It's official: Illinois Supreme Court's Chief Justice is Anne Burke –>
(Meanwhile her husband, Chicago Ald. Ed Burke, is fighting federal bribery and racketeering charges. Next court hearing is set for Jan. 23) https://t.co/7ingw89IWm
It’s a really special day for the ageless and priceless Justice Anne Burke, she’s now elevated to Chief Justice today, and everyone is over the moon. Her husband, the former powerful committee chairman, now federally indicted alderman Ed Burke releases a statement through his attorney that he and Jay Doherty are planning a real hush-hush lunch, at a bug-free location, of course.
Upshot - Justice Burke will take her turn as the state’s top justice.
Downshot - This might be a good reason to stay downstate more.
Buckshot - like a 8-point buck looking in the headlights, the timing can’t be any more awkward.
Good thing for all she doesn’t have to hear cases on a federal docket.
Whatever “Slow Eddie’s” alleged misdeeds may have (or not) been, Justice Burke is an eminent jurist with a decades-long service to the community (including leadership in Special Olympics and other causes before ascending the Bench), and should not be tarred with whatever is proven against her husband.
DPGumby - Assuming this isn’t a troll comment, I’d say she can have whatever career she wants … in the private sector. A sitting justice has a unique responsibility to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in order to protect and advance the interests of the legal profession and the judicial branch. She’s failing to even address that responsibility, let alone live up to it.
Chief Justice Burke is an exceptionally nice person who did excellent work on issues related to sexual abuse by priests. She has been helpful to some reform efforts in the Cook County courts.
She has no business being a Supreme Court Justice, however, and is only there because of her husband’s clout. She has not routinely recused herself in cases where the interests of the City were involved — even though her husband had a substantial professional interest in the outcome of the cases.
Even if she had the legal talent for her position on the Supreme Court, she should not serve with her husband under indictment — particularly given his longstanding role in judicial selection.
All of these things are true regardless of Chief Justice Burke’s gender. Her relationship with her spouse — and the appearance of impropriety — would be just as problematic if the Chief Justice were a man and the indicted alderman/Finance Committee chair/party judicial selection chair were a woman.
- West Side the Best Side - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
Not suggesting Justice Burke should resign, but it certainly would have been a good move to have declined the Chief Justice position at this time. It would have avoided what every judge at every level, from Supreme Court Justice to Associate Judge, should avoid, the appearance of impropriety.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 4:46 pm:
Talking about Justice Burke’s appearance is sexist. Questioning her integrity when he husband is facing RICO charges is not.
So if it was Anne who was facing corruption charges and Ed was named head of the IlSC, you guys would be fine with that? Cause that’s what I’m hearing.
- Steve - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:36 pm:
Anne is going on a listening tour according to the press release.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:36 pm:
I sincerely hope they yelled “YOLO” while clicking “Post.”
- Drake Mallard - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:38 pm:
This is just wrong
- Anon E Moose - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:39 pm:
It’s almost as though she was never qualified to be there in the first place…
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:44 pm:
Here Comes the Judge
It’s a really special day for the ageless and priceless Justice Anne Burke, she’s now elevated to Chief Justice today, and everyone is over the moon. Her husband, the former powerful committee chairman, now federally indicted alderman Ed Burke releases a statement through his attorney that he and Jay Doherty are planning a real hush-hush lunch, at a bug-free location, of course.
Upshot - Justice Burke will take her turn as the state’s top justice.
Downshot - This might be a good reason to stay downstate more.
Buckshot - like a 8-point buck looking in the headlights, the timing can’t be any more awkward.
Good thing for all she doesn’t have to hear cases on a federal docket.
Natch.
- dcp - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:46 pm:
Only in Illinois. Seriously.
- Steve - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 12:48 pm:
OW
This could an excellent time for Chief Justice Burke to be a doting wife at 219 if there’s a trial.
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 1:01 pm:
Spousal privilege?/s
- SpfdNewb - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 1:43 pm:
If this was a tv show, I would cue Homer Simpson’s “D’oh” as the director.
- Downstate Illinois - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 1:52 pm:
If she was honorable she would resign.
- DPGumby - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 1:58 pm:
These comments sound rather sexist…a spouse cannot have a career separate from the other spouse?
- James the Intolerant - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 2:06 pm:
DP Gumby, Somehow I don’t think she would be a judge at all if not for her husband.
- Ares - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
Whatever “Slow Eddie’s” alleged misdeeds may have (or not) been, Justice Burke is an eminent jurist with a decades-long service to the community (including leadership in Special Olympics and other causes before ascending the Bench), and should not be tarred with whatever is proven against her husband.
- ImHere - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 2:10 pm:
DPGumby - Assuming this isn’t a troll comment, I’d say she can have whatever career she wants … in the private sector. A sitting justice has a unique responsibility to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in order to protect and advance the interests of the legal profession and the judicial branch. She’s failing to even address that responsibility, let alone live up to it.
- Ok corral - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 2:31 pm:
The picture flatters her. Looks much older in person.
- Keyrock - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
Chief Justice Burke is an exceptionally nice person who did excellent work on issues related to sexual abuse by priests. She has been helpful to some reform efforts in the Cook County courts.
She has no business being a Supreme Court Justice, however, and is only there because of her husband’s clout. She has not routinely recused herself in cases where the interests of the City were involved — even though her husband had a substantial professional interest in the outcome of the cases.
Even if she had the legal talent for her position on the Supreme Court, she should not serve with her husband under indictment — particularly given his longstanding role in judicial selection.
All of these things are true regardless of Chief Justice Burke’s gender. Her relationship with her spouse — and the appearance of impropriety — would be just as problematic if the Chief Justice were a man and the indicted alderman/Finance Committee chair/party judicial selection chair were a woman.
- Kauaijim - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 2:46 pm:
I hope they have a piano in Club Fed so Ed can entertain his friends
- Enviro - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 3:09 pm:
She really looks much better in person.
- West Side the Best Side - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
Not suggesting Justice Burke should resign, but it certainly would have been a good move to have declined the Chief Justice position at this time. It would have avoided what every judge at every level, from Supreme Court Justice to Associate Judge, should avoid, the appearance of impropriety.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 4:46 pm:
Talking about Justice Burke’s appearance is sexist. Questioning her integrity when he husband is facing RICO charges is not.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Oct 28, 19 @ 6:11 pm:
So if it was Anne who was facing corruption charges and Ed was named head of the IlSC, you guys would be fine with that? Cause that’s what I’m hearing.
- Lynn S. - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:33 am:
@ Cheryl44,
If Ann Burke was facing the Feds and her husband became Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, I would have an issue with that.
But I can’t speak for anyone else here.