Mary K. O’Brien, the Democratic candidate for Illinois Supreme Court in the 3rd Judicial District, is trying to cover up the campaign and financial support she’s received from Mike Madigan. Last week, O’Brien told Capitol News Illinois that she “was elected without Mike Madigan’s help” and that she “didn’t get help from the party.” News reports and campaign finance records say otherwise.

In her first campaign for Illinois House in 1996, O’Brien received nearly $90,000 in campaign contributions from Madigan and political organizations under his direct control. O’Brien was even assigned a Madigan staffer for her race, which makes clear that Madigan made it a priority to elect O’Brien (Editorial, “Wishing for some goodies for public officials in 1998,” The State Journal-Register, 12/28/97). Throughout her political career in the Illinois House, O’Brien received over $200,000 from Madigan and his political organizations.

Mary K. O’Brien is personally credited as being the deciding vote that helped Madigan regain the Speakership in 1997 with a 60-58 majority (Editorial, “Wishing for some goodies for public officials in 1998,” The State Journal-Register, 12/28/97). O’Brien was appointed as an Appellate Court Justice during her final year in the Illinois House after voting with Madigan 93.6% of the time.

Following her appointment to the Appellate Court, O’Brien personally cut seven checks to Madigan’s main political organization, Friends of Michael J. Madigan, totaling $3,350 while she was a sitting justice.

“Mary K. O’Brien is trying to cover up the campaign cash she’s received from Mike Madigan because she knows if voters become fully aware of her deep ties to Madigan, she will lose in a landslide. Illinois courts need a clean break from the Madigan Machine. That’s exactly what Illinois voters can get by voting against Madigan Machine Justice Mary K. O’Brien.” – Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Shaun McCabe

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