Oconto County District Attorney Edward Burke Jr. resigns; Gov. Tony Evers seeks interim DA
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OCONTO - Oconto County District Attorney Edward Burke Jr. has resigned effective Thursday, according to a news release from Gov. Tony Evers' office. Burke served in that position for almost 10 years.
In a letter to the governor, Burke said, "Recent health issues have prompted me to focus more on my family and my health; I have decided, reluctantly, to retire."
He also encouraged the governor and Legislature to address the shortage of qualified DAs and assistant DAs in Wisconsin.
Burke's retirement comes after his assistant district attorney, Lisa Rowe, resigned in early May. Rowe's position remains open.
The state government is accepting applications for an interim Oconto County DA until Sept. 21. The new DA would serve the remainder of Burke's term, which ends in January 2025.
In the meantime, the Brown County District Attorney's Office will be assisting Oconto County's office, said Oconto County Administrator Erik Pritzl.
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Burke is halfway through his third four-year term as district attorney. He previously served in private practice and was a public defender. Burke lost an election in April to become an Oconto County Circuit Court judge.
Contact Rebecca Loroff at rloroff@gannett.com or 920-907-7801. Follow her on Twitter at @RebeccaLoroff.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Oconto County District Attorney Edward Burke Jr. resigns from office
