Donald Trump’s former longtime tax attorney formally charged with extortion

| 9:09 am EST January 4, 2019
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Several weeks ago, the FBI raided the offices of Donald Trump’s former longtime tax attorney Edward Burke in Chicago. At the time it was far from clear what the raid was about, and because Burke serves as a city Alderman, there were any number of possibilities. Now we have some answers, and it’s not good news for Trump.

At the time of the raid, Palmer Report argued that it didn’t really matter what Burke was being specifically targeted for; all that was going to matter was the severity and provability of the charges. Even if Burke were to be nailed on something that had nothing to do with Donald Trump, it would still put Burke in a position where his easiest way out would be to give up whatever dirt he had on Trump. As it turns out, the charges against Burke are indeed severe.

It turns out Alderman Burke was caught on a wiretap trying to extort Burger King into kicking business to his law firm, according to the Chicago Tribune. There’s some humor to this, as not only do the charges have nothing to do with Donald Trump, they involve Burger King when Trump clearly favors McDonald’s. But here’s the thing: Burke is now facing up to twenty years in prison. If he has evidence that proves Trump committed crimes, he can get a very favorable plea deal on these extortion charges.

So now Donald Trump has yet another thing to worry about. This time it’s a Whopper of a problem, and it could end up helping to put Trump in prison, where they don’t serve Whoppers or Big Macs. The last thing Trump needed right now was yet another cooperating witness against him, yet at this point it’s difficult to imagine Burke not flipping on him.