U.S. Attorney James B. Burns

On March 4, 1995, charges of Bankruptcy fraud by certain Illinois attorneys were filed with U.S. Attorney James Burns' Bankruptcy Fraud Task Force. Having taken no action, some of the lawyers against whom fraud had been charged apparently believed that they would be free from any investigation by the U.S. Attorney of their unlawful activity. During 1996, attorneys Lawrence Fisher and Linda A. Green bribed Bankruptcy Judge Thomas James. Information of the violation of 18 U.S.C. section 182 (Bribery of a Judge) was presented to U.S. Attorney James B. Burns on November 7, 1996 and in a December 30, 1996 letter, and to the courts.

As an attorney, U.S. Attorney James B. Burns knew, or reasonably should have known that he has a separate and independent duty to report the ethical misconduct of other attorneys to the Executive Committee in the Federal Court system and to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission under Illinois law.

As an attorney licensed by the State of Illinois, U.S. Attorney James B. Burns is required to comply with both the Federal Rules of Professional Conduct and the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct (U.S. v. Ferrera).

U.S. Attorney James B. Burns has acted in connivance with the attorneys who created a fraud upon the Bankruptcy Court and who bribed the Bankruptcy Judge, and the Bankruptcy Judge who accepted the bribes.

Connivance is defined in Black's Law Dictionary - 6th Edition as: "The secret or indirect consent or permission of one person to the commission of an unlawful or criminal act by another. A winking at; voluntary blindness; an intentional failure to discover or prevent the wrong; forbearance or passive consent."

U.S. Attorney James B. Burns has engaged in a winking at, a voluntary blindness to, an intentional failure to discover or prevent an unlawful or criminal act by attorneys Lawrence Fisher and Linda A. Green in the bribery of Bankruptcy Judge Thomas James

U.S. Attorney James Burns knowingly and intentionally engaged in actions in violation of the Rule of Professional Conduct 8.3.

For additional information,
        see Corrupt, Incompetent and Unethical Judges


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April 2, 1997

Last updated July 6, 1997