Is an Illinois Supreme Court candidate entitled to claim a police officer union endorsement? It’s complicated.
A mailer went out in the last few days for Democratic candidate Mary Kay O’Brien. It says she’s proudly endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police. An Illinois FOP spokesman says the organization is endorsing Republican candidate Michael Burke. O’Brien’s campaign says she was endorsed by the Joliet FOP local. To that, the state FOP organization says the Joliet local endorsed O’Brien and Burke in the primary but has switched to just Burke.
Voters who rely on endorsements to make decisions about candidates can consider O’Brien’s endorsements by other police organizations. They include the Police Benevolent and Protective Association and the Illinois Council of Police.