Rock Island Today

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride is seeking another 10-year term on the court Nov. 3 and must receive at least 60% of the vote in the Third Judicial Circuit to be retained, WGLT reported.

Kilbride, first elected in 2000, was retained in 2010 and he launched his new retention campaign this week.

The justice's last retention campaign was one of the most expensive in the nation for its type, the Daily Heraldreported.

That campaign was mainly bankrolled by House Speaker Michael Madigan. Kilbride raised $2.48 million in 2010, the money largely coming from Madigan and organized labor, reported the Chicago Tribune. The Democratic Party of Illinois, led by Madigan donated, $1.42 million to get Kilbride retained on the court.

The ties between Kilbride and Madigan's have been widely reported.

"When the name Thomas Kilbride comes up, I immediately think of his decision to silence the Illinoisans who demanded fair maps to end Madigan's gerrymandering," Drue Mielke, Rock Island County Republican chairman & Rock Island County board member (District 22), said. "Kilbride took millions in campaign funding from Madigan to allow corrupt politicians to continue picking their voters and pre-determine the outcome of our elections." 

Kilbride blocked an initiative that would have redrawn legislative district maps. In 2016, Kilbride and three other justices stopped a ballot initiative that would have authorized a citizen commission to draw legislative maps, the Madison-St. Clair Record reported.

The justices sided with eight Madigan-allied plaintiffs who sued on behalf of “Peoples Map,” challenging “Independent Maps” in Cook County on behalf of Illinois voters who demanded changes in the way legislative maps are drawn. The current maps allow Madigan to remain in control of state government.

The lead plaintiff in the legislative district lawsuit was John Hooker who formerly directed governmental relations for Commonwealth Edison, Frank Clark, the second plaintiff, was another ComEd official.

Both Hooker and Clark retired in 2012 after a statewide tax increase was approved to improve their two nuclear power plants in Clinton and Byron, the Madison-St. Clair Record reported.

ComEd has admitted publicly that it provided favors to Madigan in exchange for his support on the tax increase. Madigan pitched a $2.35 million bailout of ComEd's nuclear power plants as a green energy bill, and ComEd said it paid Madigan's friends more than $1.3 million as phony subcontractors and retained a law firm it didn't need. 

ComEd accepted criminal responsibility in U.S. district court in July, agreeing to pay a $200 million penalty. Madigan alleges he did not know about the claims made by ComEd executives, reported the Madison-St. Clair Record.

Another conflict involved Kilbride and other justices when they accepted campaign contributions from two sides of the debate over pension-reform law, the Daily Herald reported.

Kilbride's retention is drawing support and opposition, the Daily Journal reported, and it has become a contentious election for the justice.