FOP announces several Cook County judicial endorsements

The Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge No. 7, has announced its endorsements in Cook County judicial races for the upcoming primary.

I got these from Rich Miller's Tweet last evening. Here's a screen shot (the image may be a tad muddy):

In the race for the Harris vacancy on the Appellate Court, the Lodge has endorsed Judge Raymond W. Mitchell.

In countywide races, the Lodge has endorsed Monica G. Somerville for the Cannon vacancy, Thomas E. Nowinski for the Hyman vacancy, Elizabeth "Beth" Ryan for the Ingram vacancy, and Jacqueline Marie Griffin for the O'Brien vacancy.

The FOP has also made endorsements in three subcircuit races. In the race for the Gavin vacancy in the 4th Subcircuit, the FOP's choice is Amanda Moira Pillsbury. For the McGuire vacancy in the 11th Subcircuit, the FOP recommends Aileen Bhandari; in the race for the Jagielski vacancy in the 14th Subciruit, the Lodge endorses Jorge V. Cazares.

For those keeping score at home, there is exactly one candidate endorsed by both the FOP and (as of this moment) the "Girl, I Guess" Progressive Voter's Guide. No, I'm not going to mention who that person is in this post. Doing so might provoke one group or the other into dropping their endorsement. This sort of thing has happened before.

And, I'm sorry, but it was wrong then and it would be wrong now. That one group would disparage a judicial candidate merely because he or she is favorably viewed by another is a symptom of just how sick our divided society has become. Perhaps it might make sense to reject a candidate in a legislative race because he or she was endorsed by someone or some group that disagrees with one's deeply held policy positions -- but judges are supposed to be able to keep an open mind, to view facts before them without any partisan lens or preconceived bias or prejudice toward parties or witnesses. Judges are supposed to be professional neutrals. It should be a point of pride -- a genuine accomplishment -- for groups ordinarily hostile to one another to recognize that this judicial candidate, or that one, can be expected to be fair to both. When we lose this understanding, we have problems.

Stepping down from soapbox now....