$36 million computer upgrade panned
Tuesday, Nov 26, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* While new systems are almost always difficult to use, this one may take the cake…
The rollout of a long-awaited upgrade to Cook County courts’ archaic case management system by beleaguered Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown’s office has caused disarray at the county’s main criminal courthouse on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
Attorneys and clerks interviewed by the Tribune since the rollout two weeks ago complained the supposed advancement has instead resulted in incomplete case information, poorly trained staff and lengthy delays in securing the most basic documentation.
One lawyer said he waited 45 minutes for paperwork that under the old system would have taken just a few moments to obtain. With some routine tasks now taking far more clicks to complete, clerks reportedly have worked late into the night to finish the same workload they routinely completed during a normal workday. […]
To the surprise of veteran lawyers interviewed by the Tribune, the new criminal case management system does not even provide for electronic filing of court documents — the standard in federal courts for years and already mandatory in many Cook County civil divisions.
Go read the whole thing. Crazy.
…Adding… Press release…
- Progressive reformer and Democratic candidate for Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Jacob Meister has issued the following statement about Dorthy Brown’s troubled rollout of the county’s new case management system:
“The rollout of the case management system in the criminal courts has been a disaster that many of us who regularly practice in the county courts saw coming down the road for a long time.
“Judges, lawyers and those who have to live with the clerk’s decisions were not consulted about the new system and users were not adequately trained. The system wasn’t designed to meet the realities of our fast-paced and often overcrowded court calendars, which is the second-largest court system in the country.
“The clerk’s office sufferers from a serious leadership problem, with decisions being made in secret, without transparency or an inclusive process. In order to avoid any more damage, the clerk needs to take a step back and address these issues before the case management system is rolled out in other divisions of our courts.”
…Adding… Press release…
Statement from Mike Cabonargi, candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
“We cannot achieve access to justice by amplifying the already existing problems in an office plagued with patronage hiring, a lack of transparency, and an outdated system. The newest broken system, highlighted in today’s Chicago Tribune, does nothing to restore the trust between the people of Cook County and the Circuit Court. It would be irresponsible and a misuse of taxpayer money to expand a system that’s already proven to be a failure. The office needs leadership that’s ready to usher in a new era of credibility and reform - and it’s why I’ve released a Reform Plan to lead on day one.”
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* Knoxville News Sentinel…
The new director of the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge started his new gig Monday, three days after the Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General released a report explaining why [Alan Lowe] was fired from his last one [as executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum]. […]
Lowe has also signed on to be the lead consultant for the quietly discussed National Museum of American Presidents that would – if financing and a number of other factors play out – be placed somewhere in downtown Knoxville.
The project has received little media attention but has been headed for nearly two decades by Knoxville’s Bruce Anderson and Danni Varlan. Recently it has picked up steam. […]
Anderson said Lowe’s issues in Illinois were largely political and will not impact his work with the proposed museum for Knoxville.
“He got permission from all the people he normally gets permission from to do those sorts of things, but apparently the board took exception that he didn’t ask them,” Anderson said. “I’ve known Alan for at least 15 years, maybe longer. I’m not worried at all that this is something that would cause me to think he still isn’t one of the best museum people in the country.”
Yeah. Largely political. Right.
For crying out loud, somebody in Tennessee needs to actually click here and read the Inspector General’s report. Anderson is just totally wrong about everything.
…Adding… Hilarious comment…
Sending the Gettysburg Address by FedEx is “largely political”?
…Adding… Another one…
If “largely political” means overriding objections of qualified ALPLM historians and curators to fedex a priceless and irreplaceable document to an unaccredited museum with no experienced curatorial staff in order to obtain a small donation to pay down a $9 million debt, then guilty as charged.
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* Kristen McQueary last year…
There certainly are stories about the Illinois Republican Party also being accused of aggressive control-freakery. But I haven’t heard nearly as many complaints from that side as I have during my 20 years of covering Madigan’s office.
So spare me the mea culpa, the “woke” moment, the grasping press releases. Democratic women running under Madigan’s political umbrella have become adept at looking the other way.
* Last night…
* Refresh your memory…
Story…
As for the incident caught on surveillance tape, an Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice employee told investigators she was walking to an exit to go smoke a cigarette when she was approached by Anthony, who put his arm around her and asked if she was a corrections employee.
She told him she wasn’t. He then allegedly told her she had “nice t—, nice a–.” Then he stepped to the side and pressed himself onto her left thigh and licked her neck, the report says. […]
Other women at the party told investigators that Anthony had been inappropriately commenting to and touching them as well.
The behavior warranted a talk by another state employee during the party, according to the records. That discussion happened after a woman reported Anthony had touched her breasts.
McQueary’s column claims that only one woman alleged groping. There were clearly others that night. And if you think that was a one-off thing, you’d be mistaken.
Video is here.
* Reaction to the column was swift and brutal…
* Emily Miller gets the last word…
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Elmhurst)…
Hi Rich, I do not tweet but I’m just as angry.
This is just unbelievable coming from McQueary. She criticizes the women’s caucus every chance she gets when in reality we have spent our time doing the difficult work to change a culture and not chasing headlines. As a journalist she may want to work a bit harder on the other side of the story. Everyone deserves a second chance, absolutely. In this case the writer completely disregarded the women who chose out of fear to keep their story private and push through the pain. This type of journalism is why victims are afraid to come forward.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Legislative & Political Director for UFCW Local 881…
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Open thread
Monday, Nov 25, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oscar’s groomer told me last week that the little guy has an ear infection. He also has some redness on his tummy. So, he’s going to the vet. I’ll be back when I can. Meanwhile, be nice to each other and keep it Illinois-centric. Thanks.
*** UPDATE *** The vet found no ear infection, but he does have a little infection on his belly, so he’s taking some antibiotics for the next 10 days. Should be all good by then.
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Let’s be careful out there
Monday, Nov 25, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mark Maxwell at WCIA has a long piece up about the race for Illinois Senate President. Here are a couple of excerpts…
“Illinoisans need to trust their elected leaders, particularly those who lead the legislative chambers,” Emily Bittner, a spokeswoman for Pritzker said in an email on Sunday. “The governor strongly believes that those who have been subject to federal raids or indictment would taint the outcome of that election and should not participate in selecting the next Senate President.”
“The election of the Senate President is among the oddest elections,” [Sen. Don Harmon] said in response to Pritzker’s statement. “It’s entirely an internal debate and deliberation. In the end, we will need to figure out what the appropriate ground rules are.” […]
Should Senate Democrats agree to accept Pritzker’s guidance and bar Senators Tom Cullerton and Martin Sandoval from casting a vote, the pool of available Democratic senators would shrink to 37 and increase the likelihood of a protracted battle between warring factions.
Enter the Republicans, who hold 19 votes in reserve.
While it could prove an incredibly unlikely scenario for a number of politically sensitive and risky reasons, many of the Senate Republicans admitted they have discussed the possibility that if the conditions were right, one or more of them could play a role in electing the next leader of their chamber. Others suggested they might even listen to offers from certain of their Democratic counterparts. Two Republicans, who spoke anonymously in order to avoid disrupting delicate discussions, confessed they already had, and described casual conversations about the prospect of crossing the aisle to back a candidate if that person made public pledges to support ‘Fair Maps’ or to grant concessions at the committee level.
1) The governor has to be a bit more careful here; 2) The Republicans would be playing a very dangerous game if they tried to interfere. From the Senate’s rules…
Election of the Minority Leader. The Senate shall elect a Minority Leader in a manner consistent with the Constitution and laws of Illinois.
The entire Senate votes on the Republican Leader. Mess with the Democrats, they could mess with the GOPs.
…Adding… Good point in comments…
You can’t assume anything if this succession battle goes completely off the tracks, but hypothetically, I would think that the same bipartisan group of 30 senators that gets together to pick a president would also cut a deal to pick the minority leader — two votes on two different motions by the same 30 members.
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Question of the day
Monday, Nov 25, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s that time of the biennial again, campers…
* The live coverage feed was filled with stuff like this…
* From Hannah’s story…
Candidate filing begins — The busiest place in Springfield Monday morning will be a strip mall that contains both a Chuck E. Cheese and the Illinois State Board of Elections’ headquarters. As is the biannual tradition, candidates for Congress, the General Assembly, judges and other elected offices — or their proxies — will brave the usually cold pre-winter morning to be in line by 8 a.m., or even earlier. Those with petitions ready to hand in first thing Monday have the chance to get listed first among their competitors on the ballot, which studies have shown may have a slight statistical benefit in down-ballot races. For those who aren’t willing to stand in the cold for hours, or who still have to finish collecting enough signatures to survive a possible petition challenge, the filing period is one week and closes at 5 p.m. Dec. 2.
* Tribune…
Those in line when the doors opened were eligible for a lottery that will determine the top ballot spot, which some believe is politically beneficial at the polls. When filing ends on Monday, Dec. 2, those candidates in line at 4 p.m. will be after the last ballot spot — also seen by some as a plus on Election Day.
Mary McClellan, a Republican candidate for a circuit judge seat in McHenry County, was the first in line. McClellan, a former McHenry County clerk, said she arrived at about 9 a.m. Sunday.
“I want to be able to show my constituents that I’m committed, and that they’ll be represented the same way,” McClellan said.
By 7: 30 a.m., hundreds of the people were outside the Board of Elections office in a line that snaked along the sidewalk outside a Springfield strip mall.
* The Question: Your favorite petition gathering or filing day stories?
…Adding… Expected…
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