A non-judicial fundraiser in which judicial wannabes may be interested

A fundraiser has been set for Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Joseph Berrios on Thursday, May 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Café 300, 300 N. LaSalle Street, Lower Level.

Tickets for the event are $250 apiece, but sponsorships are available ($500 - $1,500 - $5,600). Checks should be made payable to the Committee to Elect Joseph Berrios Assessor. To reserve tickets, or for more information, email Chris@CraticShaffer.com or call (773) 355-9927.

No, I am not suggesting that persons buying tickets for this shindig would have a leg up on slating or anything crass like that.

But I pass this information along because many judicial candidates, or potential judicial candidates, don't often know about events like this one. You'd think that anyone setting up a political committee would be inundated with solicitations from every politician breathing. But, strangely enough, at least from what I've seen, not only do political pros not want 'nobody nobody sent', they don't want the nobodies' money either. So, unless the judicial wannabes were politically wired to begin with, they never find out when the pros commune.

Many non-wired judicial aspirants have tried difficult cases, settled thorny disputes, volunteered in their communities, wowed the many bar associations -- but when they show up for slating, the political pros regard these accomplished men and women like skunks at a garden party: who invited them? Events like this one at least give the wannabes an opportunity to encounter the political pros on their own turf, to cultivate potential relationships that may---in time---if there are enough vacancies to go around---if all of a politico's proteges have been accommodated---result in some level of support for the wannabe's ambitions.

If that sounds rather cynical, I suppose it is. Let me rephrase: The most personable would-be candidate can not charm anyone he or she can't meet. Events like this one may provide an opportunity for would-be candidates to meet, and maybe even impress, the powers-that-slate.