Alderman Burke's $8.1 Million Campaign Fund

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Six Chicago aldermen — and one political newcomer — are shoo-ins to win seats on the City Council on Feb. 22 because they are running unopposed.

One of those aldermen, Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th), has the most campaign cash of anyone on the council, records show — more than $8.1 million. Burke has faced an election-day opponent just once since he was first elected to the council in 1971. That was four years ago.

Burke controls three campaign funds: Friends of Edward M. Burke, the 14th Ward Regular Democratic Organization and The Burnham Committee. Altogether, those three funds took in a total of more than $1.1 million in the last six months of 2010, including $350,000 in loan repayments from Gov. Quinn’s campaigns.