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Wednesday, Aug 2, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Between them, the two men running for Southern Illinois’ open appellate court seat have raised more campaign cash so far this year than the candidates for the state Supreme Court in 2004 did in the same period.

And that Supreme Court showdown later shattered national records in what became a political arms race.

Considering that, and disclosures of higher-than-usual contributions to judicial contests in the Metro East, and this year’s elections look like something of a weather vane, a telltale sign of which way the wind is blowing on downstate courts, some observers and experts say.

“It’s a rematch of 2004 already,” said Cindi Canary, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. “I could see the appellate race alone becoming a multimillion-dollar contest real quick.”

A replay would require the big national groups stepping in. It would also require people like Democratic Party of Illinois Chairman Michael Madigan to make it a top priority. I don’t see things spiralilng that far out of control, but I should probably start paying much closer attention to this race. Your thoughts?

On a somewhat related note, the Madison County Record had an interesting little story yesterday entitled: Metro East plaintiff’s attorneys withholding financial support from governor.

7 Comments

- There's Ole Uncle Joe - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 7:48 am:
Democrats are having trouble getting their candidate, Bruce Stewart motivated, he does not want to do anything like work parades and such. I do not even know the republican candidates name but democrats in the south are concerned about Stewarts lack of motivation. Maybe he does not need to work hard but party leaders and rank and file precinct workers are getting concerned over their candidate.

- diane - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 7:56 am:
The irony in this statement is just so rich: “I’m very concerned that the chamber of commerce groups and business interests are going to use a very broad brush to paint Madison and St. Clair counties once again as corrupt as they did in 2004,” said Judy Cates, a Belleville lawyers who is president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

After years of having their own money win elections and influence people, the trial lawyers in 2004 found themselves getting their own back and they don’t like it. It is impossible to paint them all with too broad a brush as the treatment newly appointed judge Don Weber has found. Lawyers file for new judges nearly every time they have to appear before him in court.

- Madison County Watcher - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:09 am:
A better comparison…

Blago and Judy raise $8 million statewide. These two Appellate campaigns raise $300,000 total for a geographic area one-fifth the size and population-wise that is perhaps one-tenth of the state’s voters.

Considering half the district is in the St. Louis media market, is a combined total that is less than four percent of what the top statewide campaigns raised REALLY too much money?

By comparison to the gubernatorial campaigns, you would think you’d need $400,000 each to compare the district size by voters and $800,000 each based off geography. Then $150,000 each is far below those totals.

If the Campaign for Political Reform thinks NO MONEY should ever be raised for politicians, it should just say that.

Beyond that, I don’t think that $300,000 is really that much money for a district that turned out 566,000 voters in 2004.

Maybe we should just outlaw campaign donations and give a state-funded bullhorn to each candidate?

- Troy News Guy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:47 am:
I’m up for a bullhorn if candidates would actually talk aboutthe issues, not just slather their faces over expensive St. Louis TV and radio stations.
On the semi-related note, in 2002 prominent attorney (Lakin Law Firm partner) and state rep Jay Hoffman shook the pockets from his lawyer buddies to basically win Blago (his old roomate) the Demo primary by winning the Metro East in a near-landslide. After conceding defeat on the med-mal issue, and other general cleaning up of the area courts, they are now pi$$ed and are holding off on more donations. It’s not like Blago needs the money, you know….

- NW burbs - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 12:54 pm:
Isn’t the “Madison County Record” ultimately funded by the US Chamber (which has made its position on people having the right to sue for damages well known)?

Isn’t also run by Chicago area conservatives?

Hardly a ‘fair and balanced’ source Rich. It’s little better than the other paper Ann Knef writes for, the “West Virginia Record” (at least the right-wing extremists are clever with their propaganda rags’ names).

- Curt Mercadante - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 8:24 pm:
For years, the trial bar flooded the campaign warchests of their chosen judicial candidates with cold, hard cash. In fact, trial bar contributions accounted for more than 90% of contributions to judicial candidates in Madison County over a 23-year period.

So, why was there no outrage when the trial bar ran unchecked in these races? What’s wrong with a little balance in the system?

- AJ - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:24 pm:
All this money spent on a campaign that very few voters can tell you anything about. Judge who?

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