Dems slate Kyriakopoulos in 10th Subcircuit

Judge Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos

Judge Anthony C. "Tony" Kyriakopoulos has been slated by the 10th Subcircuit Democratic Committeemen as their candidate for the "A" vacancy there, 40th Ward Ald. and Committeeman Pat O'Connor confirmed to FWIW today.

The slating committee met yesterday morning at Smakosz Restaurant on Lawrence Avenue. I was permitted to attend the candidate presentations -- and required to skedaddle when the committeemen began their deliberations.

In addition to Kyriakopoulos, Linda J. Pauel and Katherine A. O'Dell made presentations to the committeemen as well.

In his presentation, Kyriakopoulos stressed that he has accumulated nearly four years of judicial experience already, having first been appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in early 2010. (Kyriakopoulos filed for the 2012 primary, but withdrew in deference to former 38th Ward Ald. Thomas R. Allen, who was appointed by the Supreme Court to a countywide vacancy in late 2010 but who sought, and received, slating in the 10th Subcircuit instead. The Supreme Court subsequently appointed Kyriakopoulos to a different 10th Subcircuit vacancy.

The presentations Friday were substantively different from those made by judicial hopefuls at the countywide slating session this past August.

On Friday, the candidates talked more about their legal backgrounds and experience than about their political credentials. The committeemen asked more questions about jury trials and bar ratings than about the candidates' work on prior campaigns. Each of the candidates in attendance had strong presentations to make and substantive answers for questions posed.

There is a fourth candidate who filed for the "A" vacancy, but this candidate, Michael O'Malley, did not appear for the slating session. Forty-fifth Ward Ald. and Committeeman John Arena, who served as Chair of the 10th Subcircuit Slating Committee, stated that efforts were made to invite O'Malley to appear.