McLean County Times

With the continuing scandal swirling around Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan regarding the ongoing Commonwealth Edison bribery investigation, reputed Madigan allies – such as Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride – are finding themselves increasingly targeted by campaigns to remove them from power.

A new campaign, Citizens for Judicial Fairness, is headed by Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and Congressman Ray LaHood and former Illinois lawmaker and political commentator Jim Nowlan, according to WEEK. Their goal is to convince Illinoisans to vote against Kilbride’s retention on the court.

“This is Illinois’ opportunity, particularly in the 3rd Judicial District, to knock Tom Kilbride off the Supreme Court and allow for some new blood, some new thinking, and a new way of doing things in Illinois and not be tied to politicians,” LaHood said.

The two Republicans allege that Kilbride has served as Madigan’s puppet on the court for two decades, receiving in excess of $4 million from the Madigan political machine during his first two campaigns. In arguing that Kilbride has been assisting Madigan, LaHood and Nowlan bring up the pivotal decision in which Kilbride took the side that voted to block the Fair Maps Amendment when it came before the court. That decision permitted Madigan to shape the district maps in a way that favored the Democratic Party.

“Next year, any challenge to a Madigan-drawn map will have to go to the state Supreme Court,” Nowlan said. “And if it’s 4-3 Democratic, it will simply reject any challenges to the map.”

For Kilbride to retain his seat on the state Supreme Court, he must receive 60% of the vote. The next opportunity for his opponents to replace him would come in 2022.