Astonishing moment ‘corrupt’ Chicago lawmaker says he wants part of local Burger King entrepreneur’s BUSINESS, after being accused of trying to seize man’s livelihood in return for construction permit

The astonishing moment a Chicago lawmaker said on the phone that he wanted a piece of a local Burger King entrepreneur’s business has been played out in court.

Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke faces 14 federal corruption charges, including racketeering, federal program bribery and attempted extortion, over his handling of a 2017 fast-food restaurant renovation application.

Shoukat Dhanani, who owns hundreds of Burger Kings, testified that he felt he had to give Burke his real estate tax company in order to obtain a building permit for his joint at 41st and Pulaski in the Windy City, according to NBC.

“I’d also like to take over some of his law business,” Burke said in a recorded phone call that was captured on an FBI wiretap that was played for the jury. It is unclear who was on the other end of the line.

“I hear he has 300 Burger Kings in Chicago,” Burke added during the conversation. “So he’s someone you and I should try to get to know.”

Shoukat Dhanani (pictured), owner of hundreds of Burger Kings, testified that he felt he had to give Burke his property tax company in order to obtain a building permit for his joint at 41st and Pulaski in the Windy City, according to NBC.

Dhanani said that when he tried to renovate the 41st and Pulaski Burger King in 2017, Burke’s office blocked him from granting a permit — but allowed it after promising to send him business.

Jurors were shown a letter from Burke’s assistant at the Dhanani Group offering to be “contacted regarding property tax appeals in the Chicago metropolitan area.”

“I told the FBI that I felt I needed to give the councilman our property tax cases in order to get our permit started,” Dhanani testified Wednesday.

Dhanani, who owns 150 restaurants in the Chicago area alone, told the court that the pressure he felt from Burke was unlike anything he had previously encountered in his dealings with numerous government officials in the United States.

He claims Burke wanted to get a piece of his multi-billion dollar business and land for his private law firm, as evidenced by FBI wiretaps.

Burke also requested to meet with Dhanani in person — something he said he could not recall happening with other city council members.

When asked by his lawyer if other government officials had taken him for lunch, Dhanani said, “No, I don’t think so.”

He added that his meeting with Burke also marked the first time a government official asked him to hire their private company after applying for permit approval.

Dhanani said that when he tried to renovate the 41st and Pulaski Burger King (pictured), Burke’s office stopped him from issuing a permit — but allowed it after he promised to send him business.

Burke’s lawyers disputed that Dhanani had not hired Burke’s firm, and he was eventually granted his permit and the renovations were completed.

When asked whether Burke demanded that “you give him legal cases or he would stop your renovation,” Dhanani agreed he did not.

“You never gave Burke any business and you still have your license?” Burke’s lawyer asked Dhanani, who replied in the affirmative.

The case involving Chicago’s longest-serving and once most powerful alderman will continue Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Prosecutors are expected to continue making their case against the alleged Burger King bribery, which is just one of the so-called “episodes” in which Burke is accused of attempting to underhand dealings with businessmen.