Edward Vrdolyak
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Edward Robert Vrdolyak (; born December 28, 1937), also known as "Fast Eddie", is a former American politician and lawyer. He was a longtime
Chicago alderman The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is gaveled into session regularly, usually mon ...
and the head of the
Cook County Democratic Party The Cook County Democratic Party is a political party which represents voters in 50 wards in the city of Chicago and 30 suburban townships of Cook County. The organization has dominated Chicago politics (and consequently, Illinois politics) si ...
until
1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, ...
when he ran unsuccessfully for
Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and ...
on the
Illinois Solidarity Party The Illinois 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 then widely admired in Illinois, which has a very large Polish-American population ...
ticket. He subsequently ran again in
1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
on the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...
ticket. He was a prominent opponent of
Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st Mayor of Chicago. Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city's mayor in April 1983. He served as may ...
and the ''de facto'' leader of the so-called "Vrdolyak 29" that opposed and blocked many of Washington's measures. After his electoral career ended, he resumed his law practice at The Vrdolyak Law Group. It consists of 20 attorneys. Vrdolyak's three sons are partners in the firm.


Early life and family

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, Indiana Rensselaer is a city located along the Iroquois River in Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,859 at the 2010 census, up from 5,294 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jasper County. Saint ...
. He received his J.D. degree from the
University of Chicago Law School The University of Chicago Law School is the law school of the University of Chicago, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It is consistently ranked among the best and most prestigious law schools in the world, and has many dis ...
in 1963 and began a legal career in private practice, specializing in
personal injury Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. In common law jurisdictions the term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit in which the person bringing the suit (t ...
cases. Vrdolyak's brother, Victor Vrdolyak (1933-1992), would also serve as a Chicago alderman (being elected in 1987 to succeed Edward on the city council).


Political career

In 1968, he was elected as Democratic Committeeman from Chicago's 10th Ward in the Hegewisch and
South Deering South Deering, located on Chicago's far South Side, is the largest of the 77 official community areas of that city. Primarily an industrial area, a small residential neighborhood exists in the northeast corner and Lake Calumet takes up a larg ...
areas; a position he held until 1988. In 1971, he was elected alderman, and, after defeating Republican Melvin Simonovich, 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 deal-making. In 1979, he managed the re-election campaign of Mayor
Michael Bilandic Michael Anthony Bilandic (February 13, 1923January 15, 2002) was an American Democratic politician and attorney who served as the 49th mayor of Chicago from 1976 to 1979, after the death of his predecessor, Richard J. Daley. Bilandic practic ...
. In a colossal upset, Bilandic narrowly lost to maverick
Jane Byrne Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933November 14, 2014) was an American politician who was the first woman to be elected mayor of a major city in the United States. She served as the 50th Mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979, until April ...
. Despite the fact that Byrne then stripped Vrdolyak of all powers except his aldermanic seat, he became Byrne's chief ally against both independent and Regular 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. He is most noted for leading the opposition in the City Council to Mayor
Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st Mayor of Chicago. Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city's mayor in April 1983. He served as may ...
from 1983 to 1987. After beating Mayor Byrne and
Richard M. Daley Richard Michael Daley (born April 24, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 54th mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1989 to 2011. Daley was elected mayor in 1989 and was reelected five times until declining to run for a seventh term ...
in the Democratic Primary, Washington won the general election by 47,549 votes. A solid majority of 29 aldermen (27 Regular Democrats and two independents) opposed Washington (21 aldermen supported the mayor). Vrdolyak and 14th Ward Alderman Ed Burke led the opposition group. The Vrdolyak 29 rejected mayoral appointments and appropriations, but could not override the mayor's veto. The resulting political deadlock was labeled " Council Wars". In 1986, a federal lawsuit forced the redrawing of some aldermanic wards, and special elections in some, but not all, of the redrawn wards. Members of the Vrdolyak 29 were incumbents in all seven of the wards going to the polls. Four of them did not seek reelection, including three who sought seats on the county board. Two of the three attempting to retain their seats were reelected in the first round, but a third, Alderman Brady, lost six weeks later in a run-off; the council was split 25-25, creating a tie which the mayor could break. At this point, several of the Vrdolyak 29 began to support Washington, giving him a supportive council. In 1987, he resigned as county Democratic chairman, and ran for mayor as the Solidarity Party nominee, defeating a candidate backed by Mayor Washington in the primary. He was defeated by Washington, who got 53% of the vote to Vrdolyak's 42%. Washington's second term began more smoothly (he died in November 1987) 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 is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...
in September 1987. In 1988, Vrdolyak was the Republican nominee for Clerk of the
Circuit Court of Cook County The Circuit Court of Cook County is the largest of the 24 judicial circuits in Illinois as well as one of the largest unified court systems in the United States — second only in size to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County since that cou ...
. He received 41% of the vote; Democrat
Aurelia Pucinski Aurelia Marie Pucinski (born April 29, 1947) is a judge on the Illinois Appellate Court for the First District. She previously served as a trial judge and clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Her second term expires in 2030. Early life Bor ...
(daughter of Alderman and former US Representative
Roman Pucinski Roman Conrad Pucinski (May 13, 1919 – September 25, 2002) 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. He was co ...
) won with 59%. In 1989, Vrdolyak again ran for mayor, in a special election for the last half of Washington's term; he 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. This would cause problems for Vrdolyak as he was 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 was also a key adviser to Betty Loren-Maltese, former Town President of the suburb of
Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...
. 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 González. Maltese was convicted of corruption in 2002 and González was defeated in the 2005 election. While Vrdolyak was not charged in the Loren-Maltese investigation, his close alliance with the once-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 (channel 5) is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, airing programming from the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Telemundo outlet WSNS-TV (cha ...
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. In 2005, Vrdolyak agreed to a 30-day suspension of his law license for allegedly double-billing clients he represented in sexual harassment cases.


Federal indictment and conviction

On May 10, 2007, Vrdolyak was indicted by a federal
grand jury A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...
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 on property that was sold by the
Chicago Medical School The Chicago Medical School (CMS) is a medical school located in North Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is one of the graduate schools of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). It was founded in 1912 and obtained app ...
. 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, 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 long-time power broker and target of investigations, the notoriously careful Vrdolyak has been quoted as saying that he "talk to everyone like they're wearing a wire, even my wife". Chicago alderman
Bernard Stone Bernard "Berny" L. Stone (November 24, 1927 – December 22, 2014) was alderman of the 50th Ward of the City of Chicago, Illinois from 1973 to 2011. The 50th Ward encompasses part of Chicago's far North Side and includes the West Ridge, West Rog ...
noted that Vrdolyak was always careful when talking on the phone, once telling Stone to "always talk like the government was on the phone with you". Vrdolyak initially pleaded 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 Antoin Rezko (born 1955) is an American businessman and convict. He was a fundraiser for Illinois Democratic and Republican politicians. After becoming a major contributor to Rod Blagojevich's successful election for governor, Rezko assisted Bla ...
, 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.Rezko trial breaks just before discussion of city real estate scheme
Daily Herald, April 4, 2008
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 pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.Former Ald. Ed Vrdolyak Pleads Guilty
Chicago Sun-Times, November 3, 2008
The plea agreement stated that Vrdolyak was 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 Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
, a $50,000
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and 2,500 hours of
community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...
. 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. Vrdolyak served his sentence at the federal prison camp in
Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...
.Vrdolyak reports to federal prison
He was released from prison on November 17, 2011. On November 15, 2016, Vrdolyak was indicted for income tax evasion. He pled guilty on March 4, 2019. Vrdolyak was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for the scheme. Judge Robert Michael Dow Jr. ordered Vrdolyak to report to FMC Rochester by November 30, 2021 to complete his eighteen month sentence. In January 2022, his attorneys filed an emergency petition requesting his release for time served due to the health risks posed by the
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is a variant of SARS-CoV-2 first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa on 24 November 2021. It was first detected in Botswana and has spread to become the ...
.


See also

*
List of Chicago aldermen since 1923 The Chicago City Council assumed its modern form on April 16, 1923, with fifty wards each electing one alderman. Here is a list of the people who have served as an alderman since that time. Since its incorporation as a city in 1837 Chicago had be ...


References


External links


Vrdolyak's Career Timeline

Vrdolyak Law Firm
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vrdolyak, Edward 1937 births Chicago City Council members American people of Croatian descent Illinois Democrats Illinois Republicans Lawyers from Chicago Living people University of Chicago Law School alumni Saint Joseph's College (Indiana) alumni Illinois politicians convicted of crimes 20th-century American politicians