Campaigns & Elections News

Cook County voters select nominees for 31 judgeships to serve on the county's courts

Turnout steeply declines amid coronavirus, but ballots cast for 13 countywide circuit judge posts, 18 subcircuit posts

Mar 19, 2020

Neville appears to best Reyes in race for Cook County's open seat on Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois’ only African American state Supreme Court justice appears poised to claim a win in the race to land a 10-year term on the state’s high court.

By Jonathan Bilyk | Mar 18, 2020

Latest News

Bar associations pan some IL Supreme Court campaigns; Epstein: Rating a result of 'inflexible rule' based on candidate legal experience

By Jonathan Bilyk | Mar 13, 2020

Candidate Daniel Epstein says his "not recommended" rating was based on a "bright line rule" for bar associations, which withholds candidate recommendations from judicial candidates with less than 10 years experience.

From Legal Newsline

Politically generous lawyers poised to take billions from opioid settlement

By Daniel Fisher | 27 days ago

CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) - Their request for some $3 billion in fees has generated fierce resistance from state attorneys general and defendants, but don’t worry about the financial states of private lawyers who represent thousands of municipal plaintiffs in opioid litigation.

Cook County voters warned against some judge candidates, encouraged to support others, by candidate ratings groups

By The Cook County Record | Mar 10, 2020

The Illinois Civil Justice League particularly warned voters on two judicial candidates it considers to be "stalking horse candidates" on ballot to help "chosen" Democratic Party "insiders"

IL Supreme Court cans Elk Grove term limit referendum, declares state law restricting such limits constitutional

By Jonathan Bilyk | Feb 27, 2020

The case tested the constitutionality of a state law enacted by Gov. Pritzker and Illinois' Democrat-dominated General Assembly last summer to limit the ability of voters to limit the terms of their current mayors and council members.

Judge: Ex-Pritzker campaign workers can't question Pritzker under oath about alleged discrmination in his campaign

By Jonathan Bilyk | Feb 25, 2020

Gov. Pritzker doesn't know enough about the alleged discrimination, and his schedule is too "demanding" to allow him to be questioned under oath, the judge said.

Appeals court says Cook County judicial candidate can't use Irish maiden name on ballot

By Dan Churney | Feb 18, 2020

A divided appellate court says the court would be 'blind' to not recognize the lawyer has gone by her married name for years.

Pritzker: 'Facts do not support' IL government hiring monitor's accusations Pritzker moves slowed reforms

By Jonathan Bilyk | Feb 11, 2020

New court filing accuses special master of ambushing governor's office with accusations in report to federal judge

Judge orders County Clerk Yarbrough to turn over documents to watchdog investigating alleged political hiring

By Dan Churney | Feb 11, 2020

A federal judge has ordered Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough to hand over more documents related to allegations she packed her office with politically-connected workers, but refused to sanction Yarbrough for what a political watchdog claimed is her effort to hide her alleged shenanigans.

New filing: Assertion that Pritzker was never told of racial discrimination in his campaign organization 'provably false'

By Scott Holland | Feb 8, 2020

Plaintiffs say they have identified at least five Pritzker campaign workers who allegedly told then-candidate Pritzker of racial discrimination in his campaign and want the governor questioned under oath.

Court filing: IL government hiring monitor says Pritzker moves have 'impeded' state government hiring reform progress

By Jonathan Bilyk | Feb 7, 2020

A court-appointed monitor of Illinois' government hiring practices says Gov. Pritzker has 'diminished' her ability to communicate with state personnel, harming efforts to complete a reform plan.

Class action: Motorists owed $100M+ refunds for red light cameras in SW suburbs boosted by racketeering, bribes

By Jonathan Bilyk | Feb 4, 2020

A new class action asks a federal judge to order the refund of potentially more than $100 million in fines generated from a network of red light cameras in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, which were allegedly installed as a result of a racketeering conspiracy built on bribes and grift.

Lawyer asks judge to block deposition of IL Gov. Pritzker amid discrimination lawsuit vs Pritzker campaign

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 18, 2020

Motion says Gov. Pritzker doesn't know anything about the claims, didn't manage low-level campaign workers

Elections board: Chicago lawyer who represented Burge can use Irish maiden name on ballot for judge election

By Jonathan Bilyk | Jan 15, 2020

The hearing board said it doesn't matter she's used her maiden name when practicing law or running for other offices. The objector has sought judicial review of that decision.

Appeals panel won't strike down state campaign finance law; Lawsuit said creates 'unlevel playing field'

By Scott Holland | Dec 31, 2019

Radio host challenged limits on independent expenditure committees

Class action: Cook Courts Clerk charging illegal fees to people seeking child support enforcement

By Jonathan Bilyk | Dec 26, 2019

A new class action lawsuit has accused the Cook County Circuit Clerk’s office of charging illegal fees to people filing petitions in Cook County court to enforce child support orders.

Investors bring class action vs Exelon over alleged corrupt ComEd lobbying using Madigan associates

By Jonathan Bilyk | Dec 18, 2019

A group of Exelon investors have filed suit against the parent company of electrical utility ComEd, asserting the company’s potentially corrupt state lobbying activities in Springfield artificially inflated the company’s stock price, setting investors up for losses when the federal investigation into those activities came to light.

Challenge filed vs judicial candidacy of lawyer who represented Burge, using Irish maiden name on ballot

By Jonathan Bilyk | Dec 12, 2019

A Chicago lawyer, who has defended police officers against misconduct charges, including Jon Burge, is seeking election as a Cook County judge, has been accused of attempting to use her Irish-sounding maiden name to confuse voters.

Ex-Madigan staffer settles sex harassment, retaliation lawsuit vs IL Dems, Madigan political orgs

By Jonathan Bilyk | Nov 30, 2019

Alaina Hampton, a woman who has claimed Illinois Democrats, led by House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, blackballed her in retaliation for complaining a Madigan operative sexually harassed her, has settled her case with Madigan, the state Democratic Party and other Madigan-controlled political organizations.

Cook County Record