Judicial subcircuits enacted by Pritzker, Democratic lawmakers
temporarily blocked
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[January 27, 2022]
By Greg Bishop
(The Center Square) – A law Gov. J.B.
Pritzker enacted to create judicial subcircuits in parts of Illinois has
been temporarily blocked as some say the partisan measure was rushed
through to the detriment of voters.
During their one day in session so far this year, Democrats earlier this
month went at it alone, passing new judicial subcircuits. Without
fanfare, Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted the maps on Jan. 7.
State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, reacted to a Sangamon County
judge this week temporarily blocking those new judicial districts from
going into effect in Madison County.
“It wasn’t just the packing of the courts [with Democratic judges], it
wasn’t trying to set the courts up, it also took away the vote from the
vast majority of the people of Madison County to be able to vote for
their local judicial elections this cycle,” Plummer told The Center
Square.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Jan/27/images/ads/current/charrons_bch_2022.png)
Some of the new districts were to take effect for the 2022 election
cycle while others in other parts of the state would take effect in
2024. The new districts in Madison County pitted two sitting judges
against each other in elections coming up this year, while creating
other judicial subcircuits Plummer said didn’t have equal
representation. Even being on the Senate’s redistricting committee, he
said there was little to no information about how the maps came about
and for what reason they were rushed.
The Madison County Board, in a bipartisan vote, authorized the state’s
attorney to sue to halt the maps. Monday, a Sangamon County judge issued
a temporary restraining order blocking the maps from being enacted.
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![](../images/012722pics/news_a59.jpg)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker in East St. Louis Wednesday. State Sen. Jason
Plummer, R-Edwardsville, talks about court subcircuits
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GovPritzker Facebook, SenatorJasonPlummer.com
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Jan/27/images/ads/current/debbiesfloral_lda_VALENTINES_2020.png)
Plummer said for him the issue is about transparency, the independence
of the judiciary and more.
“And the governor was put in a very bad spot,” Plummer said. “He
foolishly signed the legislation and I think he’ll have egg on his face
on this for a long time coming.”
At an unrelated event in East St. Louis Wednesday, Pritzker said he’ll
keep an eye on the litigation, but declined to comment further.
“I don’t have much to say about it,” Pritzker said. "It’s obviously an
ongoing case."
Pritzker questioned why he as governor and the Illinois State Board of
Elections were the defendants in the case when there were "many other
people ... involved in it," but he did not elaborate.
"Who did this?" Plummer asked. "Who pushed this legislation? Who drew
the maps?"
Plummer said the politicization of the court system in a hyper-partisan
era should be opposed by both parties.
“I think the people in the Metro East with bipartisan opposition to it
are going to have a lot of questions for the governor, who said he will
not participate in partisan redistricting,” Plummer said. “This is the
epitome of partisan redistricting.”
The case continues Feb. 15. |