Proposed Supreme Court remap evokes previous failed GOP attempt
By SARAH MANSUR
Capitol News Illinois
smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD — If Democrats have their way, the state’s five Illinois Supreme Court districts could be redrawn this year for the first time in more than five decades.
Democrats in the General Assembly released a new Illinois Supreme Court map Tuesday afternoon, to the surprise of legislative Republicans, who claim they were kept entirely out of the loop on the mapmaking process.
Rep. Tim Butler, of Springfield, who serves on the House Redistricting Committee, said he had no notice of the court maps being released on Tuesday.
“I have asked repeatedly…if the majority planned to redistrict the Supreme Court. I never once got a response to that. I think this discussion of transparency and engagement, especially with the minority party, just goes straight out the window,” Butler said at a joint redistricting hearing on Tuesday.
House and Senate Republicans also took issue with the fact that the proposed Illinois Supreme Court map heavily favors Democrats.
But more than 20 years ago, the roles were reversed, with Republican lawmakers redrawing boundaries to create a partisan Supreme Court map that would have given the GOP an advantage in judicial elections.
In early January 1997, the Republicans’ two years of majority control in the 89th General Assembly was coming to an end.
After former Speaker Michael Madigan regained control of the House in the 1996 elections, Republicans pushed through several measures during the very last days of the legislative session, said Charlie Wheeler, an emeritus professor at University of Illinois Springfield, who covered the Illinois General Assembly for the Chicago Sun-Times for more than two decades.
“The Republicans were very concerned because they realized that much of their wish list would not pass with Madigan in charge of the House,” Wheeler said in an interview.
With that in mind, Republicans passed a new judicial map the day before the 89th legislative session ended.
In March 1997, Republican Gov. Jim Edgar signed the new proposed map redrawing the Illinois Supreme Court districts. In particular, the law would have redrawn the 1st District, which contains Cook County, into three separate judicial districts.
Justices who are elected in the 1st District run as at-large candidates, and Democratic candidates have an advantage in heavily Democratic Cook County.
Three of the seven Illinois Supreme Court justices are elected from Cook County, while the remaining justices come from four separate districts across the state.
At the time, Democrats in the General Assembly condemned Republicans for drafting a clearly partisan map, according to transcripts.
Former Democratic Rep. Lou Lang said the Supreme Court had already ruled on this question of splitting Cook County into separate districts when a similar remap was proposed in 1989.
“You cannot split Cook County. That’s the clear words of the statute,” Lang said during a debate on the House floor on Jan. 7, 1997. “You cannot divide Cook County into three separate districts. The court of our state has already ruled on that.”
Lang called the new map “political retribution.”
“It’s a bill of attempting to grab an arm of government that you don’t have today. It’s a bill that’s designed to take from the people their right to elect under the constitution, the Supreme Court judges of the state of Illinois, and you want to change it so that it’s a different result.”
Ultimately, Lang’s prediction was correct as the Illinois Supreme Court rejected the proposed map because it divided Cook County into three districts and split some judicial circuits between judicial districts.
In its 1998 opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that splitting the 1st District would violate the constitutional requirement that appeals from a circuit court must be heard by the appellate court in the judicial district in which the circuit court is located.
The court struck the entire map as invalid, finding redistricting of the 1st District could not be severed from the rest of the redrawn map.
“Any attempt by this court to retain only bits and pieces of this dramatic legislation would do violence to the legislative intent to change the judicial districting of the entire state,” the court ruled.
The maps released by Democrats this week do not, however, separate Cook County, nor do they separate judicial circuits between judicial districts.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
Cruz booted from SD 229 school board in Oak Lawn
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly There is a vacancy on the Oak Lawn Community High School District 229 School Board, after members voted 6-1 last week to remove Robert Cruz for allegedly violating his oath of office, school board policy and state statutes. Cruz, a property developer, was elected to the District 229 board in…
Tax exemptions will be automatic, Kaegi says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports In response to the ongoing pandemic, the Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions. The Homeowner and Senior Exemptions will continue to auto-renew every year. If a homeowner received any of these five exemptions…
Oak Lawn officials rip governor, legislators over crime
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Two Oak Lawn officials are calling for Gov. J.B. Pritzker and local legislators to re-evaluate a police reform law that they say has resulted in a rise in crime. Trustee Alex Olejniczak (2nd) served as mayor pro-tem during the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting Tuesday night in place of Mayor Terry Vorderer,…
Troop 1441 Scout earns Eagle rank
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A journey that began years ago for Adrian Ayala recently culminated in Boy Scouting’s highest honor. Ayala, a member of Boy Scout Troop 1441 (sponsored by the St. Mary Star of the Sea Holy Name Society) was honored at an Eagle ceremony at Duggan Hall on Jan. 13. The Eagle rank…
Hog Wild to open Monday in Oak Lawn
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Dining choices will get a boost in Oak Lawn with the arrival of Hog Wild. The restaurant is scheduled to open Monday, January 17, at 4040 W. 111th St. That’s a week later than originally scheduled. “We are very fortunate here in Oak Lawn to have attracted Hog Wild,” Oak…
Home security cameras could be big help to Orland cops
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Residents of Orland Park could have a hand in solving crime in the village. The board of trustees unanimously approved to move forward with a voluntary security camera registration program at its Jan. 4 meeting. It’s expected to start on Feb. 1. This program gives citizens and businesses a chance…
Ailing eagle on the mend
Spread the loveSeveral blocks northwest of Garfield Ridge—just west of 47th and Harlem–motorists late last month noticed an eagle flying low and acting erratically. The Villa Park-based Chicago Bird Collision Monitors was contacted, and its volunteers found and captured the majestic bird. It was transported to a facility owned and operated by Glen Ellyn-based Willowbrook…
Can’t we just fast-forward to spring?
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. Is it spring yet? Is the pandemic over yet? Not that I’m impatient or anything. I want to move forward past all the negative COVID-19 has brought to my life and everyone else’s life. I want to see…
Neighbors
Man charged with child abduction in Stickney Township
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with child abduction and luring of a minor after Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives found he attempted to lure a minor into his vehicle, said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. According to police, about 4:43 p.m. on Monday, April 22, officers responded…
Worth Library celebrates 60th anniversary
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The Worth Public Library has been around for decades. Resting in the heart of the village at 6917 W. 111th St., the library held an event focusing on its rich background story on April 23 with a historical photo exhibit. “It’s amazing because this library is still so important to…
Rose Zubik, Woman’s Club veteran, installed as 3rd District president
Spread the love Rose Zubik, of Palos Heights, the new president of the 3rd District General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Illinois, lights a candle during the installation ceremony held April 27 at Fox’s Restaurant in Orland Park. Heather Linehan, the outgoing president, is beside her.By Dermot Connolly A longtime member of the Palos Heights Woman’s Club…
Shots fired in Chicago Ridge Commons parking lot
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Shots were fired Wednesday night in the parking lot at Chicago Ridge Commons mall. Police said they received reports of the shooting about 9:45 p.m. No injuries were reported. Multiple witnesses told police four men were walking through the parking lot from the XSport Fitness area. They approached two vehicles…
Hair salon with a ‘flair’ marks first year in Chicago Ridge
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Melissa Kowalski wanted to do something meaningful to mark the first-year anniversary of her Flair With Hair Salon in Chicago Ridge. “We did not have a grand opening last year so I wanted to do something really special,” Kowalski said. “We wanted to say thank you to our clients.” Kowalski,…
Palos East fifth-grader wins Scholastic Storyworks writing contest
Spread the loveGabriel Chowaniec, a fifth-grader at Palos East Elementary School, has been named a winner of the Scholastic Storyworks Magazine writing contest. Gabriel, who is a student in Cathy Casey’s fifth-grade classroom, was named one of only five winners nationally for the December 2023/January 2024 competition. Garbriel’s submission for the nonfiction story “The Shattered Land,” “showed a strong understanding of the text along with the ability to author a well-organized…
Shepard celebrates Autism Week
Spread the loveBy Kelly White World Autism Acceptance Week is organized by the National Autistic Society in the first week of April and aims to raise awareness about the challenges autistic people face across all areas of society. Not missing out the opportunity to celebrate all-inclusion was Shepard High School, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos…
Billions of cicadas get ready to raise a racket
Spread the loveBy Kelly White If you haven’t heard the buzz yet, you will soon. With 2024 marking a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, billions of the red-eyed buggers will soon be making an appearance. Periodical cicada broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time.…
‘A man of honor, a beacon of kindness’
Spread the love. Chicago weeps for Officer Luis Huesca . By Tim Hadac People across the Southwest Side shed tears earlier this week, as throngs of police officers and other filled the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel at 77th and Western for a funeral Mass for CPD Officer Luis M. Huesca. Officer Huesca was…