Foxx and the Presiding Judge

the appearance of impropriety?

the appearance of impropriety?

What was Kim Foxx and Judge Martin thinking when Foxx hired Martin's son as an ASA last year? Did it occur to either of them that the hiring smacks of impropriety and creates a significant conflict of interest in almost every case before Judge Martin? I mean come on!

I wonder how common such an arrangement is? How many Cook County judges have a wife or husband, brother or sister, daughter or son, nephew or niece on the payroll at the State's Attorney's Office or Public Defender? I don't doubt that these relatives are competent. The issue is that it looks bad and brings into question the integrity and independence of the judiciary. These types of conflicts would never be tolerated in private industry and shouldn't be tolerated here.  I know that every judge with such a conflict will respond that they remain totally objective at all times, but I have to ask, considering  human nature, are they? These relatives belong not on the public payroll but in private practice. 

Imagine how's this issue handled on appeal by an inmate who contends that the judge that sentenced him had a conflict of interest in that he was trying to get his niece a promotion. There is also the question of Shakman. How is it that what seems to be political hiring, is still occurring?  

These are questions that need to be put to the Judicial Inquiry Board, Cook County Board and of course Michael Shakman.