J. Herbert Burke

J. Herbert Burke (January 14, 1911 – June 16, 1993) was a Republican U.S. representative from Florida who served from 1967 to 1979.

History He was born in Chicago, where he attended the public schools, the defunct Central YMCA College, and then Northwestern University in nearby Evanston. He later graduated from Kent College of Law in Chicago.

Scandal On May 27, 1978, Burke was arrested at the Centerfold Bar in Dania, Florida, on charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest. Burke claimed he had come to the club in an attempt to prevent a narcotics deal. He later pleaded guilty to the charges and nolo contendere to an additional charge of witness tampering and sentenced to three months of probation and a $177.50 fine.

The incident later became the basis for the novel Strip Tease, which was made into a film starring Burt Reynolds and Demi Moore.

Election Despite the arrest, Burke ran for reelection in 1978 to the Ninety-sixth Congress. He lost in a landslide to Democrat Edward J. Stack.

After leaving Congress, he resided in Falls Church, Virginia, and Fern Park, Florida, until his death in 1993 in Altamonte Springs, Florida.