Dump biased Cook County Judge Cecilia Horan

By Ray Hanania

Cook County Judge Cecilia Horan is a politically controlled judge who does the bidding of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Horan has a serious conflict of interest in the case involving the City of Chicago's political fight with the Fraternal Order of Police over the issue of vaccinations.

Mayor Lightfoot has ordered all of Chicago's more than 12,000 police officers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. FOP President John Catanzara has argued that the Police Union and the City have an employee contract that can't just be shoved aside at the mayor;s whim. The contract is binding and Lightfoot's orders violate the contracts provisions.

Lightfoot turned to the Cook County courts and sought a restarting order to prevent Catanzara from talking about the City's COVID Vaccine mandate or from urging his Union's members from disobeying Lightfoot's orders, a serious violation not only of Catanzara's First Amendment Rights of Free Speech but an intrusion into a serious public debate that should be had for all.

Horan immediately granted the Temporary Restraining Order for the benefit of Mayor Lightfoot, without disclosing that Horan and Lightfoot are members of the Gay and Lesbian Bar Association and share a political agenda.

Horan should have recused herself from the lawsuit. Horan was appointed to the Bench on Jan. 11, 2017 and was elected to the position in November 6, 2018. Her current term ends on December 2, 2024.

But voters shouldn't have to wait until December 2024 for her to be removed from office for her biased decisions and actions. She should resign from office and allow someone who is not biased and who can be fair and balanced in assessing issues to take her seat.

Horan's action to silence Catanzara without silencing Lightfoot is disgraceful. The FOP has a right to advocate for the rights of their members.

Judge Dennis Porter -- stupid ruling releases Chicago cop

Judge Dennis Porter -- stupid ruling releases Chicago cop 

Chicago Detective Dante Servin fired into a dark alley crowded with civilians.

Servin was off duty, according to media reports, and he was in his own personal car when he got in a shouting match with a group of people near his West Side home around 1 a.m. on March 21, 2012. 

His lawyers asserted he opened fire because he thought one of the public, a man named Antonio Cross, had a gun and had pointed it at him.

The "Gun" turned out to be a cellphone. When Servin fired, his bullet hit 22 year old Rekia Boyd in the back of the head. She died two days later.

The case was brought to Judge Dennis Porter, who dismissed the charges, unbelievably claiming that the prosecutors had not charged Servin properly with a worse offense of First Degree Murder.

Servin was charged instead with the lesser crime of Involuntary Manslaughter. The entire episode is a tragedy and Judge Porter is responsible, failing to provide the kind of judicial leadership to protect the rights of citizens.

Servin is now free and the taxpayers of Chicago had to pay for Servin's crime, $4.5 million to Boyd's family.

The Chicago Tribune wrote recently: "The judge said prosecutors had shown beyond a reasonable doubt that Servin killed Boyd, and that he fired the shots knowing they were likely to cause great bodily harm or death. That adds up to first-degree murder, he said, unless the officer could show he acted in self-defense. But Servin didn't have to make that case, because he wasn't charged with first-degree murder. So he couldn't be found guilty of anything. Case closed."

That's amazing. It's a shameful reflection of Judge Porter, and on Chicago's police.

 Servin should be fired.

And, so should Judge Porter.

Cook County judge who shoved deputy escapes punishment, claims insanity -- but may return to the bench

Cook County judge who shoved deputy escapes punishment, claims insanity -- but may return to the bench Well Judges in Cook County make $182,000 a year in salaries. So why wouldn't a judge who shoved a deputy, plead that she was insane at the time and then turn around and hope for her job back. That's a lot of money. Cook County judges are notorious for corruption and political bias. Hispanic judges rule in favor of Hispanics. Black judges rule in favor of Blacks. White judges rule in favor of their favorite political party. And while they claim to be objective, they have to seek election and retention in a corrupt political system that no one seems able to change and that is used by the media to strengthen their own selfish interests. It's a smoldering pot of mud! Democratic Party backed Judge Cynthia Brim was charged last March with shoving a deputy.Shoving is a physical act of violence, that can lead to worse if not checked. Brim is no stranger to controversy. The Bar Association has publicly recommended that the public reject Brim as a judge since elections in 2000, but voters keep returning her to office, according to a news story in the Chicago Tribune. Click here to read the story. She was first elected in 1995. Turns out Brim has a history of psychiatric problems that were diagnosed years ago. In 2004, she just froze at the bench during the middle of a court hearing and deputies had to call for medical help. But isn't that what makes a Cook County judge special? Many of them are rude, biased and unfair. But no one monitors their actions. When you talk about the policy of omerta among corrupt or dishonest Chicago Police, it doesn't even come close to the omerta that has the power of the judicial backing. Brim says she wants to return to her job. Why wouldn't she. It's the only place where someone with emotional issues and challenges with ethics can earn a strong six-figure taxpayer funded income.
-- Ray Hanania

Ohio Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold, hid prejudiced comments behind anonymous name in online postings

This is a story from the Plain Dealer Newspaper's online blog "Cleveland.com" CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The cleveland.com username "lawmiss" gained national attention in March after The Plain Dealer reported it had links to Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold and had commented on cases before Saffold, including that of accused serial killer Anthony Sowell.

The chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court ultimately removed Saffold from the Sowell case because of the comments. Now, a search of Web sites visited by Saffold's courthouse computer has turned up lawmiss usernames on at least 10 other Internet domains.

Lawmiss comments on sites other than cleveland.com attack Arabs, disparage Asians and vilify white men.

They sneer at inter-racial relations, condemn homosexuals and rail against police.

For example, in a story about President Obama's aunt asking the U.S. for asylum, lawmiss blames Arabs for slavery. "It is still a common practice for Arabs to take advantage of blacks whenever they mix with us," lawmiss writes.

Click here to read the story

Judge Leslie Dutchcot who gave Penn State's accused pedophile Jerry Sandusky bond was a volunteer with Sandusky's "youth" organization

Judge Leslie Dutchcot was urged by prosecutors to set a $1 million bail for Jerry Sandusky, the pathetic excuse for a human being who is alleged to have had sexual relations with a 10 year old in the shower room at Penn State University, an incident that has torpedoed the Universiity's once stellar reputation. But, instead of giving him a $500,000 bond, which might have insured he remained in jail, Judge Dutchcot gave Sandusky a $100,000 bond. Suspects charged with criminal offenses need only post 10 percent of the bond and Sandusky was released. 


But in Sandusky's case, he didn't even need to post 10 percent, because the bond was "unsecured."


Thanks to Judge Dutchcot.



The decision to give Sandusky such a small bond angered many but what is more upsetting is that the Judge worked as a volunteer for Sandusky's youth organization. So why didn't she recuse herself? 


A profile of Judge Dutchcot on the website of the State College law firm Goodall & Yurchak says she volunteers for The Second Mile, a nonprofit organization for troubled youth that Mr. Sandusky founded in 1977. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Sandusky used the organization to make contact with the children he allegedly victimized.



Sandusky is charged with 40 counts related to the sexual abuse of minors.


Here are links to the stories:


Beaver County Times


Pittsburgh Post Gazette

State Farm funds Supreme Court Justice who later voted to overturn judgment against the insurance giant

State Farm was slapped with a billion dollar judgment in a lawsuit that alleged the insurance giant allowed the use of non-original parts in repairing vehicles it insured. It was upheld by the Appellate Court in 2001 but to show you how important this case is, it began in 1997 14 years ago and has been fought vigorously by State Farm Insurance. The $1 billion award included the jury finding of $465 million to the defendants and the judge ruled that State Farm should pay another $730 million, bringing the judgment to more than $1.1 billion.

The Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case in May 2003. In November 2004, a new judge was elected to a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court, Lloyd Karmeier. State Farm later claimed to the Illinois Supreme Court they had given Karmeier only $350,000 in campaign contributions but a new lawsuit says that State Farm actually funded Karmeier to the tune of between $2.5 million and $4 million. Karmeier only raised $4.5 million.

In 2005, the ruling by the Appellate Court was overturned. Karmeier was among the judges voting to overturn the ruling against the people even though he was asked to recuse himself from the case. Karmeier was recruited to run for the seat by a State Farm lawyer and lobbyist.

Shame on State Farm. No wonder your premiums are so high, spending millions to get a friendly judge elected to the Illinois Supreme Court in order to impact an important ruling. Karmeier should be forced to step down as a justice.

A lawsuit has been filed to force State Farm to be honest to the public and to review Karmeier's bias.

Read the story in the Tribune by clicking here.
Read the story in the Sun-Times by clicking here.

U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel proves his bias and inability to be fair

U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel is a politician not a judge. He proved that during his reign of bias during the second trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. At every turn, Zagel ruled against Blagojevich and even allowed biased jurors to sit on the jury almost as if he was working for the prosecution.

Zagel is not an objective judge and he should not be on the bench.

Click to read a newspaper story about Blagojevich's lawyers seeking a new trial based in a large part on the unfair tactics and rulings of Judge James Zagel, one of the most biased judges in Cook County.

Click here to read the political profile of Zagel.

It is clear that Blagojevich was denied a fair trial at every turn by Zagel who never seemed to miss an opportunity to rule against the former governor. He's the product of Cook County's tainted judicial balance.

# # #