Releases to the Media,  Election Information,  Meet the Candidates,

Letters of Endorsement,  Calendar of Events,  District Maps

Releases to the Media

Turner receives endorsement from
Committee For Honest Government

[OCT. 11, 2002]  Justice John Turner, candidate for the 4th District Appellate Court, announced he has received the endorsement of the Illinois Committee For Honest Government. Turner has been serving on the appellate court since June 1, 2001, following his appointment by the Illinois Supreme Court.

The Illinois Committee for Honest Government was formed in 1986 to work for a variety of reforms and to promote increased responsiveness in all levels and branches of government. After evaluating Turner's credentials the committee found Justice Turner clearly worthy of the organization’s support, stating, "Turner will be an outstanding member of the appellate court."

Judge Turner is a former lawmaker, having served in the Illinois General Assembly from 1994-2001. He was a member of the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee, Prosecutorial Misconduct Committee and Spokesman of the House Judiciary Civil Law Committee. Prior to his seven-year stint as a lawmaker, Turner was twice elected as Logan County state’s attorney. Turner is also the former Logan County public defender, and he was engaged in a private law practice, most recently with the firm Kelly & Turner, P.C.

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"My many years of practice in the courtroom, as well as my experience as a lawmaker, are serving me well on the bench. I immensely enjoy my duties on the appellate court, and I thank the justices of the Illinois Supreme Court for the faith and trust they reposed in me by appointing me as an appellate court justice," said Turner.

Turner lives in rural Atlanta with his wife, Kim, and their 9-year-old son, Jack. Justice Turner has been campaigning in all 30 counties comprising the 4th Judicial District.

"I am taking my message to the good people who live in the 4th District. I am working hard for them on the bench, and I am working well with the other justices on the court. I have participated in handing down hundreds of decisions, and I am asking the citizens of the 4th District to allow my continued service," Turner said.

[Press release]

[SEPT. 27, 2002]  CHICAGO — A spokesperson for Democratic attorney general candidate Lisa Madigan today called on DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett to immediately pay back a $10,000 loan that Birkett admits he solicited from DuPage County Circuit Judge John Elsner to support his campaign. Birkett says he intends to repay the loan only after the election is over

"This practice of a state’s attorney soliciting and accepting a loan from a sitting judge in his home county raises serious ethical questions and undermines the public’s faith in a fair and impartial judicial process," Melissa Merz said. "Paying back the loan after the election is like returning groceries after you’ve eaten them. It does nothing to correct the potential conflict of interest between Birkett and Judge Elsner."

Birkett has been under fire in recent weeks for accepting contributions and loans from defense attorneys involved in plea bargaining to get lighter sentences for their clients. In addition, he has solicited and received loans from well-connected DuPage County criminal defense attorneys. Birkett received loans of $100,000 from DuPage County lawyer Tim Martin and $10,000 from attorney Terry Ekl. Martin and Ekl, Birkett’s former campaign manager, both represent clients being prosecuted by Birkett.

Martin’s firm played up its insider connection with Birkett’s office in a promotional brochure that boasts of the firm’s "knowledge and ability to conduct very favorable plea negotiations." Another part of the brochure says the firm can often "win your case by filing a motion to quash arrest and suppress evidence."

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In another case, a lawyer who contributed $3,100 to Birkett’s campaign secured a plea bargain that resulted in a sentence of probation, and 34 days of jail time already served, for a man who attempted to murder his wife by pushing her into a fire.

Since August 1995, Birkett has received approximately $244,430 in direct contributions from criminal defense attorneys located in DuPage County. He has received approximately $141,000 in loans from the same group during the same time period.

"A clear pattern has emerged in DuPage County that shows a tight circle of well-connected lawyers manipulating the criminal justice system to their benefit. Joe Birkett is at the center of that circle," Merz said

[Press release]

Election Information

New district information for voters

Logan County divisions create new representative and legislative districts

County board is also by districts now

[OCT. 4, 2002]  Logan County has been divided into the 87th and 100th representative districts through the state’s redistricting process. The division has also created new legislative districts for senators. The 87th and 88th representative districts will now form the 44th Legislative District, and the 99th and 100th representative districts create the 50th Legislative District.

Most of the northern and southeastern portions of Logan County are in the 87th Representative District and 44th Legislative District. The southwest portion of the county and the majority of Lincoln are situated in the 100th Representative District and 50th Legislative District.

Logan County will also have new county board districts.

District 1: Atlanta 1, Atlanta 2, Atlanta 3, Eminence, Orvil 1, Orvil 2, Prairie Creek, Sheridan and part of West Lincoln 7 (north of Route 10 West and Interstate 55).

District 2: Broadwell, Corwin, Elkhart 1, Elkhart 2, Hurlbut, West Lincoln 6 and part of West Lincoln 7 (south of Route 10 West and Interstate 55)

District 3: Mount Pulaski 1, Mount Pulaski 2, Mount Pulaski 3, Mount Pulaski 4, Aetna, Chester, Lake Fork, Oran and Laenna.

District 4: East Lincoln 1, East Lincoln 2, East Lincoln 3, East Lincoln 6, East Lincoln 8 (part) and West Lincoln 1.

District 5: West Lincoln 2, West Lincoln 3, West Lincoln 4, West Lincoln 5, West Lincoln 8, West Lincoln 9 and West Lincoln 10.

District 6: East Lincoln 4, East Lincoln 5, East Lincoln 8 (part), East Lincoln 9, East Lincoln 10, East Lincoln 11 and East Lincoln 12.

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Districts are printed on the registration cards that voters received earlier in the year. If you are confused about your voting districts, please feel free to contact the county clerk’s office in the courthouse in Lincoln.

If you need to change your address, have incorrect information on your voter registration card, or have married and changed your name, it is necessary for you to contact our office by Oct. 8 in order to be eligible to cast a full ballot in the Nov. 5 general election.

As always, we encourage your participation in the election process. It is through the process of democracy that our great nation will continue to enjoy the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

[Sally J. Litterly, Logan County clerk and recorder]

Register to vote in the
November general election

[SEPT. 27, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD –– Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is reminding citizens that Oct. 8 is the deadline for applying to register to vote in the Nov. 5 general election through the motor voter program. The secretary of state’s office gives citizens the opportunity to fill out an application to register to vote when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state identification card. However, the secretary of state’s office only sends the application to the voter’s election authority, which is responsible for registering voters.

"Voting is one of our most precious rights that we cannot and should not ignore," White said, "especially at a time when America is uniting to exercise the very freedoms upon which this country was founded."

White said that all secretary of state facilities take applications for registration through the motor voter program from those who come to the facility to obtain or renew their drivers’ licenses or identification cards. But after Oct. 8, people who file applications through the motor voter program will not be registered for the general election on Nov. 5.

In 2000, White formed a committee headed by Dr. Paul Green of Roosevelt University’s School of Policy Studies that reviewed the motor voter program and recommended a number of changes. The secretary of state’s office has implemented those changes to streamline the motor voter program and make it more efficient.

For more information on voter registration, call the Illinois State Board of Elections at (217) 782-4141.

[Press release]

Lincoln alderman candidate petitions available

[SEPT. 20, 2002]  Public notice:

Petitions for nomination of candidates for alderman for the city of Lincoln consolidated primary election to be held Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, are available in the city clerk’s office at City Hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays).

[Juanita Josserand, city clerk]

Meet the Candidates

Links to candidate information on the Web

Illinois Senate, 44th District

Bill Brady (R):
http://www.citizensforbillbrady.com

Gerald A. Bradley (D)
 

Illinois Senate, 50th District

Larry Bomke (R):
http://www.legis.state.il.us/bios/senate/
BOMKE.html

Don Tracy (D):
wtracy56@msn.com
Citizens for Tracy

Illinois House, 100th District

Rich Brauer (R):
http://www.richbrauer.com

Carl Oblinger

Illinois Supreme Court, 4th District

Rita Garman (R):
http://www.ritabgarman.com/

Sue Myerscough (D):
http://www.illinoisjudges2000.com/
Courts-Candidates-Myerscough.htm

Illinois Appellate Court, 4th District

John Turner (R):
http://www.illinoisjudges2000.com/Courts-Candidates-Turner.htm

Bill Trapp (D):
http://www.illinoisjudges2000.com/Courts-Candidates-Trapp.htm

U.S. House of Representatives,
18th District

Ray LaHood (R):
http://www.raylahood.com

U.S. Senate

Jim Durkin (R):
http://www.durkinforsenate.org

Dick Durbin (D):
http://www.senate.gov/~durbin/

Governor

Jim Ryan (R):
http://www.jimryanforgovernor.com/

Rod Blagojevich (D):
http://www.rodforus.com/

Lieutenant governor

Carl Hawkinson (R):
http://www.legis.state.il.us/bios/senate/
HAWKINSON.html
http://www.jimryan2002.org/
AboutHawkinson.asp

Pat Quinn (D):
http://www.votequinn.com/

Attorney general

Joe Birkett (R):
http://www.joebirkett.com/

Lisa Madigan (D):
http://www.lisamadigan.org/

Secretary of state

Kristine O'Rourke Cohn (R):
http://www.cohn2002.com

Jesse White (D):
http://www.sos.state.il.us/

Treasurer

Judy Baar Topinka (R):
http://www.state.il.us/treas/
http://www.judybaartopinka.com

Thomas Dart (D):
http://www.tomdart.com

Comptroller

Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell (R):
http://www.vote4ramsdell.com

Daniel Hynes (D):
http://www.ioc.state.il.us/
http://www.friendsofdan.com

Letters of Endorsement

The Lincoln Daily News publishes letters to the editor as they are received.
 The letters are not edited in content and do not necessarily reflect 
the views of Lincoln Daily News.

Lincoln Daily News requests that writers responding to controversial issues address the issue and refrain from personal attacks. Thank you!

Dear Editor:

This November we will have an opportunity to elect a Supreme Court justice. This chance comes around only once in a generation, if even that often. The last time we elected a Supreme Court justice was in 1984 when Justice Ben Miller was elected. Prior to that it was 1964 when we elected Justice Underwood.

Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman is running in this election to retain her seat on the Supreme Court of Illinois. She has been a judge for nearly 29 years, serving at the Associate, Circuit, Appellate and Supreme Court levels. As the only candidate to have served at every level of the Illinois judicial system, she brings a wealth of experience and unmatchable qualifications to the court.

Justice Garman’s vast judicial experience and exemplary qualifications demonstrate why she is uniquely qualified to serve us on the Supreme Court. Just as important, however, is her strong personal character. Having the privilege of knowing Justice Garman, we know unequivocally that she serves the people every day with fairness and an unwavering commitment to integrity. As circuit court clerks, we are keenly aware of the qualities that are required of a judge. Justice Garman exemplifies those qualities.

It is for these reasons that Justice Garman has been endorsed by former Govs. Edgar and Thompson, several newspapers, other judges, congressmen, and state and local elected officials too numerous to name. It is also for these reasons that Justice Garman received the Illinois State Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee’s highest rating in 2002. We encourage you to cast your vote for a seasoned professional, Rita Garman for Supreme Court.

Sincerely,

Carla Bender

Logan County Circuit Court Clerk

Sandra K. Parker

McLean County Circuit Court Clerk

(posted 10-18-02)

Dear Editor:

Integrity, genuinely concerned, compassionate are just a few words that come to mind when I think of what we need in our governor. Attorney General Jim Ryan is that type of person and will be that type of governor. He is concerned with the direction in which our state is going and wants to make a difference by expanding our state’s economy without raising taxes.

The leadership of our state needs to focus on what everyone needs, including jobs, education for our children, affordable health care and restoration of the public’s faith in our government.

I recommend that everyone should participate in the voting process by showing his or her support for a governor that will be there for everyone, not just a few.

Please show your support for Jim Ryan by voting on Nov. 5. Voting is the only way we can make a difference.

Sincerely,

Mick and DiAnne Turner

Lincoln

(posted 10-18-02)

Dear Editor:

I paid the price to bear arms by serving my country. Why should I have to pay again?

Rod Blagojevich has already stated he wants to raise gun owners’ ID cards from $5 to $500. Maybe the people up north can afford that, but Jim Ryan knows about the burdens it could cause on downstate hunters. Jim Ryan represents all Illinoisans. He wants to restore our fiscal sanity to the whole state of Illinois, including the capital.

We pay Rod Blagojevich’s salary but he doesn’t show up for work every day, only when it’s convenient for him. This is his way of evading important voting issues. He picks and chooses the issues he wants to deal with and avoids the issues important to me.

Jim Ryan wants to ban partial birth abortions. That one statement alone should be enough to win your vote for Jim Ryan.

Sincerely,

Bruce A. Huskins

Lincoln

(posted 10-18-02)

To the editor:

The experts are predicting a Democratic sweep of state offices in November. That includes Rob Blagojevich, son-in-law of Chicago Alderman Richard Mell, as governor, bringing Chicago-style politics to Springfield. In the last 20 years, about 20 Chicago aldermen have gone to prison. In the last 20 years, about 20 Cook County judges have gone to prison. Remember the last two Democratic governors? Dan Walker and Otto Kerner both went to jail. The sweep would include Lisa Madigan, daughter of Chicagoan House Leader Mike Madigan, as attorney general. The sweep would also include Dan Hynes, son of former Cook County Assessor Tom Hynes, as state comptroller. They all live within a few miles of each other in Chicago and owe their allegiance to the Chicago machine.

If higher taxes, bans on smoking, gun control, lousy schools, slavery reparations and corruption appeal to the voters of Lincoln, they should flock to the polls and vote Democratic — making sure to vote early and often. Then move over and let the Chicago thugs intrude on their town and their lifestyle.

Jack Hughes

Chicago

(posted 10-11-02)

Dear Editor:

I am writing to share my experiences with Attorney General Jim Ryan’s office with your readers. I am a senior citizen living alone on a fixed income. I am contacted regularly by telemarketing firms and salespeople. I have had two occasions recently in which I have needed to contact the attorney general’s office. I contacted Jim Ryan’s office because I did not know where else to turn to get assistance. In both instances I was treated with courtesy and respect. Both times I could have easily been a victim of consumer fraud and, because of the efforts of Jim Ryan and his staff, my problem was addressed and those responsible were dealt with. The attorney general went beyond the mere solution of the problem and even followed up later with me to ensure that I was not experiencing any further difficulties. I see this as an example of public service the way it is meant to be.

If we can expect the same type of response to citizen needs for assistance and support when Jim Ryan is governor as I have experienced with him occupying the office of attorney general, this state and its people will be well served. Jim Ryan is not a political insider. He has shown me and countless others that he is not afraid to stand up for what is right for each citizen who needs assistance. He filed suit to block the discounted deal for the settlement of debt for a Springfield hotel, and he has filed suit against major tobacco manufacturers, in just two examples of his willingness to stand up for his principles even in the face of political adversity.

I urge your support for this fine public servant. We need more like Jim Ryan in public office.

Sincerely,

Shirley Cox

Lincoln

(posted 10-11-02)

Calendar of Events

Saturday, Oct. 19
SPONSOR: Bill Brady Senate Campaign
WHO: Public
WHAT: Harvest Day fund-raiser for Sen. Bill Brady
WHERE: Sale Barn in Bloomington
WHEN: 6-9 pm

Tuesday, Nov. 5
WHO: Registered voters
WHAT: General election
WHERE: Logan County polling places

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2003
WHO: Registered voters
WHAT: Consolidated primary election
WHERE: Logan County polling places

District Maps

County board:

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State representatives:

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