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* ILGOP…
Today, Politico did a great job outlining the team of Madigan loyalists and lawyers generally unknown to the public that are representing Democrat leaders - House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon - in their fight to preserve their politician-drawn redistricting map.
Shia Kapos at Politico…
“The legal team representing the Democratic-led General Assembly on the remap includes attorneys who have for years worked for the former House speaker.”
“Michael Kasper, the noted election lawyer and former general counsel to Madigan when he was speaker, is heading up the legal team.
“Other attorneys are Heather Wier Vaught, who was chief counsel to Madigan and represented him when his team was accused of ignoring sexual harassment claims. Adam Vaught, her husband, is also on the General Assembly’s legal team and has represented Madigan, too, including when the former speaker was sued for allegedly orchestrating sham political candidates. And Devon Bruce is with the well-connected Power Rogers law firm, which has donated to Madigan’s campaign fund.”
Madigan’s team has a long history of using the legal system to keep their leader’s iron-grip on power. Kasper was lead counsel and argued before the Illinois Supreme Court to strike down the 2016 Fair Maps citizen referendum. The 4-3 majority decision was written by Madigan’s Favorite Judge, Tom Kilbride, who Madigan spent millions to put on the Supreme Court, and the plaintiff in the case was John Hooker, former ComEd lobbyist who was indicted last November in the ongoing federal corruption probe.
The Madigan Machine is not dead - it’s leader is simply within the shadows. Why else would Mike Madigan’s top lawyers and longtime friends be the lead litigators for the House and Senate remap team? They’re protecting their investment as they’ve done for years.
ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler: “There could be a world where Mike Madigan and his remaining lieutenants do not infect every part of state government with their corrupt tentacles. But Illinois Democrats don’t want that world. Democrats are still loyal to the man who brought them into power and the people of Illinois suffer the consequences every day.”
* Something not mentioned in the above article, nor broached by the ILGOP in its press release is that the House Republicans are using Mayer Brown for legal counsel on the redistricting case. Mayer Brown was on the team that defended House Speaker Madigan in the lawsuit brought (and lost) by Jason Gonzalez.
Madigan was like McDonald’s. Just about everyone worked for him at some point.
…Adding… Good point from Rep. Walker in comments…
Only a few attorneys are experienced experts on Illinois laws regarding redistricting. If they were defending the Dems’ map ten years ago, who else would they be?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 1:48 pm
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==House Republicans are using Mayer Brown for legal counsel==
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 1:58 pm
== Adam Vaught, her husband ==
The only new item in this Politico piece or the GOP press release is the reference to Adam Vaught as HWV’s husband. I find it refreshing a man is finally defined by his wife. Women are referenced by the man they work for or marry every single day.
Comment by irony is fun Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 1:58 pm
A decade or so ago, one of Madigan’s former top aides told me a story about an issue of importance to the speaker. Madigan had his deputy leaders call several prominent lawyers for advice about the issue. While the speaker didn’t need the advice, he ensured that the top law firms wouldn’t represent any plaintiff against Madigan’s position.
Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 1:58 pm
Only a few attorneys are experienced experts on Illinois laws regarding redistricting. If they were defending the Dems’ map ten years ago, who else would they be?
Comment by walker Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:00 pm
Madigan and McDonalds had long lines…everybody got served…according to their order.
Would you like fries with that order?
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:00 pm
Wait. Stop. Woah.
The ILGOP wasted their time dissecting… lawyers… for a map they’ve yet to see… or produced any map of their own to counter.
I mean.. when you lack the facts pound the table is an old lawyer trick, but the ILGOP is now at the point… they lack positions so pound the lawyers?
Also, I thought they won that whole Kilbride thingy… oh, right.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:02 pm
==Madigan’s team has a long history of using the legal system to keep their leader’s iron-grip on power.==
Hmm. They take legal matters to the place legal matters are adjudicated and win. Yeah, that sounds nefarious. /s
And using attorneys experienced in the subject matter with a history of success? Sure, also shocking. s/
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:07 pm
Another little factoid that some may have forgotten, Lori Lightfoot while a Mayer Brown partner represented the GOP in mostly unsuccessful redistricting lawsuits. One might now reasonably wonder if her heart was truly in it.
Comment by Good grief Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:12 pm
Blah,blah, blah Madigan is a 80 year old man who is out of office. The folks who did his work are still around and have some value. Deal with it and move on.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:30 pm
iron-grip or velvet hammer?
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:48 pm
@Leslie K nails it.
How dare they work in the courts, completely open to public scrutiny. Transparency be darned.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:58 pm
If reporters are going to publish a campaign Oposition Research memo, they ought to label it as such with a disclaimer.
“The GOP gave me this list of lawyers and their ties to Madigan, so here it is:”
Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 2:59 pm
==Today, Politico did a great job outlining the team of Madigan loyalists and lawyers generally unknown to the public that are representing Democrat leaders==
You completely lost me at “Democrat Leaders”.
Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 3:02 pm
=== Democrats are still loyal to the man who brought them into power ===
Yeah, the mopes you’ve been running, and the policies you advocate had nothing to do with it, lol.
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 3:21 pm
Don’t forget. MJM and the Democrats became the majority in the 1990s, EVEN THOUGH LEE DANIELS AND THE GOP DREW THE MAP. That’s why you keep Kasper and the others on the payroll. Simply out classed, out worked, and out smarted Daniels.
Comment by Old Lobster Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 4:11 pm
“Madigan had his deputy leaders call several prominent lawyers for advice about the issue. While the speaker didn’t need the advice, he ensured that the top law firms wouldn’t represent any plaintiff against Madigan’s position.” This is an interesting maneuver, if true. The only time I ever even heard of this as a legal move is from the Soprano’s TV show.
Comment by Payback Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 4:14 pm
Jealousy is a bad color on the minority leader
Comment by Mary Poppins Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 7:25 pm