Maya Dukmasova

Border Patrol Arrests 11 Rideshare Drivers At O'Hare Parking Lot It is the second time federal agents arrested rideshare drivers at O'Hare Airport, targeting workers that are the "backbone of Chicago's transportation system," an advocacy group said.

Federal agents arrested 11 rideshare drivers at O'Hare Saturday, the second time agents have targeted workers who are the "backbone" of the city's transportation network, an advocacy group said.
blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/19/b...

*correction in 1978 mandatory age of retirement for judges was actually 70! The chief judge must have been grandfathered in if he was still there at 77. Note: in IL chief judges are judges elected by voters. Their chief judge position is not decided by voters though, other judges vote for the chief

If you know Chicago politics you can imagine how big a deal that was in 1978. Only two other judges had ever lost retention since the state switched to retention voting for judges in 1964. People were so against having people that old as judges that they were willing to vote against the machine!

Some perspective on how much we've all acquiesced to gerontocracy: in 1978 (when there was mandatory judicial retirement at 75 in IL) the first chief judge of cook county, a big Dem machine boss, lost his retention election. His age (77) was considered "the key factor in voter rejection"

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Happy Indigenous People's Day from an Italian heritage street festival in Chicago's Viagra triangle where, yes, Bob Fioretti, dressed in a "Dignitary" sash, is collecting signatures for yet another run for elected office

If you love @injusticewatch.org please take a few minutes to complete this survey! It'll help us shape our work and make sure we're bringing you what you need. There's a chance to win $100 + a custom portrait by our artist Verónica Martinez every week for the next month!

CPD rehired Forberg as a criminal intelligence research specialist after he retired as a detective. His sometimes-partner, John Foster, remains a commander of detectives. Supt. Larry Snelling declined to discuss those facts.

Forberg also quit a small suburban department after I asked about the job.

This despite a known cohort of cases tied to a single Chicago detective known for coercion, witness manipulation, and other abuses in two dozen murder cases

My colleague @danhinkel.bsky.social found that not a single person has been exonerated with the help of the "conviction integrity unit" under the new Cook County State's Attorney

A screenshot of an AMA post in r/foia

Senior reporter Maya Dukmasova's recent investigation of a UIC crime lab involved submitting more than 45 FOIA request, reviewing more than 8k pages of documents, and interviewing more than 50 people. If you've got questions or want to learn more about her process, join us on Reddit! buff.ly/BnaI0DC

Cook County judge previously accused of ‘unwanted touching’ reassigned after clerk alleges battery Judge Ruth Gudino was reassigned from a domestic violence courtroom in Markham after a clerk accused her of pushing him. The sheriff’s office said the allegation was unfounded.

New this morning: a Cook County judge with a history of alleged inappropriate physical conduct with colleagues has been reassigned after a clerk accused her of battery

www.injusticewatch.org/judges/judic...

Charles Beach elected Cook County chief judge Beach will be Cook County’s first new chief judge in 24 years, after defeating eight-term incumbent Timothy Evans.

Charles Beach, 55, was elected Cook County chief judge this evening, defeating 24-year incumbent Timothy Evans. He’ll take over control over a vast court bureaucracy as well as judicial assignments when his term starts Dec. 1. Story by @mdoukmas.bsky.social. www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...

What’s at stake in the race for Cook County chief judge Incumbent Timothy Evans has served for 24 years, already the longest of any chief judge in Cook County history. Two challengers are vying for control of a court system that gavels in half a million ne...

You can find out more about him here:
www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...

What’s at stake in the race for Cook County chief judge Incumbent Timothy Evans has served for 24 years, already the longest of any chief judge in Cook County history. Two challengers are vying for control of a court system that gavels in half a million ne...

You can find out a bit about his pitch here. www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...

This will have strong political implications for the Cook County juvenile detention center, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Chief Judge. The current superintendent was appointed by Evans in 2015 and, to the bewilderment of many, kept around despite persistent concerns about his leadership.

Story to come at @injusticewatch.org !

BEAKING NEWS: COOK COUNTY HAS A NEW CHIEF JUDGE - Charles Beach

Applause can be heard from somewhere in the depths of the spaces we can't see. Is it possible we have a decision...

It's been 2.5 hours and still no decision. Not clear what round of voting we're on. Ballots seem to be counted in the empty courtroom continuously... The Chief Judge's communications staff has no idea what's going on either.

According to one judge who just wandered out for a breath of fresh air, the judges are packed like sardines inside the jury assembly room so that everyone can hear the candidates' speeches. She didn't take kindly to being photographed and quickly left after I introduced myself

The votes are being counted in a nearby courtroom. Through the tinted glass I can see nine people involved in the process. The ballot boxes appear to be large cardboard boxes labeled "BALLOT BOX"

It appears one round of voting has concluded, a lot more people are milling around behind the glass doors that lead to the voting room. No word yes about the result

Members of Judge Evans's inner circle, longtime staff some of whom have worked for the court system since the 1970s, are sitting and standing around a small foyer outside the jury assembly room where the vote is taking place. These folks have to be nervous about their jobs if Evans loses

Yes so it's gotta be a majority of the voters present

The vote is done by paper ballot. Each of the 263 judges have to write in the name of their desired candidate and personally deposit it into the ballot box. If no one gets the majority of votes rounds of voting will continue until the election is decided.

All the judges are inside now and it's quiet in the hallway, except for the occasional attorneys and litigants ambling by.

Inside the room we can't see there will be nominating speeches for each of the three candidates by their peers, then speeches from the candidates themselves, then the vote

Evans, 82, has also been in public office for 52 years, beginning as alderman of the 4th ward in 1973. He was elected judge from the 5th subcircuit in 1992.

A bit of history as most of the judges seem to have trickled in and we wait for the doors to a room we can't see to close.

Evans is only the 4th chief judge in the court's history, which was unified as the circuit court of cook county in 1964. All three of his predecessors were white Irish men

Dozens of judges are arriving and checking in before the vote. Everyone is dressed in civilian garb, no robes!