FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2002

CONTACT:
Cindi Canary, ICPR
312-335-1767
Kent Redfield, Sunshine Project
217-206-6572

Judicial Elections to Break Records

Fourth District Contests are on Track to be Most Expensive

Central Illinois’ Fourth Judicial District is home to the only Supreme Court race in Illinois this year – now on track to be the most expensive Supreme Court race in Illinois’ history.  The Fourth District is also home to the hottest Appellate Court race.  Both are generating higher-than-usual fundraising in elections that, a decade ago, drew far less attention.

*See explanatory note at the end of this release.

The race between Republican Justice Rita B. Garman, who was appointed to the Supreme Court when Justice Ben Miller retired, and Democrat Justice Sue Myerscough of the Appellate Court has already topped the million-dollar mark, and could well become the most expensive high court race ever in Illinois.   The previous record for most expensive Supreme Court general election was set in 2000 in the Third District, where Democrat Tom Kilbride beat Republican Carl Hawkinson.  Combined, the two spent $1.3 million.

A look at the donors’ lists for both candidates reveals names more commonly associated with legislative and executive branch contests.  Both candidates have drawn over a third of their funds from their respective parties.

The big unknown is the race is the American Taxpayers Alliance, a national group which is running independent ads in support of Justice Garman.  To date, the Alliance refuses to report how much they are spending on their ads, or who is paying them to run the ads.  Myerscough’s supporters have filed complaints with the State Board of Elections claiming that the ATA has spent over $250,000.  The complaints seek to force ATA to file as a PAC, and to compel Garman to report the ads as an in-kind contribution.

Five days before the General Election, Garman reports $379,013 to spend.  About 28% is from the Washington, DC, area, and another 14% is from Chicago.  Her major financial supporters include the National Republican Congressional Committee, KOMPAC, which is associated with U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert; the Illinois State Medical Society, and the Illinois Civil Justice League.  Garman also contributed over $100,000 of her own money during last winter’s primary contest with Justice Robert Steigmann; this week, she reported loaning another $10,000 to her PAC.

Myerscough shows $726,203 in fundraising.  Less than 1% is from DC, and 16% is from Chicago.  Her biggest contributors include PACs associated with Democratic politicians, followed by teachers unions and other labor groups.  Like Justice Thomas Kilbride of the Third Judicial District, who was elected in 2000, Myerscough is drawing significant support from the Democratic Party of Illinois itself.  Party PACs, led by the Democratic Party of Illinois, gave Justice Kilbride almost $700,000 during the 2000 contest.  To date, party PACs have given Myerscough over $200,000, including $185,000 from DPI.

Both Supreme Court nominees have drawn contributions from donors concerned with tort reform.  Supporters of the effort to limit jury verdicts in personal injury cases have lined up behind Garman, contributing at least 20.6% of her funds, while attorneys who handle personal injury cases have given Myerscough at least 21.3% of her funds.

The Appellate Court race in the Fourth Judicial District is also drawing significant financial contributions; observers say this is one of the most expensive ever.   Republican Justice John Turner, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Justice Garman was appointed to the Supreme Court, began the race with about $100,000 left over from his tenure in the General Assembly.  He reports $184,082 for the general election. He has loaned his campaign $37,000.  Other big donors include the PACs associated with party interests, Leroy resident Pam Pliura, Lincoln Attorney Kurt Burwell, and proponents of tort reform, including the Illinois Civil Justice League, the Illinois State Medical Society and Archer Daniels Midland.  About one in six dollars come from the Washington, DC, area, while about 4% come from Chicago.

Opponent Bill Trapp shows $161,393 for the general.  He is also his own biggest contributor, having loaned his campaign $65,000, Other supporters include party PACs, AFSCME and other unions, and trial lawyers.  Less than 1% of Trapp’s money comes from the DC area, and none is from Chicago.

There are three other contested Appellate Court races, but none of them have seen this level of fundraising.    Only two other candidates, James Fitzgerald Smith in the First district and Dan Schmidt in the Third District, show more than $50,000 in fundraising; some candidates in contested races show no receipts at all since June 30.

* Fundraising totals reported here reflect cash balances reported as of June 30, 2002, all reported receipts from July 1 to October 6, and reported receipts of $500 or more received from October 6 to November 1.  Receipts of less than $500 need not be reported, even in the aggregate, until January 31, 2003.  Fundraising totals for the 2000 General Election in the Third District include all funds spent.  On the Friday before the 2000 General Election, the Third District candidates were showing $1.0 million in total fundraising.

The Sunshine Project is based at the University of Illinois at Springfield and is funded by the Joyce Foundation. Its goal is to increase public awareness and understanding of the role of money in Illinois politics.  The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform is a non-partisan not-for-profit organization chaired by former U.S. Senator Paul Simon and funded by the Joyce Foundation. ICPR is working to reform campaign finance and ethics laws in Illinois.

Copyright ©2002 by The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. All rights reserved.