Edward Vrdolyak
Encyclopedia
Edward Robert Vrdolyak is a noted Chicago
lawyer and politician and a convicted felon. He was a powerful longtime Chicago Alderman
and also head of the Cook County
Democratic Party
before running unsuccessfully for Mayor of Chicago
as a Republican
. He pled guilty in 2008 to federal charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud and was sentenced on February 26, 2009 to five years of probation, a $50,000 fine and 2,500 hours of community service. However, on January 29, 2010, a federal appeals court overturned the probation sentence on appeal by the prosecution and ordered a resentencing by a different judge, who sentenced Vrdolyak to 10 months in prison.
Vrdolyak served his sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Terre Haute, Indiana and was released from prison on November 17, 2011.
. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School
in 1963 and began a legal career in private practice, specializing in personal injury
cases. Today the Vrdolyak Law Group consists of 16 attorneys. Vrdolyak and his three sons are partners in the firm.
He also became actively involved in Chicago politics, and in 1968 he was elected as Democratic Committeeman from Chicago's 10th Ward in the South Deering
area, a position he held until 1988. In 1971 he was elected alderman, and he served as President of the City Council from 1977 to 1983. Vrdolyak earned the nickname "Fast Eddie" because of his skill in back room dealmaking.
In 1979, he managed the re-election campaign of Mayor Michael Bilandic
. Bilandic lost to maverick Jane Byrne in a colossal upset. Despite the fact that Byrne then stripped Vrdolyak of all powers except his aldermanic seat, he became Byrne's chief ally against both the good-government Independents and the old Organization Democrats, becoming her floor leader in the Council. In 1982, with Byrne's support, he was elected Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Committee, ousting County Board President George Dunne
, an ally of Richard M. Daley
, son of the late Mayor.
He is most noted for leading the opposition in the City Council to Mayor Harold Washington
from 1983 to 1987. Washington had been elected after a three-way primary in which the Byrne-Vrdolyak and Daley-Dunne factions split the white vote.
However, there was a solid majority of 29 "organization" aldermen (28 whites and 1 Latino) opposed to Washington. (16 blacks and 5 white independents supported Washington.) Vrdolyak became the leader of the opposition group, along with 14th Ward alderman Ed Burke
. The "Eddies" faction could vote down any mayoral appointment or appropriation, though not override the mayor's veto. The resulting political deadlock was characterised as the "Council Wars
".
In 1986, a Federal lawsuit forced the redrawing of some aldermanic districts, and special elections for those districts. Three of Vrdolyak's allies were defeated by pro-Washington candidates in the first round of voting. Six weeks later when Washington ally Luis Gutiérrez
won the run-off election in the 26th ward the council was split 25-25, creating a tie which the Mayor could break. At this point several more of the "organization" aldermen went over to Washington, giving him control. Vrdolyak was again stripped of his Council powers. In 1987, he resigned as Democrat county Chairman, and ran for Mayor as the Solidarity Party
nominee http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edward_Vrdolyak&action=edit§ion=1. He was defeated by Washington, who got 53% of the vote to Vrdolyak's 42%.
Washington's second term went more smoothly, and Vrdolyak's political clout waned. In light of these factors, as well as his growing unpopularity among Democrats, Vrdolyak joined the Republican Party
in September 1987. In 1988, Vrdolyak was the Republican candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He lost to Democrat Aurelia Pucinski, daughter of long-time Organization stalwart Roman Pucinski
, who was also backed by Washington. Vrdolyak got only 41% of the vote to 59% for Pucinski. In 1989, Vrdolyak again ran for mayor, and won the Republican primary as a write-in candidate. The general election was won by Democrat Richard M. Daley. Vrdolyak managed less than 4% of the vote, effectively ending his political career.
After his final electoral defeat, Vrdolyak returned to his law practice. He hosted a popular talk radio show from 1993 to 1996 – first on WLS
radio (890 AM) and then on WJJD
Radio (1160 AM). He also maintained a strong behind-the-scenes presence in Chicago area politics. He became best-known for his influence in the appointment and election of Cook County Circuit Court judges. Illinois Supreme Court Justice Charles Freeman confirmed that at least two judges he appointed to the bench were recommended by Vrdolyak. Vrdolyak was also a key adviser to Betty Loren-Maltese
, former Town President of the suburb of Cicero
. The Vrdolyak Law Group received millions of dollars in legal work from the town of Cicero during the administrations of Loren-Maltese and her successor, Ramiro Gonzalez. Maltese was convicted in 2002 on federal corruption charges, and Gonzalez was defeated in the 2005 election.
Vrdolyak was also implicated in the case of former Cook County Circuit Court Judge George J.W. Smith. Smith pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally structuring cash withdrawals to avoid tax penalties. Prosecutors claimed the transactions were in furtherance of an alleged bribe paid to a "go-between" in order to secure Smith's appointment. Smith was reportedly appointed by Freeman based on Vrdolyak's recommendation, leading to speculation that Vrdolyak was the alleged "go-between". The investigation did not result in charges of wrongdoing against Vrdolyak, nor in bribery charges against Smith or any other party.
Vrdolyak's role in Cicero politics also drew criticism, and while he was not charged in the Loren-Maltese investigation, his close alliance with the now-imprisoned former Town President was a major issue in the 2005 election. During the campaign, Dominick criticized what he called Vrdolyak's excessive legal bills, and removed Vrdolyak's firm as the town's legal counsel after taking office. However, NBC Chicago
reported that the new town attorney, Michael Del Galdo, billed the town over $2 million in 2006—more than twice the average billings when Vrdolyak's firm held the contract.
on charges of bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud. Prosecutors later added additional wire fraud charges, and the final indictment included a total of eight counts. The case centered around property that was sold by the Chicago Medical School
. The key witness against Vrdolyak was to be Stuart Levine, a partner in the alleged scheme. Prosecutors charged that Vrdolyak and Levine devised a scheme to use Levine's position on the school's board to steer the $15 million sale of a school building to Smithfield Properties - a developer with ties to Vrdolyak. It was alleged that the two arranged a $1.5 million kickback from Smithfield to Vrdolyak in return for Levine's support.
Levine, a close friend and political ally of Vrdolyak's, was indicted in 2005 for using his positions on the Illinois Teachers Retirement System board and the Illinois Health Facilities board to obtain kickbacks. Levine pleaded guilty in late 2006 and agreed to testify in several corruption cases as a condition of his plea agreement. Prosecutors dropped 22 felony charges in return for his cooperation. Prosecutors have indicated that Levine wore a recording device while discussing some of the alleged schemes. Political insiders expressed surprise at the idea that Vrdolyak would be caught on tape. A longtime powerbroker and target of investigations, the notoriously careful Vrdolyak has been quoted as saying that he "talk[s] to everyone like they're wearing a wire, even my wife". Chicago alderman Bernard Stone noted that Vrdolyak was always careful about talking on the phone, once telling Stone to "always talk like the government was on the phone with you".
Vrdolyak initially pled not guilty to all charges. Vrdolyak's attorney, Michael Monico, questioned Levine's "credibility, reliability and truthfulness", noting that he agreed to testify under "immense pressure" from prosecutors. Levine also testified at the 2008 trial of Tony Rezko
, another powerbroker in Illinois politics. He told the jury that he funneled payoffs for clients who wanted Chicago city contracts through Vrdolyak, including some alleged schemes for which Vrdolyak has not been charged. Monico called Levine's statements in regards to Vrdolyak "absolutely false" and said that he had never heard them before.
The trial was set for November 3, 2008. That day, however, an agreement was reached in which prosecutors dropped several of the charges and Vrdolyak pled guilty to a reduced charge - Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud. The plea agreement stated that Vrdolyak is not cooperating with other investigations, and prosecutors recommended a sentence of 41 months in prison. However, on February 26, 2009, United States District Judge Milton I. Shadur sentenced Vrdolyak to five years of probation, a $50,000 fine and 2,500 hours of community service. However, on January 29, 2010, a federal appeals court overturned the probation sentence on appeal by the prosecution and ordered a resentencing by a different judge. On October 15, 2010 Vrdolyak was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He was recently released from a federal prison camp in Terre Haute, Indiana, after serving a full sentence.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
lawyer and politician and a convicted felon. He was a powerful longtime Chicago Alderman
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
and also head of the Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
before running unsuccessfully for Mayor of Chicago
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He pled guilty in 2008 to federal charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud and was sentenced on February 26, 2009 to five years of probation, a $50,000 fine and 2,500 hours of community service. However, on January 29, 2010, a federal appeals court overturned the probation sentence on appeal by the prosecution and ordered a resentencing by a different judge, who sentenced Vrdolyak to 10 months in prison.
Vrdolyak served his sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Terre Haute, Indiana and was released from prison on November 17, 2011.
Legal career and politics
Vrdolyak, born to Croatian immigrant parents, entered a Catholic seminary at age 13, but decided against joining the priesthood. He graduated from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, then from St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, IndianaRensselaer, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,294 people, 2,158 households, and 1,404 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,824.8 people per square mile . There were 2,296 housing units at an average density of 791.4 per square mile...
. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
in 1963 and began a legal career in private practice, specializing in personal injury
Personal injury
Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. The term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit alleging that the plaintiff's injury has been caused by the negligence of another, but also arises in defamation...
cases. Today the Vrdolyak Law Group consists of 16 attorneys. Vrdolyak and his three sons are partners in the firm.
He also became actively involved in Chicago politics, and in 1968 he was elected as Democratic Committeeman from Chicago's 10th Ward in the South Deering
South Deering, Chicago
South Deering, one of the 77 official community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the far south side. It was a very industrial neighborhood, consisting of a small group of homes in the northeast corner and Lake Calumet taking up most of the remainder. It exists in the 10th Ward,...
area, a position he held until 1988. In 1971 he was elected alderman, and he served as President of the City Council from 1977 to 1983. Vrdolyak earned the nickname "Fast Eddie" because of his skill in back room dealmaking.
In 1979, he managed the re-election campaign of Mayor Michael Bilandic
Michael Anthony Bilandic
Michael Anthony Bilandic was an Illinois politician who served as the mayor of Chicago, Illinois and as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was a member of the Democratic Party....
. Bilandic lost to maverick Jane Byrne in a colossal upset. Despite the fact that Byrne then stripped Vrdolyak of all powers except his aldermanic seat, he became Byrne's chief ally against both the good-government Independents and the old Organization Democrats, becoming her floor leader in the Council. In 1982, with Byrne's support, he was elected Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Committee, ousting County Board President George Dunne
George Dunne
George W. Dunne was an American Democratic Party politician from Chicago, Illinois. He was President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 1969 to 1991; the longest service of anyone holding that office....
, an ally of Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
, son of the late Mayor.
He is most noted for leading the opposition in the City Council to Mayor Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
from 1983 to 1987. Washington had been elected after a three-way primary in which the Byrne-Vrdolyak and Daley-Dunne factions split the white vote.
However, there was a solid majority of 29 "organization" aldermen (28 whites and 1 Latino) opposed to Washington. (16 blacks and 5 white independents supported Washington.) Vrdolyak became the leader of the opposition group, along with 14th Ward alderman Ed Burke
Ed Burke
Edward M. Burke is alderman of the 14th Ward of the City of Chicago. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 1969, and represents part of the city's Southwest Side. Burke has been called Chicago's "most powerful alderman" by the Chicago Sun-Times...
. The "Eddies" faction could vote down any mayoral appointment or appropriation, though not override the mayor's veto. The resulting political deadlock was characterised as the "Council Wars
Council Wars
The Council Wars were a racially polarized political conflict in the city of Chicago from 1983-1986, centered on the Chicago City Council.The term came from a satirical comedy sketch of the same name written and performed by comedian and journalist Aaron Freeman in 1983, using the good-v.-evil plot...
".
In 1986, a Federal lawsuit forced the redrawing of some aldermanic districts, and special elections for those districts. Three of Vrdolyak's allies were defeated by pro-Washington candidates in the first round of voting. Six weeks later when Washington ally Luis Gutiérrez
Luis Gutiérrez
Luis Vicente Gutiérrez is an American politician and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. Gutiérrez was the first Latino to be elected to Congress from the Midwest. From 1986 until his election to Congress he served as a member of the Chicago City Council representing the 26th ward...
won the run-off election in the 26th ward the council was split 25-25, creating a tie which the Mayor could break. At this point several more of the "organization" aldermen went over to Washington, giving him control. Vrdolyak was again stripped of his Council powers. In 1987, he resigned as Democrat county Chairman, and ran for Mayor as the Solidarity Party
Solidarity Party
The Solidarity Party was an American political party in the state of Illinois. It was named after Lech Wałęsa's Solidarity movement in Poland, which was widely-admired in Illinois at the time .The party was founded in 1986 by Senator Adlai Stevenson III in reaction to the Democratic Party's...
nominee http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edward_Vrdolyak&action=edit§ion=1. He was defeated by Washington, who got 53% of the vote to Vrdolyak's 42%.
Washington's second term went more smoothly, and Vrdolyak's political clout waned. In light of these factors, as well as his growing unpopularity among Democrats, Vrdolyak joined the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in September 1987. In 1988, Vrdolyak was the Republican candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He lost to Democrat Aurelia Pucinski, daughter of long-time Organization stalwart Roman Pucinski
Roman Pucinski
Roman Conrad Pucinski was an American Democratic politician from Chicago, Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative from 1959 to 1973, and alderman from the 41st Ward of Chicago from 1973 to 1991...
, who was also backed by Washington. Vrdolyak got only 41% of the vote to 59% for Pucinski. In 1989, Vrdolyak again ran for mayor, and won the Republican primary as a write-in candidate. The general election was won by Democrat Richard M. Daley. Vrdolyak managed less than 4% of the vote, effectively ending his political career.
After his final electoral defeat, Vrdolyak returned to his law practice. He hosted a popular talk radio show from 1993 to 1996 – first on WLS
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
radio (890 AM) and then on WJJD
WYLL
WYLL 1160 is a "Christian Talk & Teaching" radio station located in Chicago and owned by Salem Communications. The station runs features, preaching, and other religious programs. Ministries may also buy time for programming. WYLL additionally produces a couple hours of local call-in shows every...
Radio (1160 AM). He also maintained a strong behind-the-scenes presence in Chicago area politics. He became best-known for his influence in the appointment and election of Cook County Circuit Court judges. Illinois Supreme Court Justice Charles Freeman confirmed that at least two judges he appointed to the bench were recommended by Vrdolyak. Vrdolyak was also a key adviser to Betty Loren-Maltese
Betty Loren-Maltese
Betty Loren-Maltese is the former town president of Cicero, Illinois. She received national attention for her role in an insurance scam which robbed the town of $12 million.-Biography:...
, former Town President of the suburb of Cicero
Cicero, Illinois
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman and orator....
. The Vrdolyak Law Group received millions of dollars in legal work from the town of Cicero during the administrations of Loren-Maltese and her successor, Ramiro Gonzalez. Maltese was convicted in 2002 on federal corruption charges, and Gonzalez was defeated in the 2005 election.
Controversies
Vrdolyak has long been the source of controversy, beginning with an attempted murder charge in 1960. The charges were dropped, but helped establish the reputation for toughness that would help him succeed in Chicago's rough political climate. That same reputation would also make him a target for enemies and, eventually, for federal investigators. He was censured by the Illinois State Bar Association in 1990 for a conflict of interest, and again in 2000 for improperly advancing money to personal injury clients. In 2005, Vrdolyak agreed to a 30-day suspension of his law license for allegedly double-billing clients he represented in sexual harassment cases.Vrdolyak was also implicated in the case of former Cook County Circuit Court Judge George J.W. Smith. Smith pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally structuring cash withdrawals to avoid tax penalties. Prosecutors claimed the transactions were in furtherance of an alleged bribe paid to a "go-between" in order to secure Smith's appointment. Smith was reportedly appointed by Freeman based on Vrdolyak's recommendation, leading to speculation that Vrdolyak was the alleged "go-between". The investigation did not result in charges of wrongdoing against Vrdolyak, nor in bribery charges against Smith or any other party.
Vrdolyak's role in Cicero politics also drew criticism, and while he was not charged in the Loren-Maltese investigation, his close alliance with the now-imprisoned former Town President was a major issue in the 2005 election. During the campaign, Dominick criticized what he called Vrdolyak's excessive legal bills, and removed Vrdolyak's firm as the town's legal counsel after taking office. However, NBC Chicago
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
reported that the new town attorney, Michael Del Galdo, billed the town over $2 million in 2006—more than twice the average billings when Vrdolyak's firm held the contract.
Federal indictment and conviction
On May 10, 2007, Vrdolyak was indicted by a federal grand juryGrand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
on charges of bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud. Prosecutors later added additional wire fraud charges, and the final indictment included a total of eight counts. The case centered around property that was sold by the Chicago Medical School
Chicago Medical School
The Chicago Medical School is one of the graduate schools of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Founded in 1912, The Chicago Medical School has nearly a 100 year history of a broadly-based socially constructive admission process relatively unlike that of other medical colleges....
. The key witness against Vrdolyak was to be Stuart Levine, a partner in the alleged scheme. Prosecutors charged that Vrdolyak and Levine devised a scheme to use Levine's position on the school's board to steer the $15 million sale of a school building to Smithfield Properties - a developer with ties to Vrdolyak. It was alleged that the two arranged a $1.5 million kickback from Smithfield to Vrdolyak in return for Levine's support.
Levine, a close friend and political ally of Vrdolyak's, was indicted in 2005 for using his positions on the Illinois Teachers Retirement System board and the Illinois Health Facilities board to obtain kickbacks. Levine pleaded guilty in late 2006 and agreed to testify in several corruption cases as a condition of his plea agreement. Prosecutors dropped 22 felony charges in return for his cooperation. Prosecutors have indicated that Levine wore a recording device while discussing some of the alleged schemes. Political insiders expressed surprise at the idea that Vrdolyak would be caught on tape. A longtime powerbroker and target of investigations, the notoriously careful Vrdolyak has been quoted as saying that he "talk[s] to everyone like they're wearing a wire, even my wife". Chicago alderman Bernard Stone noted that Vrdolyak was always careful about talking on the phone, once telling Stone to "always talk like the government was on the phone with you".
Vrdolyak initially pled not guilty to all charges. Vrdolyak's attorney, Michael Monico, questioned Levine's "credibility, reliability and truthfulness", noting that he agreed to testify under "immense pressure" from prosecutors. Levine also testified at the 2008 trial of Tony Rezko
Tony Rezko
Antoin "Tony" Rezko is a Assyrian -American businessman, political fundraiser, restaurateur, and real estate developer in Chicago, Illinois, convicted on several counts of fraud and bribery in 2008. Rezko has been involved in fundraising for local Illinois Democratic and Republican politicians...
, another powerbroker in Illinois politics. He told the jury that he funneled payoffs for clients who wanted Chicago city contracts through Vrdolyak, including some alleged schemes for which Vrdolyak has not been charged. Monico called Levine's statements in regards to Vrdolyak "absolutely false" and said that he had never heard them before.
The trial was set for November 3, 2008. That day, however, an agreement was reached in which prosecutors dropped several of the charges and Vrdolyak pled guilty to a reduced charge - Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud. The plea agreement stated that Vrdolyak is not cooperating with other investigations, and prosecutors recommended a sentence of 41 months in prison. However, on February 26, 2009, United States District Judge Milton I. Shadur sentenced Vrdolyak to five years of probation, a $50,000 fine and 2,500 hours of community service. However, on January 29, 2010, a federal appeals court overturned the probation sentence on appeal by the prosecution and ordered a resentencing by a different judge. On October 15, 2010 Vrdolyak was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He was recently released from a federal prison camp in Terre Haute, Indiana, after serving a full sentence.