Cook County’s public defender may be fired soon. The county’s commissioners are expected to vote on a resolution next week asking President Todd Stroger to remove him.
Ed Burnette’s been Cook County’s public defender since 2003. Last year he took on the Stroger administration during budget talks and ended up suing Stroger’s office after his budget was cut. Burnette says he thinks the call to fire him is political retribution.
BURNETTE: If they’re going to remove me, let’s get down to the real reason why it’s happening because none of the things except for the lawsuit in that merit any serious consideration.
Nine commissioners, a majority of the board, support removing Burnette from his position. One of those commissioners says Burnette should go because his office isn’t moving cases along quickly enough.