Cook County Democratic Party makes Appellate Court endorsements

In closed session this morning, the Cook County Democratic Central Committee voted to accept the report of the Party's Supreme and Appellate Court Selection Committee, making the following endorsements:

• Judge Freddrenna M. Lyle, the former Alderman of Chicago's 6th Ward, was endorsed for the Gordon vacancy. Judge Lyle was first appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in late 2011. Judge Lyle chose not to run for the 2nd Subcircuit vacancy to which she'd been appointed so her appointment would have terminated last December 2. However, last November, the Supreme Court appointed Judge Lyle to the 7th Subcircuit vacancy created when the Supreme Court filled the Gordon vacancy on the Appellate Court by elevating Judge William H. Taylor to the Appellate Court.
• Chicago lawyer David W. Ellis was endorsed for the Murphy vacancy. Mr. Ellis is counsel to House Speaker Michael J. Madigan and a successful author. Mr. Ellis was the chief prosecutor in the Blagojevich impeachment trial.
• Justice John Simon, who presently holds the Murphy seat pursuant to a Supreme Court appointment, was endorsed for the Steele vacancy. Simon was a long-time partner with the firm of Jenner & Block before his appointment. A lawyer since 1967, Simon has served as president of the Chicago Bar Association, president of the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, and as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Planning and Oversight Committee for its Judicial Performance Evaluation Program. He also has chaired the Supreme Court's Rules Committee and its Historic Preservation Committee. In 2008, Simon was awarded the CBA's Justice John Paul Stevens Award, which honors attorneys who "exemplify the highest personal integrity and devotion to public service." He is the son of former Appellate and Supreme Court Justice Seymour Simon.

Presently assigned to the Steele vacancy is Justice Sheldon A. Harris. Although Justice Harris was not appointed to the Steele vacancy until earlier this year, Harris has served on the Appellate Court since 2010. He served on the Circuit Court for roughly a decade before his assignment to the Appellate Court.

Although the Democratic Party did not endorse Justice Harris, it named him as one of four alternates it would support if additional vacancies on the Appellate Court open up between now and the beginning of the December and if he does not run against the Party in the meantime.

The four alternates selected by the Party are (in order of Party preference) Judge John P. Kirby, Justice Harris, Judge Raul Vega, and Judge William S. Boyd.