Chicago judge named counselor to Chief Justice Roberts, creating new uncertainty in Burke case

U.S. District Judge Robert Dow Jr., who has served on the bench in Chicago since December 2007, had been appointed counselor to Chief Justice John Roberts. (AP file)

A longtime federal judge in Chicago has agreed to serve as chief of staff to Chief Justice John Roberts — and in doing so has thrown new uncertainty into the three-year-old racketeering case against Ald. Edward M. Burke.

The Supreme Court announced Monday that U.S. District Judge Robert Dow Jr., who has served on the bench in Chicago since December 2007, had been appointed Roberts’ new counselor. The court said Dow would serve as Roberts’ chief of staff in that role.