In 1978, John S. Boyle was Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County when he was defeated for retention.
In 1986, after being targeted by columnist Mike Royko and the Fraternal Order of Police, Judge Lawrence Passarella lost his retention bid.
In 1990, Cook County voters rejected seven judges seeking retention -- although they simultaneously elected one of these to the Appellate Court.
But in every election since, from 1992 until tonight, every judge seeking retention was retained.
Tonight, however, after the Cook County Democratic Party turned against him, after the Tribune editorialized against him, and after a vigorous "Dump Matt Coghlan" campaign on social media, Judge Matthew E. Coghlan has lost his retention bid.
With 86% of the City vote counted, Coghlan has just over 50% 'yes' votes. He is polling better in the suburbs -- but with just under 80% of the votes counted, Coghlan has 54% 'yes' votes. He needed to get 60%.
Other judges who received significant negative ratings -- like Lisa Marino (the only judge who was not recommended for retention by the Chicago Bar Association) or Maura Slattery Boyle (who, like Coghlan, received negative attention from Injustice Watch) -- will apparently finish with under 70% 'yes' votes -- but significantly above the crucial 60% line.
Marino and Slattery Boyle were also targeted by the Tribune.
But they were not abandoned by the Democratic Party.
Democratic Party opposition seems to be a major factor in this result.
4 weeks ago
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28 comments:
Not a major factor--THE factor. I'll have some analysis of all this as soon as I can crunch the numbers if you're interested.
It appears county clerk's retention percentages are inaccurate because he is using the same vote total for each race as the denominator which of course is not correct.
As for the 2020 class, get ready because several of you will be on the menu. Aurujo? Portman? Hooks? Raines? Sheahan? The guy who enjoined Toni’s soda tax?
It's a real shame that the retention class voted to give the Cook County Democratic Party $40,000 after the Party stated they were going after Coghlan. Spineless. In effect, the retention class financed the Party mailers responsible for this travesty.
class of 2020 should take note of all this. Toni will be coming after some of you. When you decide on a political consultant, be sure you don't pick one who is also working with Toni behind your backs.
Aurujo is low-hanging fruit and an obvious choice. But the real question will be whether Injustice Watch (and Toni Preckwinkle) have the nerve to target female judges, particularly those of color. Two prime targets for 2020 remain: Megan Goldish (who, like Coghlan, is currently a defendant in a civil rights lawsuit stemming from her days as a Cook County ASA) and Jackie Portman, who graced the front page of the Sun-Times and Injustice Watch pages for her handling of the HOPE Court. Coghlan might be a one-offer. But if additional judges get taken out in 2020, then welcome to the Brave New World.
My long-time desire to become a judge has lost a lot of steam over the last two years, however, it was still there - until now. Not interested in working for Tim Evans or living in fear of the idiots that run the Cook County Democratic Party. Thank you, Jack, for posting your analysis and allowing commentators to post thoughtful perspectives and opinions. I am truly done and it is a relief.
2020 is going to be a train wreck in slow motion, driven by clowns whose hair is on fire. Rumors are already spiraling about all-female slates, comprised of Irish, Latina and Black aspiring jurists and how they plan to run against the machine. But the reality is that there is no machine. What there is a bunch of political hacks who will take your money, put you on a mailer and then do nothing else. If you want to win in this game, play for yourself. And don't delude yourself: the Supreme Court will only appoint women because women win and Theis is going into a 2022 retention cycle herself (assuming Injustice Watch and Toni don't come gunning for her too) and wants the appearance of strength on all fronts. Sorry boys!
Anon 11/8 @3:56 p.m. -- The mailer seems to have been pretty darned effective against Coghlan. Just sayin'....
Tim Evans’ days are numbered. What did he to to stand up for Coghlan and put out a counter-narrative more closely related to the truth about the attack on Coghlan? Not a thing. Silence. Not a shred of support for one of his judges who was being unfairly attacked and maligned in the media.
The election for Chief Judge is in September 2019 and Tim has a female opponent — a serious opponent. Adios, Tim. Good luck winning without a retention class to threaten for votes.
If the full circuits had any brass (which they do not have) they would vote Coghlan into one of the associate judgeships that are open.
They should understand that united they will stand and divided they will fall.
That would be funny as hell...
The public has spoken and Judge Coghlan failing to survive retention will never get put back by the Supreme's or any other judicial authority. Unlikely but he could try in a future election.
I believe that according to the Supreme Court rules, the full circuits can only select associate judges from the list of candidates who have submitted an application for associate judge. The full circuits are free to do write-ins but the attorneys at least have to be from the "long-list" of associate judge candidates certified by the Director of the AOIC.
This is Judge Dredd.
2020 is nigh. And the patriarchy will show you gals who is the dominant gender.
Will Albert be providing an analysis of this?
Recently saw Retired Judge Gloria Chevere was on brochure for supporting organization to dump Matt Coghlan. I know she is a regular contributor to this website with an obvious agenda. It’s no surprise to see her name on the list of supporters. Their movement was started by injustice watch and a pac who’s officers are suing judge Coghlan, they could not be more biased and obvious in their motives. No surprise they had the support of a retired judge who was photographed tanning in her backyard during court hours and is vigilant in the way people should dress in her courtroom.
Inspired by the candidacies of Judges Fernandez, Ortiz and Judge-Elect Silva, La Raza Latina will be running a countywide slate of Hispanic female candidates. And no, they will not be using Gloria Chevere or Louie Arroyo as campaign consultants.
Yes, I'm working on it. This one was like no other and there's a lot to sort through.
what does the fact that Judge Chevere is a supporter of the pac have to do with the fact that the Appellate Court twice overturned Coghlan's decision not to grant a rehearing for a defendant who said he’d confessed to murder after being tortured by detectives working for disgraced Chicago police Lt. Jon Burge and tends to sentence minorities more harshly on drug possession cases? What obvious agenda does she have besides getting rid of racist judges?
Her obvious motivation was to prioritize eliminating racists so that slacker do-nothings like herself would have time to continue to do nothing and eventually retire fully vested despite having done absolutely nothing for years. Crook County at its best.
Why is anyone entitled to be retained? From my analysis it appears at least 2-3 more should not have been. The default shouldn't be retention. If you're a judge who can't get to work on time, manage a courtroom, behave with civility, and treat all litigants fairly you shouldn't be on the bench.
When you play the game of thrones you either win or die. Good luck 2020 Retention Class . . . looks like you're going to need it.
Megan Goldish has a HUGE target on her back. Best spend those big bucks on a real retention campaign, girlfriend.
@ anonymous on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 3:13:00 PM, so you have a problem with prioritizing getting rid of racists as oppose to slackers?
Nice try. Lloyd Brooks appointed countywide.
If by serious opponent you mean Sandra Ramos, try again. She has way too many skeletons and is thought of poorly by the rest of the judiciary.
Sandra Ramos for Chief Judge? Please.
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