T RUN FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICE.

SO THERE WILL BE NO CHANCE OF BECOMING MAYOR OR A SPOT ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

BUT YOU RUN FOR A SEAT IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

YOU COULD RUN FOR GOVERNOR AND THIS IS A LAW THAT CHANGES THAT.

IT'S NOT JUST IF YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF ON FELONY CONVICTION.

IT IS IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS ONE, YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

SO IF YOU ARE A SITTING MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IF YOU ARE THE GOVERNOR AND YOU COMMIT A IF YOU DO SOMETHING FELONIOUS AND YOUR CONVICTED OF THAT, THEN YOU WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO HOLD ANY OTHER ELECTED STATE OFFICE, MUNICIPAL OR STATE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THESE THINGS HAVE HAVE BEEN CAN IN OFFICE.

>> SO MEANWHILE, THERE ARE SOME MIGRANTS WHO'VE BEEN STAYING IN CITY-RUN SHELTER SINCE 2022.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND PERMANENT HOUSING BY THERE ARE ALSO NO LONGER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE STATE ADMINISTERED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

WHAT OPTIONS WILL THEY BE LEFT WITH?

VERY FEW AND THIS IS PART OF A NEW APPROACH ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK BY MAYOR JOHNSON AND GOVERNOR PRITZKER TO THE CRISIS.

IT IS COUPLED WITH BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR SAY WILL BE INTENSE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO HELP THESE PEOPLE FIND SOMEWHERE TO LIVE IS TO GET WORK PERMITS IN TO GET JOBS.

I THINK THE QUESTION IS CAN THEY MAKE THAT WORK OR IN MID-JANUARY AND THEN AGAIN IN EARLY SPRING, ARE WE GOING TO SEE THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS PUT OUT A CITY SHELTERS WITH NOWHERE ELSE TO GO?

>> AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION SAYS THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN THAT WILL KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.

I THINK THERE ARE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS GOING TO SUPERCHARGE CHICAGO'S UNHOUSED POPULATION.

AND LET'S BE CLEAR, THESE PEOPLE ARE EXCEEDINGLY VULNERABLE.

THEY COULD BE VICTIMS OF CRIME AND THEY COULD POTENTIALLY BE EXPOSED TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES.

WE HEARD GOVERNOR PRITZKER SAY LAST WEEK THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO SEE PEOPLE FREEZING TO DEATH ON CHICAGO STREETS AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF SORT OF WHERE WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT IN THE CRISIS.

>> PARIS, YOU KNOW 30 45 SECONDS LEFT.

WHAT IMPACT COULD THIS HAVE ON THE CRISIS?

WELL, I MEAN, THERE ARE THERE ARE LIMITED SPACES FOR MIGRANTS.

SO IT'S SORT OF FREES UP SPACE 60 DAYS ON MAYOR SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST KICK YOU OUT ON THE STREET, BUT THIS IS SORT OF THE SCHEDULE WANT TO STICK TO ALSO ON A POLITICAL LEVEL.

IT'S A SHIFT IN MESSAGING FOR MAYOR JOHNSON WHO HAS TAKEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, EVEN LATINO WHITE COMMUNITY THAT LIKE WE CAN'T JUST HAVE A BLANK CHECK.

WE WANT TO OPEN OUR HEARTS, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE LIMITS IN THE PAST.

HE HAS SAID WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN NOW IT'S KIND OF A SHIFT IN MESSAGING.

WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.

SO WE'RE GOING