Ex-Wis. senator can practice law again, court says
MADISON, Wis. (AP) The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday reinstated the law license of a former state senator convicted of using state employees to help his 2002 campaign for attorney general.
Brian Burke, a Milwaukee Democrat who served in the senate from 1988 until 2003, satisfied all the legal requirements to be reinstated to practice law, the court ruled.
The court had suspended Burke's license for two years in 2006 after he pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct in public office and one count of obstructing an officer the prior year.
Burke dropped out of the 2002 race for attorney general after he was charged with ordering state employees to perform extensive work for his campaign. Peg Lautenschlager, another Democrat, ended up winning that race.
The court accepted the findings of a referee who concluded Burke's conduct has been exemplary in recent years.
"The referee found there was no doubt that attorney Burke has been rehabilitated and will approach any future activities as a lawyer with a keenly heightened awareness and vigilance," the court said.
The court noted Burke was admitted to practice law in 1981 and never faced any discipline. His misconduct "seriously breached the public trust" but did not relate to his work as a practicing lawyer, the court said.
Last month, the court reinstated former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala's law license. Chvala was charged with misconduct as part of the same investigation that snared Burke and other lawmakers.
Oct 9, 2008 at 6:50 p.m.
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Professor...we all know that Wisconsin has the best judicial system money can buy.
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And Jefferson County Judge Randy Koschnick is banking on it.
Oct 9, 2008 at 1:57 p.m.
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Let's see...A state senator gets charged (appropriately) for doing something that most all agreed at the time that most everyone did similar types of things--having staff do campaign work on state time. He gets suspended for years. Justice Ziegler, however, knowingly rules on cases that her husband has a financial interest in without disclosing the fact, and gets a slap on the wrist? Ok, I have confindence in our judicial system at the higher levels....
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