Vying to take over a 1,400-employee department with a reputation as a backwater for political patronage workers and a mission that some argue would be better carried out by an appointed professional than an elected official, the field of hopefuls has leaned on buzzy terms such as transparency, independence and technological improvement. The office’s budget this year is about $124 million. But for CVS, Jewel, Walmart? And Michael Sacks, the CEO of investment firm GCM Grosvenor who was a close adviser to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a big contributor to Democratic causes, recently kicked in $25,000 to Cabonargi’s campaign, according to state campaign finance records. But it’s also been notorious for the slow pace of modernizing how the clerk’s office collects, keeps and distributes court case files, and for the federal investigations that have dogged Brown and the office, resulting in two former employees getting convicted but no charges against her. Editorial: The dangers of an oversized stimulus package and a lesson from Illinois — yes, Illinois. We take a taste. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune) Meister and Harris will face incumbent Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown in the March 15 Democratic primary. Popeyes hopes to strike gold again with a new fried fish sandwich. File includes writs of execution, criminal case files, recognizance bonds, and fee bills. But Democratic support is also potentially a double-edged sword, with voters showing they’re willing to reject the party’s picks in recent local contests and a burgeoning federal corruption investigation in Chicago, the suburbs and Springfield focusing the public’s attention on officials’ misdeeds. Check to see if the Clerk’s Office is holding an undeliverable child support check for you. Record contains appeal and injunction bonds. More vaccine doses heading to Illinois Walgreens stores through federal program. The Democratic winner in the March 17 primary will face Republican Barbara Bellar in the November general election. Brown, who has served as county clerk for 15 years, lost the endorsement … The Democrat best equipped to fix the clerk’s office and energize its more than 1,400 employees is Richard Boykin. Brown won in 2016 even though the Cook County Democratic Party revoked its endorsement of her when news broke about a federal investigation in the clerk’s office. The Cook County Democratic Party dropped its endorsement of incumbent Dorothy Brown, who was first elected in 2000. “It’s the least we can do,” Martinez said. Circuit Clerk's General File. We lauded his vocal opposition in 2017 to the notorious soda tax that Preckwinkle championed and that — after a tax revolt by citizens — Boykin and other commissioners repealed. Cabonargi said he’s proud of the party’s backing. "I put in the work. “I’ll use my energy to improve things going forward.”. ENDORSEMENT: Michael Cabonargi for Cook County Circuit Court clerk in Democratic primary . Democratic party candidate for Cook County Clerk Of The Circuit Court. Boykin ripped Cabonargi for accepting tens of thousands of dollars in donations over the years from lawyers who represented clients seeking property tax reductions in front of the Board of Review. Any of them would bring improvement. One failure among many in this office: current Clerk Dorothy Brown’s 20-year inability to do what she pledged in her Chicago Tribune candidate questionnaire for the March 21, 2000, Illinois primary: “I will make certain that the Clerk’s office keeps pace with upgrades in technical equipment and I will make certain that the employees of the Clerk’s office receive continuing education in operating and maintaining the office’s information management system.” Ask any attorney who practices in the county courts how badly the clerk’s little house of recordkeeping horrors cripples the flow of cases. He’s facing former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin, attorney Jacob Meister and state Sen. Iris Martinez. On Cabonargi’s watch, the Board of Review members joined then-county Assessor Joe Berrios in refusing to cooperate with investigations by county Inspector General Patrick Blanchard’s office. Iris Martinez was a member of the Illinois Senate until earlier this week, when she resigned to become Cook County clerk of the circuit court. The Cook County Democratic Party endorsed Michael Cabonargi, chairman of the county Board of Review that considers property owners’ tax appeals. Appeal bonds show the name of the person bonded, to whom bonded, the amount and obligation of the bond, the court to which appeal was directed, the names of witnesses, endorsement, and seal. Board of Review, 1st District -- Dan Patlak. And, court cases drag on for months or years while residents pay exorbitant fees for poor customer service, he said. With my 20 years within the Circuit Clerk's Office I am the only candidate with the administrative knowledge and experience of how the Kane County Circuit Clerk's Office actually operates. We admire Martinez for taking on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan; she says Democratic representatives need “protection” from Madigan, whose control of campaign coffers flush with donations gives him the power to end lawmakers’ careers. Cabonargi holds one of three seats on the county’s crucial if obscure Board of Review. The office also processes child support, traffic tickets and protection orders, and is supposed to manage an electronic filing system for civil cases that pour into the system on a daily basis. Maddening. “He wants to continue the status quo, protect those 1,400 jobs for the party. The county Board of Ethics ordered Cabonargi to return $68,950 worth of donations in 2018, saying he had exceeded the caps on political contributions from people or businesses that sought rulings from the Board of Review. Sign up here. CPS schools reopen — again — with celebration and contention, as alderman calls CTU fight a ‘hostage takeover of our children’. The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County is the keeper of the records of the court. He was later defeated in a reelection bid by Chicago Teachers Union organizer Brandon Johnson. Click here to read the … Get our latest editorials, commentaries and columns delivered twice a week in our Fighting Words newsletter. More vaccine doses heading to Illinois Walgreens stores through federal program. Not yet. Four Democrats are running. He made an unsuccessful run against her in 2016. 3. The endorsement also translates into money from groups allied with Democratic leaders, such as the $57,800 contributed to his campaign last fall by both the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters and the Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC. [Most read] Trump was sicker with COVID-19 than publicly acknowledged, [Most read] Column: Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day letter to Joe Biden: An exclusive (very real) draft, Chicago spent $367 million on overtime in 2020, double what Mayor Lori Lightfoot budgeted, The Spin: A look at how impeachment is playing (or isn’t) beyond cable news | Lightfoot, Preckwinkle reject Pritzker’s COVID-19 vaccination plan | Obama center foe takes his complaint to Biden, Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria put in charge of national Republican congressional fundraising. It is illegal and I stopped it. Whether he stays will be the biggest decision Jed Hoyer makes as Chicago Cubs president. Recorder of Deeds -- … Endorsement: Theresa Barreiro for Kane County circuit clerk The Daily Herald Editorial Board Sep 30, 2020 1:00 AM - The Daily Herald endorses Theresa Barreiro for Kane County circuit clerk. But Meister’s not convinced his opponents are equipped to fix the situation. Boykin, the lone African American in the race, is less willing than his opponents to attack Brown, who enjoys strong support among black voters that helped propel her to five election wins. Trump was sicker with COVID-19 than publicly acknowledged, Column: Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day letter to Joe Biden: An exclusive (very real) draft, Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what’s happening Friday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area. We will change the culture and the conduct in the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office and bring in a new era of justice and credibility. And a supporter of Meister’s filed an ethics complaint against Cabonargi in January, alleging he accepted more than $120,000 of improper campaign donations. Editorial: Obama center in Jackson Park must deliver on 3 key pledges, Editorial: President Biden, make John Lausch exception No. “I’m the only one who’s done anything like this,” Cabonargi said. After my election as Clerk my first act was to "outlaw" the acceptance of Holiday "gratuities" by staff members from attorneys, which had become the expectation in the office. If elected, she would make all the top employees in the office who aren’t protected by government hiring rules re-apply for their jobs. I expect the same high standards from the people that work within the Circuit Clerk's organization. Why hasn’t anything improved? Cabonargi’s name will be on Democratic palm cards, so he’s likely to win if voters don’t think for themselves. He can expect committeemen to include his name on the palm cards of endorsed candidates they pass out to voters across the county, and for it to appear on mailers sent out by the party. In addition to overseeing warehouses full of courtroom proceedings records, the clerk’s office staff collects millions of dollars in fines and fees for the circuit court. See 705 ILCS 110/1. The Democratic primary for Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court got unexpectedly heated after reports emerged that the office was under FBI investigation. “You see 30% of the people doing 195% of the work (in the clerk’s office). DuPage County. “Think about going to a surgeon who says ‘Well, I went to medical school, but I’ve never done surgery.’ That’s not the person you want performing the bypass.”. Cabonargi touts his work to move that office to a paperless filing process as evidence he’s the right candidate to do the same with the massive court filing system the circuit court clerk oversees. We endorsed Meister for court clerk four years ago; his three decades of practicing law in Cook County have taught him how broken the clerk’s office is. Cabonargi’s campaign has started airing a television ad on broadcast and cable television. ENDORSEMENT: Iris Y. Martinez for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Here’s hoping her experience as a lawmaker helps her become the effective leader the … We agree. Boykin, who lost his county board seat in 2018 after opposing Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s pop tax, has positioned himself as an outsider in the race despite his time in politics. The bad news is that the new clerk inherits county government’s most toxic Superfund site — a mismanaged wasteland of obsolete practices and occasional scandals. Column: Kris Bryant is in the thick of trade rumors again. Meister, on the other hand, is not shy about blasting Brown. For 12 years I was the Clerk of the Circuit Court where I managed a staff of 2100 without scandal. Not yet. We take a taste. The Chicago Sun-Times endorses Dan Patlak in the election for the Cook County Board of Review. Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook. They differ in the strategy they’ll employ to try to win on March 17 and the extent to which they will attempt to make changes if they do. Candidate for Clerk of Cook County Michael Cabonargi takes questions from the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Jan. 16, 2020. Patlak is less openly opposed to Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s reform efforts — and the board needs at least one Republican. We cite the extent of this wreckage to demonstrate how crucial it is that Democratic voters in the March 17 primary look past tribal politics and nominate a change agent. That would be bad news for some precinct captains, good news for taxpayers. Cabonargi said he complied with the Board of Ethics order, which was his first notice that he had exceeded the caps. Whether he stays will be the biggest decision Jed Hoyer makes as Chicago Cubs president. While in college and law school, I worked as a deputy court clerk for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, primarily in the misdemeanor and preliminary hearing courts around Chicago. It is unlawful for any clerk or deputy clerk of a circuit court to prepare or draft any document that is to be filed or recorded in the Circuit Court in which he or she is clerk or deputy clerk, except such documents that such clerks are required to draft or prepare by statute. Current Clerk … The contribution rules changed without him realizing, Cabonargi said. Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown in 2017. Column: Kris Bryant is in the thick of trade rumors again. Jacob Meister, candidate for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, photographed at his law offices on Chicago's Northwest Side in 2016. His descendants want you to know its history. Public trust and confidence in the courts system are critical to their functioning in society. Search more than 400,000 records for Declarations of Intention filed by those who wished to become U.S. citizens between 1906-1929. Boykin is endorsed. 48 years old. The clerk is responsible for serving the court, the legal profession and the general public by recording court decisions and events; handling fines, bail bonds and other financial transactions; and supporting the court system with record storage, microfilming, automation and other services. And that’s the mission of the county.” Another moment we won’t forget: Boykin’s cheeky suggestion in 2015 that Preckwinkle reduce her claimed need for more tax revenue by cutting employee raises in her office. Not yet. “They didn’t give us a heads-up until after the change,” he said. “We need that openness. These moments of defiance help explain why Boykin no longer is on the County Board. 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Richard Boykin, a candidate for clerk of Cook County and a former Cook County Commissioner, answers a question from the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Thursday Jan. 16, 2020. 114th District: No endorsement 115th District: Paul Jacobs 116th District: No endorsement KANE COUNTY County board chairman: Corinne Pierog State’s attorney: Robert Spence Circuit court clerk: Thomas Hartwell Auditor: Terry Hunt Recorder: Sandy Wegman LAKE COUNTY State’s attorney: Michael Nerheim Circuit court clerk: Erin Cartwright Weinstein Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what’s happening Friday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area, Trump was sicker with COVID-19 than publicly acknowledged, Ask Amy: Matron of honor declines serving at summer wedding, Column: Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day letter to Joe Biden: An exclusive (very real) draft, Cook County joins Chicago in rejecting Pritzker’s expansion of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to people with preexisting health conditions. Jacob Meister, candidate for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, photographed at his law offices on Chicago's Northwest Side in 2016. And that is just not acceptable," Meister said during the Tribune Editorial Board forum. Flashback: Tucked away in rural Illinois is the site of America’s first town founded by a free Black man. 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Dorothy Brown’s on her way out as clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court, and the four Democrats vying to replace her are defining their plans in relation to her polarizing two-decade run. He is a former federal prosecutor who investigated corruption while working at … Ricardo Munoz's campaign Web site. “It’s an administerial office that needs efficiency, and it needs to be free from bureaucratic and political influence,” he said. Elections was held for Clerk of the Circuit Court, State's Attorney, Cook County Board Of Review district 1, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships in the Circuit Court of Cook County and its subcircuits.. Primary elections, held using the open primary system, took take place on March 17, 2020. We need to be able to let people look at all the documents they need to try to get to the bottom of the deep problems that have been going on there for so long,” Martinez said. Auditor -- Bob Grogan. In order to remove politics from a position that’s essentially administrative, Meister said he would try to take it off the ballot in future elections and have judges pick the court clerk. We need to go one by one, and listen to people explain themselves.”. The Chicago Tribune endorses Jacob Meister, the only Democratic candidate who can fix the Cook County clerk of court office Dorothy Brown has run since 2000. As the only Hispanic and woman in the running, Martinez said she hopes she can connect to voters and carve out a path to victory. An attorney, Meister said he’s incensed by the inefficiency he sees in the clerk’s office. Start Search Mortgage Foreclosure Surplus Search. What you have here is a tightening of the belt and a scalpel approach that doesn’t devastate our operations of county government, but instead allows us to maintain high-quality services as it relates to public health and public safety. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. “You got lawyers who do business in front of the board, they get their client’s taxes lowered, but then they turn around and make a contribution to the Board of Review members,” Boykin said during a recent appearance at the Tribune Editorial Board. The job: Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court, who oversees a $124 million budget and nearly 1,500 employees and the files for a trove of cases. Start Search Naturalization Declaration of Intention Search. Boykin not only calls himself “unbossed and unafraid," he’s lived those words. Those jobs don’t belong to the Democratic Party.”. I got to know the committeemen ahead of time, and they supported me.”. An 18-year veteran of the Illinois Senate, Martinez has a base and relationships with other elected officials that could buoy her in the four-candidate race. “I think it’s like kryptonite to Superman, frankly,” Boykin said. The Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office has been plagued with scandals, investigations and convictions. ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’: The film and the facts of a 50-year-old police raid in Chicago that still sparks controversy. Coroner -- Richard Jorgensen. “All four of the candidates in this race asked for — in some cases begged for — the endorsement," he said. Why has there been all this mismanagement happening, and why hasn’t it been addressed? The good news is that, in November, voters will elect a new clerk of Cook County Circuit Court. The other two candidates in this race, state Sen. Iris Martinez and attorney Jacob Meister, impressed us with their passion for bringing the clerk’s office into the 21st century. As keeper of the county's judicial records, the circuit clerk's office is not only crucial to the smooth administration of justice in Kane County, but also to keeping the public informed about the workings of their legal system. “I don’t think it helps, necessarily, to be critical of others,” Boykin said when asked about Brown. Column: At Trump impeachment trial, Democrats are rudely making an overwhelming case for conviction, 2 dead, 2 critically hurt when vehicle plunges off Stevenson, Column: The ‘hostages’ left behind: 104,000 Chicago high school students. [Most read] More vaccine doses heading to Illinois Walgreens stores through federal program. Popeyes hopes to strike gold again with a new fried fish sandwich. Editorials reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board, as determined by the members of the board, the editorial page editor and the publisher. The Cook County, Illinois general election was held on November 3, 2020.