In a quiet bid for retention, a cohort of 77 Cook County judges, some carrying the weight of controversies and dubious histories, are set to face the electorate in November. Among them, a few have notable records that include unsatisfied tax debts, prior arrests, censures by official bodies, unfavorable reversals by higher courts, and even connections to politicians slapped with charges, as reported by Block Club Chicago.
Two judges up for retention, Shannon O’Malley and E. Kenneth Wright Jr., have come under scrutiny for claiming homeowner exemptions in Will County, despite the mandate for judges to reside within Cook County. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, O'Malley has touted his Cook County residency needed for his judgeship since 2017, while living apart from his wife. Wright, on the other hand, offered no comment when his residency was questioned amid revelations he claimed a senior exemption, attesting his "principal residence" was in Will County.
O'Malley's narrative delivers its twist of transformation dating back to 2004 when he ran for Cook County state's attorney under a different name, Phillip Spiwak. After unsuccessful bids and personal bankruptcy, he resurfaced with a legal name change to Shannon O'Malley, claiming a Cook County residence in alignment with his political candidacy. Despite calling into question the authenticity of his claimed residences, these strategic adjustments led to his judicial election win in 2018. O'Malley previously told reporters that his name change was a tribute and allegations regarding his name and party shifts were not substantiated during the campaign.