2 Cook County Judges Face Disciplinary Investigation Over Their Residency, Tax Exemptions
CHICAGO — Two Cook County judges facing close retention races are under state investigation after reporters revealed they both claimed homestead exemptions on properties outside the county they serve.
Chief Judge Timothy Evans referred Judges E. Kenneth Wright Jr. and Shannon O'Malley to the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board on Wednesday, one day after the election in which both judges sought to secure enough votes to retain their seats — and more than a month after Injustice Watch published an investigation into their residency .
Wright, 83, who has presided over Cook County's First Municipal District since 2003, narrowly leads his retention race, holding 62.8 percent of the vote — just over the 60 percent threshold required for retention.
Meanwhile, O'Malley, 62, elected in 2018, is currently just shy of the mark with votes still being counted.
Both face backlash over homestead exemptions claimed on properties in Will County, which Illinois law reserves only for a taxpayer's primary residence.
As presiding judge, Wright oversees Chicago's housing, eviction, and small claims courts and plays a key role on Evans' executive committee, which rules on judicial administration and disciplinary matters.
Wright is accused of improperly taking homestead and senior tax exemptions on a Joliet property, which reportedly reduced his tax burden by thousands of dollars.
He revoked the exemptions soon after Injustice Watch published its findings last month , but bar associations swiftly rescinded endorsements, advising a "no" vote on his retention.
The Chicago Bar Association, which Wright once led, cited concerns over his residency, noting that Wright has maintained a Will County address on his driver's license for more than 40 years.
O'Malley, who changed his name and political affiliation before running for judge, also claimed a homestead exemption on his Will County property.
Through his attorney, O'Malley maintains that he has lived in Cook County since 2017, where he resides separately from his wife, who remains at the Will County home. His attorney provided car leases, utility bills, and other records to substantiate his Cook County residency.
The exemption controversy is the latest in a string of questions raised over O'Malley's political and judicial history.
Born Phillip Spiwak, he changed his name to Shannon O'Malley in 2012 — a move widely criticized and mocked as a calculated effort to bolster his electability with a name that sounds like an Irish woman.
Both judges now face scrutiny from the Judicial Inquiry Board, which will investigate whether their tax claims violated the residency laws for Illinois judges.
As public officials, judges must live in the jurisdiction where they serve, but Injustice Watch reported that only two judges in Illinois have been disciplined for residency violations in the past 25 years and there's no process for verifying the residency of judicial candidates when they run for office.
Wright and O'Malley are among four Cook County judges whose prospects of retention remain uncertain as the vote count continues. Late-arriving mail-in ballots are still being counted, and the final results are due to be certified on Nov. 19.
