Southern Illinois News

Justice Thomas Kilbride recently received $550,000 for his retention campaign from the Democratic Party of Illinois, a committee chaired by House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Kilbride previously vowed not to accept any funding from Speaker Madigan, who is facing his own federal corruption probe. 

“We’re not going to accept one penny, and I say this respectfully, [from] Speaker Madigan or any of his entities,” said Kilbride according to Illinois Policy. 

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There is an active campaign against Kilbride's retention. If Kilbride loses his retention bid for the Third Judicial District, the Democratic majority on the Illinois Supreme Court will be at stake. Kilbride must receive at least 60% of the votes in his favor in order to retain his seat on the Illinois Supreme Court.

When Kilbride last ran for retention in 2010, he received $1.48 million, more than half of his campaign funding, from Madigan. He is the only Illinois Supreme Court justice to receive funding from one of Madigan's committees since 2005. Kilbride has since ruled favorably in many cases that would be of interest to Madigan.

Kilbride wrote the majority opinion in Hooker v Illinois State Board of Elections, removing a referendum from the 2016 ballot that would have taken redistricting from Madigan and entrusted it to an independent redistricting committee. Kilbride has also repeatedly sided with public sector union members and against pension reform.

Concerns about due process arise when significant funds that may influence or direct a judge's campaign have been given. Judicial candidates are asked to consider whether recusal would be appropriate in situations where a party, a party's lawyer or law firm of a party contribute enough funds to raise questions about fairness and impartiality.

There has been no comment from Kilbride about the receipt of the funds or whether they will be returned.