Former Ald. Ed Burke, convicted late last year of racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion, has been allowed to keep his law license after a majority of the state Supreme Court recused themselves from taking up the issue, a court spokesperson confirmed Monday.
The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission had filed a petition for an interim suspension of Burke’s license after he was convicted on 13 of 14 federal corruption counts in December.
A Feb. 2 order from the Illinois Supreme Court indicates the court was unable reach a quorum to make a decision on the suspension, meaning that at least four of the seven justices recused themselves.
The recusals mean that Burke will be allowed to keep his license for the time being. The Sun-Times and WBEZ first reported on the court’s inaction.
The former alderman’s wife, Anne Burke, was previously on the Supreme Court and served as its chief justice for three years, ending in 2022.
It’s not clear which members of the Supreme Court recused themselves, and the order did not outline any reasoning. Recusal is at justices’ discretion, and they don’t have to provide a reason, spokesperson Christopher Bojean said.
Appellate Court Judge Jesse Reyes, who is running for Justice Ann Burke’s former seat against the replacement she appointed on Monday, said the lack of a decision “exposes long-standing conflicts in our judiciary.”
“Convicted felons should not be practicing law in the state of Illinois, period,” he added.
A spokesperson for the campaign of Justice Joy Cunningham, the Democratic Party-backed replacement for Justice Ann Burke, declined to comment on the issue.
Burke, 80, was the longest-serving alderman in Chicago history. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June. A jury convicted him of crimes that centered around schemes to enrich his law firm.
