Bureau County Republican, January 21, 2010

In his recent letter to this newspaper Travis Akin makes a plea to "get out the vote" for judicial candidates. At first glance this appears to be fine idea, but deeper in the letter comes the real agenda.

You see, Travis Akin is not just any concerned citizen; he is the head of an organization that is supported by - and fronts for - the insurance, tobacco and oil industries. His plea to readers to support judicial candidates representing "fairness and common sense" rings hollow once it's realized Akin's version of fairness begins and ends with corporate special interests, and his idea of common sense is to do as those interests bid.

What Akin writes in not-so-subtle terms is our present judicial system is too tilted to the rights of the citizen, and not enough to special interests. Correcting that, according to Akin, means replacing compassionate and thoughtful judges with those who would rubber-stamp the wishes of his big business sponsors.

It is a favorite tactic of Akin and his fellow travelers to smear with a broad brush all who use the courts to seek relief by dismissing their concerns as "junk lawsuits". Be rid of them, they say, so the courts can deal with "the truly injured." Meaning only those Akin and the corporate interests deem worthy of their attention.

The truth is the court system provides the citizens of Illinois with a method of seeking redress when injured. The judges, and judicial candidates who understand the system, are there to protect the injured and are the ones worthy of our support - not those who would let special interests weaken it.

Carry that thought into the voting booth this election day, and cast your judicial ballot for those who truly believe in, and will support, your right to a fair and open process.

Peter J. Flowers
President
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
St. Charles