St. Clair County Associate Judge Laninya Cason is in full attack mode these days, as she fights to replace retiring Judge Milton Wharton as Circuit Judge.
Cason, a former Democrat, was snubbed by the St. Clair County Democratic machine for the circuit judge nomination, then switched to the Republican Party, running against Democratic nominee Associate Judge Zina Cruse.
Two weeks ago Cason filed her second ethics complaint against Judge Cruse, alleging that she has presided over multiple divorce cases in which her campaign manager, Belleville attorney Charles Courtney, represented clients.
Ethically, some judges would remove themselves from such proceedings because of the perception of bias. However, Cason alleges that (in February) a motion was filed asking Cruse to remove herself because Courtney was one of the attorneys, but Cruse refused.
The Campaign to Elect Zina issued a statement that Chief Judge John Baracevic was informed that no ethic violations existed regarding Cruse’s campaign manager.
You remember Judge Baracevic. He’s the gentlemen who memorably referred to KTVI’s Elliot Davis as “Rufus” during a much viewed “You Paid for It” segment. But I digress.
Now, Cason is fighting a brand new battle against Illinois congressional candidate Bill Enyart.
During a recent O’Fallon, IL homecoming parade Cason was (allegedly) shoved aside by Enyart and harassed by Enyart’s son Alex as she attempted to hand out campaign literature.
Cason and witness Carlous Huston, a Belleville precinct committeeman, even went so far as to discuss the matter with the O’Fallon Police Department. The matter was under investigation at press time.
According to Cason, during a press conference, “I know what happened…and Bill Enyart knows what happened…I have been bullied and pushed around by the St. Clair County Democratic machine before, but it never got physical…Enyart took it too far.”
Later, Cason, in a radio appearance said that if Enyart made a proper apology she’d be willing to drop any potential charges.
That’s politics. More specifically, that’s the rough and tumble world of St. Clair County “poli-tricks”. Welcome to the sewer, Judge Cason.
However, while I admire Cason’s spunk and tenacity and respect her right, as a female, not to be pushed around (allegedly) by some overly zealous guys who feel that physical intimidation is OK, I’d add a word of caution.
Now that she’s called-out what she perceives (or experienced) as the unethical or intimidating tactics of her opponents she needs to focus on getting votes as opposed to being distracted.
Distraction, sometimes, is a more lethal tactic in that it can divide one’s attention, siphon off valuable energy and take one’s eye off the real prize, which is (in her case) the Circuit Judge’s seat.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com Twitter@JamesTIngram
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