Wednesday, October 08, 2014

ISBA modifies rating of Republican candidate in 4th Subcircuit contest

The Illinois State Bar Association has changed its rating for Ian Brenson, the Republican candidate for judge in the far west suburban 4th Subcircuit.

Like all of the other Alliance bar associations, the ISBA previously had issued a Not Recommended rating for Brenson on the grounds that he did not submit to Alliance screening after he was appointed by Republican committeemen to the November ballot. I didn't find out about Brenson's candidacy until September; I was told the Alliance also did not find out about Brenson's candidacy until recently. Today, FWIW has learned that the ISBA has changed its rating to, simply, "Not Rated." The ISBA has so far issued no explanatory statement explaining the change. If I were to speculate, I'd guess that the ISBA's change may have come because it may have determined that Brenson's failure to participate was not willful, in that he (unlike some other candidates rated Not Recommended by all Alliance bar associations) may not have failed to respond to Alliance screening requests. If the Alliance didn't know about Brenson's appointment to the ballot, it could not have reached out to him. On the other hand, according to Alliance sources, Brenson seems not to have reached out to the Alliance either.

Brenson was rated Qualified by the Chicago Bar Association.

Brenson's Democratic opponent in November is Assistant State's Attorney John J. Mahoney.

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