The Illinois Supreme Court justices. | Illinoiscourts.gov
The Illinois Supreme Court justices. | Illinoiscourts.gov
The Illinois Republican Party took issue with a state Supreme Court justice for his vote against a measure that requires police misconduct records not destroyed after five years.
In a 6-1 vote, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the misconduct records should remain available after five years so the public can still have access to those files.
The lawsuit was brought forward by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, the organization argued that the records should be destroyed as per their collective bargaining agreement, according to a statement from the Illinois Republican Party published on the Illinois Review website in June.
The state GOP supported the court's ruling but took exception to Justice Thomas Kilbride of the 5th Judicial Circuit's dissenting vote at a time when there is bipartisan support for police reforms.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider blasted Kilbride over what he saw as his motivation for dissenting.
“It’s clear why Justice Kilbride felt he needed to be the lone voice against positive police reform that conservatives, moderates and liberals all agree upon,” Schneider said in the statement published on the Illinois Review website. “Kilbride is up for a tough retention campaign and needs the support of the FOP and other law enforcement groups that bailed him out in 2010. Political calculations should have no place in the decision-making process of our judiciary. Justice Kilbride should be ashamed.”
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