FWIW readers may recall that Sampen ran for the Appellate Court in 2010 and 2012. According to the ISBE records, Sampen's current campaign committee was created in time for the 2020 primary, but he did not seek either of the two 9th Subcircuit vacancies then.
Licensed as an attorney in Illinois since 1975, according to ARDC, Sampen is a partner with the law firm of Clausen Miller, P.C. His campaign bio notes that Sampen was an Assistant Attorney General before joining Clausen Miller (rising to Chief of the Public Interest Division and Special Litigation Bureau). According to his campaign bio, Sampen has spent his legal career focusing on commercial litigation and appeals. He also taught an insurance law course for 13 years at Loyola University School of Law and, over the years, has handled a number of pro bono cases "in the prisoner rights area," according to his campaign bio.
FWIW readers will also recall that nearly 40 would-be candidates presented their credentials to the Cook County Democratic Party at its slating meeting this past October. Nine of these were slated; another 11 were named as "alternates."
Though Audrey Victoria Cosgrove (who ran a 10th Subcircuit race in 2020) and Jenetia Marshall (who sought a 5th Subcircuit vacancy in 2018) were among those presenting credentials, neither was chosen as a candidate or as an alternate.
According to the ISBE website, Cosgrove has recently filed a final report for her campaign committee. Marshall, on the other hand, just loaned her committee $25,000.
That doesn't mean that Marshall is running for a vacancy in this cycle. But the loan does suggest that possibility. Meanwile, Cosgrove folding her committee does not guarantee that she won't run in 2022 -- but it strongly indicates that possibilty, too.
And, speaking of possibilities, a campaign committee supporting a Cook County judicial bid for ShawnTe Raines-Welch has been set up, according to the ISBE website. Raines-Welch, the wife of Illinois House Speaker Emmanuel "Chris" Welch, applied for associate judge in 2021.
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Sampen's campaign bio also notes that he has "[p]ublished numerous articles on the law." I do not know where else he may have published, but he was a longtime columnist for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. (I don't know Mr. Sampen personally, but I pay attention to bylines.)
Speaking as a longtime Law Bulletin columnist myself (1992-2001), I have always thought that this was an excellent credential for the bench. Unfortunately, Sampen and I may have been the only two people who thought so....
The ISBE website indicates Ms. Raines-Welch is a candidate for "Judge for Circuit Court of Cook County." I don't think the spouse of the Speaker of the House would run countywide against a slated candidate, so I assume it will be for one of the 4th Subcircuit vacancies. I hear through the grapevine - or the current version of the grapevine, text messages - that there may be a crowded Democratic field. I've signed for Jerry Barrido, a PD in Maybrook, but having a bunch of folks running in the Democratic primary is far from the Republican subcircuit as originally drawn up and where the action used to be for the first few election cycles. Guess that's why they finally got around to drawing up new maps for the next go-around, but I don't think the 4th will ever be what the original subcircuit drafters planned it would be.
With respect, I just don’t see how continuing to put retirement age people on the bench makes sense fiscally or otherwise, especially when there are so many other qualified candidates.
Why do you think that the Speaker's wife would not run against a slated candidate? And what makes you think that she is circulating petitions for an existing vacancy and not one of the vacancies that the judges have been hoarding for their friends and families and are scheduled to break in the next 48 hours? You might be a former judge, but like most judges, you don't know squat about the politics.
Alfred E. Neumann
Ah, Anon 2/9/22 at 8:11 a.m., I am intrigued that you can so freely express this prejudice. Perhaps ageism was not covered in your most recent sensitivity training? Actually, if you think about it, which I'm guessing you have not, electing some people later in their careers should actually provide some savings for the public: Such a judge is not likely to serve long enough to secure a full pension. Meanwhile, the public has the full benefit of their long and varied experience.
And Alfred E. Neumann -- I will bet you a dozen donuts right now that Ms. Raines-Welch does not run countywide against the Democratic Party, which would mean that she won't run countywide unless all 11 alternates get their shot first (less if some actually run against the Party themselves, as does happen, but, still, a huge number). There may be some late-breaking resignations, but a dozen? Yes, a vacancy here or there has been 'hoarded' in the past -- but not enough to take care of all those to whom commitments have already been made. If she's running, it will be a subcircuit race. I don't know squat about politics either -- but I'm pretty sure I know this much.
Jack, there is “slated” and then there is SLATED. So, do he too certain Mrs. Welch won’t run against a small “s” slated candidate.
Today (Thursday February 17th) Capitol Fax blog covered a press release from ShawnTe Raines-Welch announcing her candidacy for - wait for it, folks - the Rogers vacancy in the 4th Subcircuit. Who could have seen that coming? And the Speaker is only mentioned in four of the seven paragraphs. Also, Jack, why haven't you mentioned the hoarded vacancies that opened up 48 hours after February 9th? And don't try to use the excuse that the State Court or ISBE websites haven't mentioned them either. But you probably aren't worried about it.
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