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Judge Barbara Crowder returning challenged campaign donations
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December 16, 2011
Madison County, Illinois: Judge Barbara Crowder of the Illinois Third Judicial Circuit Court is giving back $30,000 in campaign donations from several lawyers from three Illinois law firms (Gori Julian & Associates, Goldenberg Heller Antognoli & Rowland, and Simmons Law Firm), because "the timing of some campaign donations and the entry of a scheduling order have led some to speculate that there might be some relation between them."[1] The controversy over the donations arose out of the fact that the donating lawyers had days earlier been given, "the majority of trial slots on the 2013 asbestos docket."[1] Each attorney involved made campaign donations that ranged between $1,000 and $5,000.[1] Though Judge Crowder maintains that there was nothing innappropiate about the donations, and that it was simply a matter of poor timing, she is returning the funds to avoid any further scrutiny.[2]
The court has taken action in this matter as well; Chief judge Ann Callis has reassigned all asbestos cases to Clarence Harrison.[3]
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 ABA Journal, "Illinois Asbestos Judge Says She’ll Give Back Campaign Donations," December 15, 2011
- ↑ St. Louis Today, "Donor to Madison County judge says contribution looks bad, but isn't," December 16, 2011
- ↑ Belleville News Democrat, "A terrible blunder: Madison County judge dropped from asbestos hearings after receiving asbestos money," December 14, 2011
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