Ousted State Senator Ira Silverstein Seeks Cook County Judge Job

CHICAGO — A former state senator who resigned as chair of the Democrats' caucus amid sexual harassment allegations before losing by more than 20 points in his first competitive primary election in two decades filed paperwork last week to become a judge in Cook County Circuit Court.

Ira Silverstein, 58, represented the 8th District in the Illinois Senate, which includes parts of Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Glenview and the 50th Ward on Chicago's North Side, since his first election in 1998.

Silverstein was also 50th Ward Democratic committeeman from 2008 until his resignation last weekend. He appointed his wife, Ald. Deb Silverstein, who has represented the North Side ward in the Chicago City Council since 2011.

In October 2017, victims rights advocate Denise Rotheimer testified about hundreds of messages and phone calls from Silverstein that she described as unwanted sexual advances during an Illinois House Personnel and Pensions Committee hearing on a sexual harassment bill. She accused him of holding her "hostage" with intimate, often late-night messaging and pulling support from a bill helping crime victims after he found out she had a boyfriend. The next day, Senate President John Cullerton announced Silverstein had resigned his position on the Democratic leadership team.

In January 2018, an investigation by Special Legislative Inspector General Julie Porter found that Silverstein had acted "in a manner unbecoming of a legislator in violation of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act." However, Porter found that Silverstein did not sexually harass Rothheimer in violation of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Even if his conduct could be described as an unwanted sexual advance, it did not create a hostile work environment under Illinois and federal law, according to the report.

"He complimented her and teased her, but not about anything overtly sexual. Although some of the messages were intimate and hinted at an interest in sex, they were ambiguous, and I do not find a preponderance of evidence to support that there was a sexual advance or conduct of a sexual nature," Porter said in the report.

"[W]hile denying that he ever told Rotheimer he had feelings for her, Silverstein acknowledges that his communications with Rotheimer crossed a line. He characterizes the Facebook messages as 'joking around' and (reluctantly) recognizes them as, at times, flirtatious. He now regards the messages as painful and embarrassing," Porter said, before recommending Silverstein be "counseled by his ethics officer."

Silverstein was defeated in the March 2018 primary by Sen. Ram Villivalem by a margin of more than 10 percent in a four-way race, although Silverstein received financial backing from Senate Democratic leadership. A fundraising committee linked to Silverstein also contributed more than $50,000 to the campaign of the candidate who eventually finished third in an apparent attempt to split the vote against him.

Silverstein's candidate committee for a Cook County judgeship in the 9th Judicial Subcircuit was created Aug. 31 and filed a statement of organization with state election officials Sept. 5, using an address at the law offices of Brian Alexander and Jennifer Grossman in Skokie. Alexander is the committee's listed treasurer, and Chicago lawyer Donald Hodgkinson is its chairman, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. The committee has yet to report any contributions, and no public statements have been made by Silverstein or any representatives of his campaign.

Cook County's 9th Judicial Subcircuit, where Silverstein is hoping to collect a six-figure salary while donning judge's robes, extends north from Rogers Park to parts of New Trier and Northfield townships and west into Maine and Elk Grove townships.

Last month, the Cook County Democratic Party endorsed candidates and alternates for the upcoming March 17 primaries. The party's central committee only endorses candidates for countywide office. Silverstein was not among them, but he may still earn the endorsement of local party committees in suburban townships and Chicago wards. It was not immediately clear if either Silverstein will face primary challengers on the March 17 ballot.

Neither the Silversteins' 50th Ward office nor a representative of the Silverstein for Judge political committee have responded to requests for information about his campaign.

In an account of being ignored in his requests for a meeting with his then-representative, Skokie lawyer Brad Rosen said last year that then-Sen. Silverstein had earned a reputation as a frequent no-show at community meetings and events and could usually be seen making a swift exit when he did show up.

Rosen, a legal writer and analyst, told Patch he hopes local bar associations do not determine Mr. Silverstein is qualified to hold a judgeship in Skokie.

"He is not competent, nor does he have the integrity to judge a dog show," Rosen said. "No insult to dogs intended."

Earlier:

• Ram Villivalam Romps Incumbent State Sen. Ira Silverstein In Primary
• Senator Silverstein Lied About My Endorsement: Rep. Lou Lang
• 2 Signature Margin May Keep State Sen. Ira Silverstein On Ballot
• 'Teasing And Flirtatious' Sen. Silverstein Didn't Harass: Report
• Sen. Silverstein Resigns From Chair Amid Sexual Harassment Claims
• State Senator Tries to Ban Internet Commenters