The Illinois Civil Justice League (ICJL) is warning voters to be wary of judicial candidates with Irish surnames who are otherwise unqualified for office. An analysis of candidates running in the March 17th Illinois Primary Election, which falls on St. Patrick’s Day, reveals two judicial candidates of Irish descent playing the role of a stalking horse, trying to siphon votes from other candidates.
“Candidates with Irish surnames have long had a political advantage in cities with large Irish-American populations like Chicago, Boston and New York. You don’t have to look further than names like Daley, Kennedy, and Moynihan to prove the point,” said John Pastuovic, president of the Illinois Civil Justice League. “While those running at the top of the ticket are usually established and well vetted, many running at the bottom of the ticket, particularly those running for judge, are unknown. It is in these campaigns for judge that political bosses or others attempt to use the anonymity of these bottom of the ticket races combined with a candidate’s Irish American heritage to game the system to either benefit or block another candidate,” he continued.
In an effort to better educate voters about choices for judge, the ICJL today released the ratings of judges running for election in the March 17 Primary Election. The ICJL retention recommendations are a part of the most complete and comprehensive voter education initiative of its kind, designed to assist voters in making informed decisions about the judicial candidates on their ballot. The initiative called Judges: Good and Bad-You Can’t Afford to be Indifferent can be found at illinoisjudges.net.
During its analysis, the ICJL has revealed that a good number of judges have earned the voters’ trust and vote. “That good news, however, is mitigated by the fact that two judicial candidates appear to be stalking horse candidates, using their Irish surnames to siphon votes from other credible Irish-American candidates to benefit the candidacies of Cook County Democratic Party insiders,” Pastuovic stated.
Maureen O’Leary is running for the Neville Illinois Appellate Court vacancy against Cook County Circuit Court Judge Carolyn Gallagher and the Democratic Party chosen candidate Cook County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hyman. Circuit Court Judge Sandra Gisela Ramos is also in the race.
Bonnie McGrath is running for Mary Anne Mason’s Cook County Circuit Court vacancy against Jennifer Callahan and the Democratic Party chosen candidate Chris Stacey. Three other candidates are also in the race.
“The O’Leary and McGrath campaigns have much in common. Both used many of the same paid circulators to gather signatures for their nominating petitions and both have reported zero campaign expenditures or fundraising as of earlier this month. Additionally, news reports suggest that their opponents haven’t seen either O’Leary or McGrath at campaign events and neither has campaign websites,” Pastuovic said.
Judge Carolyn Gallagher recently said she sees Maureen O’Leary as a likely sham candidate given her Irish name, her complete lack of qualifications for appellate court, that she’s never attended any candidate functions and that she didn’t disclose payments for her 13,000-plus petition signatures.
“While the actions of Maureen O’Leary and Bonnie McGrath aren’t necessarily illegal, their actions are clearly unethical and for those reasons, both candidates are Not Recommended for Judge by the ICJL,” Pastuovic concluded.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:17 pm:
That O’Bama fella also did pretty well.
– MrJM
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:20 pm:
MJM and the Dems offer equal opportunity sham candidates. From Joe Barboza and Grasiela Rodriguez to Maureen O’Leary and Bonnie McGrath
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:23 pm:
If large corporations think they’re bad, then it must mean these judges aren’t that bad for working-class people.
- Rutro - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:24 pm:
Jack Leyhane did a thoughtful writeup on this, not so sure they are the shams the group portrays them to be, don’t know. My two cents is we should look out for unqualified judges period.
- Moe Berg - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:28 pm:
Didn’t know ICJL still existed.
Guess someone needed to get a meal-ticket punched today.
- Just Another Anon - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:30 pm:
They should have rethought that phrasing on the release. If this were to read “Illinois Civil Justice League (ICJL) is warning voters to be wary of judicial candidates with Hispanic surnames” I suspect there would be a hue and cry.
- Benjamin - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:31 pm:
@MrJM:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_No_One_as_Irish_as_Barack_O%27Bama
- Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:33 pm:
=be wary of judicial candidates with Irish surnames=
As the Chieftain of the O’Scopy clan, I am insulted by this Mick-ist assertion.
- Benjamin - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:35 pm:
No, this is a real problem. Chicagoland voters seem to have a thing about wanting to vote for Irish-American women for judges, especially if they’re low-information voters. (And when if comes to judges, most of us are.) Witness failed candidate Phil Spiwak, who won once he changed his name to Shannon O’Malley.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:37 pm:
When I heard this on NPR this morning I was a bit shocked at the lede. It really seems kinda Mad Libbish. Are there other leded out there for other ethinic surnames?
Wonder what my great grandparents would have thunk. They emigrated to the US in the mid-1870s when there was a lot of “Irish Need Not Apply” signs and “opinions”.
Let’s stick to just doing a thorough analysis and report to the public which candidates, regardless of surname (which may be their married name, BTW), and leave the labelling out of it.
- Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:39 pm:
Is the Irish people’s fault that Irish names elicit trust and a reputation for fairness?
- ;) - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:40 pm:
This is outrageous and discriminatory. They should be absolutely ashamed and this should be condemned in its entirety.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:41 pm:
Have I answered to O’Willy a time or two?
Aye, especially while having a pint of Guinness.
To the post,
It’s a “tradition” like “no other”
I remember a sample ballot / palm card with at least one “Daley”, a couple “Sullivan” and how many “O’Brien” have run for judge over the years?
A reminder to check the judges you’re voting for…
- Just Another Anon - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:43 pm:
@ O’Scopy
I can see the HDEM mailer already:
A reputation for honesty and fair dealing is an understatement for the Irish. Unlike the unscrupulous English, who are best known for poor dental hygiene and bland cuisine. Vote for the candidate with the best teeth and reputation, vote for “insert Irish surname” here.
- Ace Laredo - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:45 pm:
This article comes many years too late.
It’s a low information voter issue. We either need to pass out bar rating palm cards with ballots or we need to appoint judges based on merit alone. Hey, how about option 2!!!!
- Highland Il - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:51 pm:
ICJL’s Allen Adomite Vice President and Director of Government Relations is also the Mayor of Troy, Illinois. Troy does not host a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Coincidence?
- Levois J - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:53 pm:
Really we’re still worried about this. I remember this being reported on years ago.
- TominChicago - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
What’s up with scary music on the ICLJ website?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 1:59 pm:
It’s hard to top this story:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/11/9/18469170/he-ran-for-judge-lost-changed-parties-took-irish-name-won-cook-county-race
- lakeside - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 2:18 pm:
I’m not sure if this stat is true anymore, but about a decade ago in Cook: women with Irish surnames accounted for 17% of judicial candidates, and they won 50% of judgeships.
Judge races are low-information. Folks take a look at the group, and think the Irish lady is probably nice and fair. (Mostly we are, but that’s not a good way to pick judges.) It is an actual thing.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 2:42 pm:
also beware when just one candidate of many in a race answers a questionnaire so that means that candidate is “endorsed.” check the bar associations which have peer vetted candidates. that is much better information.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
While we shouldn’t over generalize, in the case of these two candidates this warning is in line with the vast majority of the bar associations who either reviewed and interviewed them and found them lacking, or found them not recommended because they didn’t show up at all. A judicial candidate hiding their credentials from public scrutiny should always be a no, especially when there are very qualified candidates in the race that people can learn about with a minimum of effort.
- Alex Ander - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 3:15 pm:
What’s an eastern European guy got against the Irish?
- Alex Ander - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 3:16 pm:
But since this was directed at the Irish name instead of some other ethnic group or race it will go largely ignored.
- BC - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 6:40 pm:
They’re not completely wrong, but some Ignorance and oversimplification on display here. One of the reasons Irish candidates do so well is because their names have been Anglicized. They are easy for voters to read and pronounce. A judicial candidate named Patrick Conway will do much better than one named Padraig Connmhach — the original Gaelic spelling.
- NorthsideNoMore - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 4:52 pm:
Blame Law schools not the Irish…Illinois didn’t even chancge its law requiring a JD to sit on the bench until the early 90s I believe ?