Pritzker says it’s ‘ridiculous’ to expect justices to recuse themselves
after $2M donations
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[March 09, 2023]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday that despite his
million-dollar donations to two Illinois Supreme Court justices last
year, they are independent and should not have to recuse themselves from
two high-profile cases before them in which the governor is a defendant.
Pritzker donated a total of $2 million from two separate accounts to
then-Illinois Supreme Court candidates Mary O’Brien and Elizabeth
Rochford, $1 million each. Those candidates are now justices on the
bench of seven who will hear separate challenges to the state's no-cash
bail provision (next week) and to the state's gun ban and registry (in
May). Pritzker signed both the SAFE-T Act and the gun ban into law and
is a defendant in the lawsuits challenging their constitutionality.
Responding to a question about the donations, Pritzker said it was
"ridiculous" to suggest that anyone who received money from him should
have to recuse themselves.
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“If you’re suggesting that the fact that I gave money to let's say the
Democratic Party or the committees that supported candidates means that
everybody who’s received any money has to recuse themselves from
anything to do with the state of Illinois, that’s ridiculous,” Pritzker
said at an unrelated event in Springfield. “And I’ve certainly never
asked anybody to vote a certain way or decide on a case a certain way. I
would never do that. I never have and I never will.”
Independent observers say judges should recuse themselves where there is
any hint of conflict of interest.Chris Forsyth with the nonpartisan
Judicial Integrity Project in Colorado told The Center Square that trust
in the judicial system is crucial in American society.
“If we don’t have confidence in the opinions the judicial branch issues
then our judicial branch is failing,” Forsyth told The Center Square.
Pritzker also said Wednesday that he didn’t violate campaign finance
laws he signed last year in making the donations. The 2022 law capped
contribution limits in such campaigns to $500,000 from “any single
person.” Pritzker's $2 million in donations $1 million each – came from
two separate counts, $500,000 to each from both Pritzker’s political
campaign and his revocable trust.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, also was a top
donor to the justices with O’Brien receiving $350,000 and Rochford
receiving $150,000 from The People for Emanuel Chris Welch fund. Welch
is another top defendant in the gun-ban challenge and the challenge
against Illinois’ no-cash bail law that’s currently on hold pending
appeal.
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Group urges clarity on whether Illinois
State Police are enforcing gun ban deemed unconstitutional
Greg Bishop / The Center Square
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Also on Wednesday, opponents of Illinois’ gun ban said they are seeking
clarity on whether Illinois State Police are enforcing the law that was
deemed unconstitutional.
Friday, a Macon County judge issued a final judgment that Illinois’ gun
ban is unconstitutional on the grounds of equal protections because it
exempts workers in the law enforcement and security industries. State
Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, who brought the case, said that judgment
makes the law null and void statewide pending an appeal.
“And in order to make a direct appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court
under this rule … the attorney general has to agree that the law has
been invalidated and it negates the very existence of the law and in all
applications,” Caulkins said during a news conference at the capitol in
Springfield
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Harrisburg, said state police should
clarify if they are enforcing the law pending an appeal.
“If they are actively enforcing this law, why are they enforcing a law
that courts have deemed unconstitutional,” Windhorst said.
ISP didn’t immediately respond to whether they are enforcing the law.
Wednesday, an expedited appeal was taken up by the Illinois Supreme
Court with a hearing set for May.
“IT IS ORDERED that the motion to place appeal on an accelerated docket
pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 311(b) is allowed,” the Illinois Supreme
Court said in a filing Wednesday. “The record on appeal shall be filed
with the Clerk of this Court by March 15, 2023. The appellants’ brief
shall be filed on or before March 20, 2023. The appellees’ brief shall
be filed on or before April 13, 2023. The reply brief shall be filed on
or before April 27, 2023. Oral argument will be scheduled for the May
2023 term of court.”
Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other
issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning
broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of
Springfield.
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