As this unusual campaign season enters its final stretch, voters will be given a unique chance to assess candidates running for Illinois Supreme Court in the state's Fifth Judicial District in a virtual "debate" two weeks from now.
And like others in the hunt for a Nov. 3 win, Democrat Judy Cates and Republican David Overstreet, both serving as justices at the Fifth District Appellate Court, have had fewer opportunities to make in-person contacts due to COVID-19 cancellations of summer parades and festivals - the core of a hard-working candidate's schedule. As a result, like others running for election in 2020, they have stepped up social media messaging.
Cates, elected to the appellate court in 2012, connects herself to "southern Illinois values."
"I understand small town values," she says in a recent Facebook post. "Growing up, big chain stores drove my father's small southern Illinois business into bankruptcy.
"I worked to put myself through college and law school so I know and appreciate how hard southern Illinois families work.
"As a prosecutor, lawyer and appellate court justice, I've spent my entire career protecting working people, children and seniors. With your vote I will continue to put southern Illinois values first."
Overstreet identifies himself as a "constitutional conservative."
"I believe it is our job as judges to uphold the rule of law and all our constituional rights," he says in a recent spot on Facebook. "I believe that judges should not rule based on their political philosophy.
"It is not our job to pick winners and losers based on our own personal feelings. After 13 years on the bench, farily and impartially applying the rule of law, I want to bring my conservative, constitutional approach to justice to the Illinois Supreme Court.
"I'll be fair, impartial and honest, I'm your constitutional conservative for Illinois Supreme Court."
Contributions to Cates and Overstreet campaign committees picking up
Since July 1, Cates' campaign finance committee "Judge Judy for Supreme Court" has received big donations from three high profile St. Louis personal injury firms that were approved for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds - forgiveable loans designed to keep workers on payrolls of small businesses for eight weeks of the pandemic.
Onder Law on Sept. 1 and Korein Tillery on July 10 contributed the maximum corporate limit of $11,600. Driscoll Law contributed $10,000 on Aug. 3, and it also has provided the Cates' campaign with $1,200 worth of vehicle use. Korein Tillery attorney Christine Moody contributed the maximum individual amount of $5,800 on July 10.
Korein Tillery was approved to receive between $1-2 million in PPP funds to support 60 workers, according to a Small Business Administration database published in the Washington Post.
Onder Law was approved to receive between $350,000 and $1 million to support 83 workers.
Driscoll Law was approved to receive between $150,000 and $350,000 to support 10 workers.
Onder and Driscoll are among the top spending law firms seeking clients to sue the manufacturer of weedkiller Roundup. In 2019, the firms spent $8 million combined to attract and sign up plaintiffs in their campaigns against Bayer, which in 2018 acquired the original manufacturer of Roundup, St. Louis-based Monsanto.
On its website, Onder also boasts of having achieved $3 billion in personal injury settlements, including $300 million in talcum powder verdicts.
Korein Tillery boasts of having achieved $17 billion-plus in verdicts and settlements.
In the second quarter, Cates reported having received $87,574 in contributions. Since July 1, the campaign has received another $31,900 in individual contributions in excess of $1,000 each. Cates also loaned her campaign $20,000.
Overstreet's campaign finance committee "Overstreet 2020" in the second quarter reported having received $46,219 in contributions.
Since July 1, seven businesses approved to receive PPP loans contributed a total of $10,000 to Overstreet's campaign. They include:
-Bevis Construction of Mt. Vernon ($1,000), approved for between $150,000-350,000 to support 17 workers.
-Cusumano & Sons of Mt. Vernon ($1,000), fresh fruit and vegetable wholesaler, approved for between $150,000-$350,000 to support 38 workers.
-Ford Square of Mt. Vernon ($1,000), new car dealer, approved for between $350,000-$1 million to support 40 workers.
-Karco, Inc. of Mt. Vernon ($1,000), liquor store, approved for $350,000-$1 million to support 80 workers.
-Groceries of Southern Illinois of Columbia ($2,000), supermarkets, approved for $150,000-$350,000 to support 78 workers.
-Southern Illinois Hardware of Columbia ($2,000), approved for $150,000-$350,000 to support 48 workers.
-Southern Illinois Pizza of Columbia ($2,000), approved for $150,000-$350,000 to support 69 workers.
In addition, Overstreet has received another $109,295 from 51 indviduals whose contributions were at least $1,000. Those that gave the maximum individual limit of $5,800 include Linda Cassens, Mark Scoggins and Julie Maschoff.