Nov. 20--The Illinois House voted Wednesday to give the attorney general the ability to go to court to stop future cases in which a pension is being paid to a convicted public official even if a retirement board had approved payments.
The bill is inspired by disgraced former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge, who did not lose his $4,000-a-month pension despite costing the city tens of millions in legal costs because of police torture and abuse in the 1970s and 1980s. This measure would not affect Burge's pension.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, passed the House 99-14. It now goes to the Senate.
Burge was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in federal prison for his 2010 conviction on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. Records showed he remained in a halfway house following time in prison.
After his conviction, the police pension board deadlocked 4-4 on a motion to strip Burge of his pension. The key issue before the board was if Burge's conviction was related to his police work. Four of the current or former Chicago police officers elected to the pension board by their fellow officers supported Burge, while four civilian trustees appointed by then-Mayor Richard Daley voted in opposition.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed suit to challenge the decision, but the Illinois Supreme Court ruled she did not have the standing to take up the matter.
rlong@tribune.com
