Cooke's campaign biography emphasizes his trial experience, asserting that he has tried over 250 cases to judgment. The campaign biography states that Cooke's "law practice is concentrated in the representation of petroleum distributors and retailers operating throughout the State of Illinois," serving also as general counsel "for several business trade associations and Chambers of Commerce." He is a frequent lecturer for petroleum industry educational seminars.
A graduate of Gordon Technical High School, Cooke attended Loyola University Chicago for his undergraduate work and is a graduate of Loyola University School of Law. Licensed as an attorney in Illinois since 1992, Cooke's campaign bio notes that he opened "a self-funded, free legal aid clinic to assist needy families and individuals to obtain access to justice in the Cook County Courts" in 2008. The campaign biography notes that Cooke "has received many community service awards and is an active community volunteer and title sponsor of numerous charitable events."
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A warning label should have been placed at the top of this post informing E.P. that clicking on the link to the Cooke website could be hazardous to her health. While many non-Hispanic male candidates have tried and failed to come out on top in the 6th; I doubt E.P. or any of her Humboldt Park Puerto Rican friends are going to be able to stop or even seriously challenge this guy. There is music playing in Humboldt Park, but it is Pitbull singing Ya Se Acabo. And he is performing just for E.P. (For our non-Hispanic readers - that means - Now Its Over)
FINALLY A JUDGE THE 6TH SUBCIRCUIT CAN BE PROUD OF. MY ORGANIZATION NAMED HIM FRIEND OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN 2010 AND WE COULD NOT BE PROUDER
Hello Anonymous at 9:00 AM. E. P. here. In your comment, you wrote “..…hazardous to her health.” Why do you think I’m a good old girl? How do you know I’m not a good old boy? But then again you’re not from my neighborhood. But let’s cut to the chase and have some fun with ethnic identities.
Yes, Mr. Cooke is a white guy. He’s also a very modest guy. His bio fails to mention some important facts about him. A local boy who made good. The son of a poor taxi driver who grew up in Humboldt Park and married a Cuban woman. Surrounded by Cuban in-laws, he learned to speak the sort of perfect Spanish I wish Puerto Ricans spoke more often.
He and his wife have two boys who are completely bilingual. His fancy law degree from Loyola could have taken him anywhere. Instead, he chose to stay in Humboldt Park and offer free legal services to the poor and down-trodden while at the same time developing a practice representing Hispanic businessmen to provide for his family and to subsidize his free legal clinic.
Along the way, he became a successful lawyer and business owner. And what did he do with all that success? He put it right back the community he came from. He has done more to empower Hispanic leaders than any other lawyer in the neighborhood. Don’t take my word for it. Check out the contributions he’s made to our local elected political leaders. It’s all a matter of record with the State Board of Elections.
But his generosity does not end there. He has given tens of thousands of dollars to faith based organizations, the Puerto Rican Parade Committee, Paseo Boricua and the Puerto Rican Museum of Arts. He has financially underwritten numerous charitable events throughout our community. And, since this is the season, every Thanksgiving he buys 400 big Bullerball turkeys and gives them to local charities to hand out to the poor throughout Humboldt Park. And where does he buy those turkeys? From Latino Meats located on Fulton Street in Chicago. But you wouldn’t know that because you’re not from around here.
The other remarkable difference between Mr. Cooke’s approach to running for public office in a predominantly Hispanic district and that of other white candidates is that instead of an elitist, pompous “I have a right-to-run” mentality so prevalent with white campaigns run by white outsiders. (Study the 2012 campaign of white candidate, G. Ahern, run by the white outsider, M. K. Dawson) Mr. Cooke actually visited with the Puerto Rican leadership first and respectfully asked them for their support before announcing his candidacy. That kind of respect for the local ward bosses goes a long way in my neck of the woods. Outsiders just don’t get it and never will. So Mr. Cooke became the only white guy in the history of the 6th sub-circuit to become the consensus candidate of every single one of the Hispanic committeemen in the district. And anyone who studies the internal machinations of Puerto Rican political organizations knows that was nothing short of a miracle. After all, this is Proco Moreno, Roberto Maldonado, Ariel Reboyras, Joe Berrios and Luis Arroyo we’re talking about here. I don’t remember the last time those old boys agreed on anything.
So no “hazardous to your health” warning was needed for me. Because since I’m an integral part of my community, I know who’s who and what’s what. Only an out-sider would think that Mr. Cooke was not one of us. But you’re right about one thing, Anonymous at 9:00 AM. Lots of other white guys have tried and failed to get elected in the 6th sub-circuit. But there is a very simple explanation for those failures. Those white guys had no ties to us. Those white guys did not belong to us. But Richard Cooke does. So, surprise! We’re not a bunch of ignorant racists. We’re going to elect a very, very white blue-eyed guy, dress him up in a beautiful black robe and put him on the bench. And why? Because he made his mark on our community the old fashioned way. He earned it. As always, E. P.
“Cuba, quiero bailar la salsa.” "Cuba, I want to dance the salsa”
Cooke is a favorite son of the 33rd Ward.
RICHARD COOKE IS UNOPPOSED. AS A LATINO I AM PROUD RICHARD COOKE WILL BE DONNING ROBES
Congratulations to Mister (Soon to be Judge) Richard Cooke. You, a blond haired, blue eyed, white guy, earned the respect of the leadership in the 6th judicial sub-circuit and were rewarded accordinly. You will not have an opponent on the ballot. And when the voters see your bar ratings, they will go to the polls in the March primary and will be happy to vote for you. Can't wait to see you wearing that beautiful black robe. As always, E. P.
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