The Tribune makes its choices

The Chicago Tribune has announced its endorsements in contested Cook County Circuit court races. The paper's complete editorial is reproduced below -- but, first, an editorial of my own.

A free press must be free to write about what it chooses.

But I do not understand why the Tribune chooses to provide so little coverage of Cook County Circuit Court elections.

The Tribune presumably wants voters to follow the paper's suggestions. But the paper provides at most a sentence or two to support its choices. In subcircuit races, not even a sentence is provided -- only a job title.

How persuasive can that be?

I believe voters want information about the men and women running for judge; that's why I've been working on this project these past several months. I know the Tribune collected, or attempted to collect, a substantial body of information about each candidate for the Cook County Circuit Court. It's a shame that the Tribune does not think that this information constitutes news.

That's my editorial -- and, now, the Tribune's:

The Tribune offers endorsements today in contested primary elections for the Cook County Circuit Court. In making these endorsements, the Tribune relies on evaluations from state and county bar associations, information provided by the candidates and the advice of lawyers, judges and others who are familiar with the candidates and their work.

These are Democratic primary races, unless otherwise noted.

Countywide

(Disko vacancy) Judge Dennis J. Burke was appointed to the Circuit Court last year and is widely respected for his fairness, preparation and legal ability. He was found "highly qualified" by the Chicago Bar Association. Burke is endorsed, though he has an excellent opponent: Judge Lauretta Higgins Wolfson, who was appointed to the bench in 2006.

(Glowacki vacancy) Judge Jesse G. Reyes has been on the bench since 1997. A past president of the Illinois Judges Association, he has been an ambassador for the courts. He wins praise for his courtroom management skills. Reyes is endorsed over a good opponent, Terry MacCarthy, a supervisor in the Cook County public defender's office.

(Healy vacancy) Judge Maureen Ward Kirby, appointed to the bench in October, is an easy choice over attorney Peter John Curielli, who didn't cooperate with evaluations by the major bar groups and didn't submit his qualifications to the Tribune.

(Keehan vacancy) Judge Marilyn F. Johnson serves in Juvenile Court and "has distinguished herself in handling a difficult call," says the Chicago Bar Association. She was the first woman and first African-American to head a division in the city's law department. She is strongly endorsed over attorney Joseph Robert Papavero, who dodged the major bar groups and the Tribune.

(Lott vacancy) There are two quality candidates here. Thomas J. Byrne, a supervisor in the state's attorney's office, knows the law well, and is hard-working and well-prepared. He is also considered smart, balanced and compassionate. He is endorsed over Joanne Marie "Jody" Rogers, although she also impresses as a very competent, diligent lawyer with an excellent temperament.

(Montelione vacancy) Attorney Debra B. Walker, a former president of the Women's Bar Association, has impressed many judges with her hard work and intelligence. She has the makings of a fine judge and is endorsed. She's running against Thaddeus L. Wilson, who was appointed to the bench last year and is also an impressive candidate. Thomas A. Doran, senior counsel in Chicago's law department, also is on the ballot.

(Murphy vacancy) Paula M. Lingo, chief legal counsel for the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, is endorsed over attorneys Kristyna Colleen Ryan and Frank James Ryan.

(Nowicki vacancy) This is an exceptionally talented field. The best of four candidates: Judge Michael B. Hyman, a former president of the Chicago Bar Association, who is known for high integrity, experience and fairness. The other candidates -- Assistant State's Attys. Brian Terrence Sexton and John "Jack" Murphy, and attorney Kim R. Kardas -- also are impressive.

(Thomas vacancy) Judge Joan Powell has done an excellent job since she joined the bench in 2006. She is endorsed over attorneys E. Madeline O'Neill and David John Mulvihill, and Patrick Dennis Riley, an administrative law officer for the city.

Subcircuits

Cook County is divided into 15 subcircuits for the election of judges. The following endorsements are in contested primary races.

1st (Turkington vacancy) Donna L. Cooper, an attorney and former assistant corporation counsel for the city.

4th (Shultz vacancy) In the Democratic primary, Pat Rogers, a private attorney and the Lyons Township supervisor. In the Republican primary, Maureen H. Masterson-Pulia, an arbitrator for the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission.

5th (Bush vacancy) Judge Furmin D. Sessoms.

5th (Additional judgeship A) Attorney Stephen Stern.

6th (Figueroa vacancy) Judge Laura Bertucci Smith.

7th (Young vacancy) Judge Anita Rivkin-Carothers.

8th (Sheehan vacancy) Ann Collins Dole, an assistant corporation counsel for the City of Chicago.

10th (Kowalski vacancy) Assistant State's Atty. Ursula Walowski.

10th (Morrissey vacancy) Attorney John G. Mulroe.

10th (Pucinski vacancy) Assistant State's Atty. Thomas Francis Biesty.

12th (Devlin vacancy) In the Democratic primary, Judge Thomas R. Mulroy. Two candidates are running in the Republican primary, Laura J. Morask and Michaela Nolan Ryan. There are concerns about the qualifications of both candidates and the Tribune makes no endorsement.

13th (Ryan vacancy) In the Democratic primary, Joe Gump, an assistant public defender. In the Republican primary, Assistant State's Atty. Paul S. Pavlus.

13th (Tobin vacancy) In the Democratic primary, Gary G. Stanton, a public defender. In the Republican primary, Judge Margarita Kulys Hoffman.

15th (Additional judgeship A) In the Democratic primary, Assistant State's Atty. Anna Helen Demacopoulos. In the Republican primary, attorney Peter Fera.

I will include the Tribune's endorsements in the Organizing the Data posts yet to go up and, in the next couple of days, I will be revising the Organizing posts already up to include this information.