Laura Morask at the Maine Township Gang Seminar

Laura Morask, two term Maine Township Trustee is once again dedicating her time and energy to Maine Township and looking to serve the community in her third term.

Laura is credited as one of the people bringing everyone together for the good of the township. One of the remarkable events to unfold during Laura’s judicial campaign was the support she garnered from all factions of the local Republican party and the unification of prominent leaders behind Laura as an excellent candidate for Judge.

Maine Township National Night Out Against Crime Poster Judging

Fellow slate members of the Maine Township Incumbents have successfully come together with the Maine Township Regular Republican Organization (MTTRO) to form a unified group led by Committeeman Mark Thompson thus removing the possibility of an intraparty primary battle.

The Maine Township Republican slate is the only Republican slate and there will be no primary.Timing is everything and Laura did an amazing job of running a hotly contested primary as well as an incredible general election. Without any party money and the fractionalization of the local and national republicans, Laura got 56,000 votes in an election where Democrats saw a virtual tidal wave.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” said Supervisor Carol Teschky. “She would make an outstanding judge and we think the voters of Cook County really lost out but we are thrilled on behalf of our slate and our entire township that we have her energy, enthusiasm and dedication back on the slate to continue the great work she has done in her two terms as Township Trustee,” Supervisor Teschky stated.

“We all worked hard supporting Laura in her bid for Cook County Judge and know from our eight years of working with her that she would have been an outstanding dedicated, hard working judge,” said Highway Commissioner Robert Provenzano.

“I couldn’t work with a better group of people and when I started out my judicial candidacy, one of the saddest prospects to me was that I would not be able to continue in the good work we have done with the Board if elected Judge. So, I have to say I am very happy to continue my record of service to the citizens of Maine Township many of whom I have grown to know quite well over the past eight years,” said Laura.

Laura Morask on WGN TV talking about Gang Education

One of Laura’s passions is gang crimes education and youth outreach. She volunteers long hours to conduct regular anti-gang seminars, coordinating bi-lingual speakers, area police departments, and local educators in her efforts to reach our youth before a gang can. 

The Maine Township slate recruited one new candidate to run for Collector, Mary Rhode, a well respected long-time Des Plaines resident.  Mary is a child education specialist as well as a community activist, Co-Chair of “Deep Green” – Des Plaines’ Environmental Energy Program.

“This is a great group of people who have an excellent record of achievement on behalf of the residents of Maine Township,” said Laura. “Sometimes, people don’t quite know what it is a township offers their citizens; its important to know as we are the government closest to the public and the place people turn to for help in times of crisis such as the September floods of last year.  We also have such amazing outreach programs for Seniors and youth and our Food Pantry is  very well run and like programs nationwide, much called upon in these hard economic times.

We have a great combination of experience, dedication, energy and knowledge from each of the people on our slate.

Carol Teshky, Supervisor

Carol Teshky has also won numerous awards as first trustee, then Supervisor. She is dedicated to the citizens of our township and has one of the most outstanding records of civic involvement. Everyone else brings their outstanding records and unique contributions.

Gary Warner, Clerk

Gary Warner, long time Clerk has streamlined the operations of the Clerk’s office at the same time making it more accessible and user friendly to all the people in the township. Some of the services offered in the Clerk’s office are welcome packets for new residents, vehicle stickers, passport applications and much more.

Tom Ruekert, Assessor

For Assessor, “Tom Ruekert is probably one of the most knowledgeable people in this area,” Laura said. He holds seminars at the township to help people understand and appeal their property assessments and really makes a huge effort at outreach to the community to help people in these hard economic times.  

Robert Provenzano, Highway Commissioner

Over the course of his years as Highway Commissioner, Bob Provenzano has earned numerous awards and accolades including the President of the Highway Commissioner’s Division of Township Officials of Illinois. He is a very hands-on and responsive public servant. During our most challenging weather events of the last four years, Bob was out there day and night with the snowstorms, icestorms and floods. Bob has been in the forefront of the environmentally responsible movement, instituting “Green” education and mandating that all highway department vehicles not idle at railroad crossings.

Susie Moylan, Trustee

Trustee Susie Moylan who started out her public service as Collector really devotes herself to the National Night Out Against Crime as well as the Neighborhood Watch where she personally runs monthly meetings to give citizens an opportunity to address issues of concern with representatives from the Sheriff’s police and the fire department.

Walter Kazmierciak, Trustee

As Trustee, Walter Kazmierciak, fondly referred to as “Wally the K” is the fiscal watchdog for the township Board. He is very protective of the taxpayer dollars and quite effective in proposing innovative solutions to streamlining expenses while improving services.

Pete Gialamas, Trustee

Pete Gialamas, a lifelong Des Plaines resident  and the newest Trustee candidate has been the Township’s Collector the past few years.  He is a popular local official well known to many local residents with an expertise in housing and development. Pete is also active in many civic, community and charity affairs.  Since being elected Township Collector he has done an incredible job of familiarizing himself with every aspect of Township government, participating in Agency day, Senior Fair, Chamber of Commerce activities and much more.

The Journal & Topics Newspaper has endorsed Laura Morask for 12th subcircuit Judge.

…excerpt….

Morask For Judge

Morask’s rise to a level of supervisor of the county’s Chicago West side gang crimes and senior sex crimes prosecutor staffs and her dedication to improving the justice system’s processing and investigation of these crimes, is outstanding evidence of her dedication and leadership skills.   Her jury trial experience of the last 21 years, her experience in Class X felony cases, and her experience dealing with some of the most serious criminal cases in Illinois in recent years, have given her unique and extensive insights into courtrooms and the life and responsibilities of judges. All of this leads the Journal to endorse Morask in this race.

~~SEEKING~~~

We desperately need some walkers this weekend.  Even one hour, grab a friend, meet at Laura’s Saturday or Sunday.  Help us reach out, we really need you. (It is supposed to be warmer, too.)
Call our campaign to help out – 773-991-5766

~~~Invite~~~

You are invited to “Join Laura on Election Night.”

November 4th
7:00 – 11:00 PM
Cheeseburger in Paradise
1472 Market Street
Des Plaines, IL

We wish to thank all of you who have worked and continue to work so hard on our behalf to help Put Laura on the Bench! Join us after the polls close for a burger and a beer at the little slice of paradise in downtown Des Plaines at Cheesburger in Paradise.

Food, Drinks, Music, and Fun at 1472 Market Street, Des Plaines, IL  847-299-3657

We’d love to see you and thank you !

Yet another article about Laura Morask (Punch #72) and the Cook County 12th Subcircuit Judicial race came out, this time from The Daily Herald. Laura has some great quotes in the article such as:

“I realized what I do well is bring people together and sit down and resolve differences amongst competing groups to resolve a problem,” Morask said.

Laura also made another great point with:

“You have to understand that every single person from the custodian to the courtroom personnel need to be treated with respect,” she said. “There’s a time and a place for venting; a courtroom is not that time and place.”

Finally she summed up a day at the State’s Attorney with:

“We sometimes handle up to 40 preliminary hearings a day, and we do it tremendously,” she said.

Experience, attitude at fore in judge race

By Nadia Malik | Daily Herald Staff

Two Republican candidates are seeking the nomination Feb. 5 for the judgeship left open by Judge Donald Devlin in the 12th Cook County subcircuit.

Laura Morask, 51, of Park Ridge, is an attorney with the Cook County state’s attorney office and a Maine Township trustee.

Michaela Nolan Ryan, 45, of Winnetka, is an attorney with Kerns, Frost and Pearlman in Bannockburn.

Both have years of experience as attorneys, and each feels she has the best demeanor to be a judge.

“I realized what I do well is bring people together and sit down and resolve differences amongst competing groups to resolve a problem,” Morask said.

Ryan said her main motivation in running is that she wants to get back into public service.

“At the beginning of my career, I was an assistant attorney general, and I really enjoyed public service,” she said. “It’s nice to be more involved with the cases you’re working on.”

Ryan said she has an even temperament, which is important for a judge.

“I don’t fly off the handle easily,” she said. “I’m firm, and I can make decisions and be decisive.”

Morask said she, too, has an even temperament but also points to respect for everyone in the courtroom as a major part of a judge’s job.

“You have to understand that every single person from the custodian to the courtroom personnel need to be treated with respect,” she said. “There’s a time and a place for venting; a courtroom is not that time and place.”

Morask said she also has experience with managing caseloads with the state’s attorney’s office, which she thinks will translate to running a courtroom.

“We sometimes handle up to 40 preliminary hearings a day, and we do it tremendously,” she said.

Ryan said she has had experience in various facets of the law and has handled both criminal and civil cases.

“I’ve been a lawyer for 16 years, so I’m not a newbie by any stretch,” she said. “I’ve practiced in a variety of areas, and that will help me to see both sides.”

Four Democrats are also trying to get their party’s nomination for this judgeship: Thomas Flannigan of Winnetka; Michael John Halloran of Glenview; Pamela Elizabeth Loza of Mount Prospect and Thomas R. Mulroy of Kenilworth.

A recent article in The Journal-Topics Newspaper and The Journal-Topics Online covered a fundraiser by 12th Subcircuit Judicial candidate Laura Morask (Punch #72!). The article compliments Laura’s diplomacy in bringing together various local Republicans who don’t always see eye to eye. Laura’s quote:

“I think it shows that I bring a unity to the Republican Party,” said Morask. “We need to focus on the bigger picture of unity. I’m the only candidate who’s ever brought this level of groups together. “

Laura’s been focused on being Republican Strong with numerous events this winter both for her and for other Republican candidate’s. It’s nice to see the press take notice of her accomplishments as a Judicial candidate.

A full reprint of the article after the break.

Township Republicans Unite To Support Morask Campaign

By TODD WESSELL

Journal & Topics Editor

It took a Cook County Circuit Court judge candidate to bring together long-time Maine Township Republican warring factions last week.

More than 100 state and local Republicans from Maine, Elk Grove, Wheeling, New Trier and Northfield townships attended a fundraising party for 12th subcircuit judicial candidate Laura Morask on Tuesday, Jan. 14 in Des Plaines.

Among those attending were area GOP leaders Mark Thompson, Maine Republican committeeman, Bob Dudycz, former Maine Township supervisor, Maine Township Highway Commissioner Bob Provenzano, and a representative from State Rep. Rosemary Mulligan’s (R-65th) office.

For the last eight years, these individuals have participated in frequent political bickering over control of the township and local Republican party.

However, at last Tuesday’s event, differences were put aside, at least for the moment.

Morask, a resident of Park Ridge, and current Maine Township trustee, is running in the Feb. 5 primary against Michaela Nolan Ryan.

Whoever wins, will take on the top Democratic vote-getter in the November general election. The 12th subcircuit is an area that includes much of the five townships of Maine, Elk Grove, Wheeling, Northfield and New Trier. Democratic candidates on the Feb. 5 ballot include, Thomas R. Mulroy, Michael John Halloran, Pamela Elizabeth Loza and Thomas Flannigan.

Numerous other primary battles will be waged on Feb. 5 as well including selection of delegates for Republican and Democratic presidential candidates. In all that day, 22 states will vote for president contenders.

Main speakers at the Morask $50 per plate fundraiser were Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman and Dudycz. Morask was presented a book about former President Ronald Reagan from Dudycz.

Also speaking was current Maine Township Supervisor Carol Teschky who said Morask will be missed as a member of the township board should she become judge.

Other attendees included many area GOP precinct captains, Wheeling Township Republican Committeewoman Ruth O’Connell, and Maine Township Assessor Tom Rueckert, Clerk Gary Warner, and trustees Susan Moylan-Krey and Peter Gialmos, and Elk Grove Township Republican Committeeman Cheryl Axley.

“I think it shows that I bring a unity to the Republican Party,” said Morask. “We need to focus on the bigger picture of unity. I’m the only candidate who’s ever brought this level of groups together.

Morask has been a Cook County state’s attorney for the last 22 years and a Maine Township trustee for the last six years.

“Ms. Morask is “Qualified for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. Morask was admitted to practice. In 1987 and is a highly skilled and experienced supervisor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office [who] possesses all the requisite qualifications to serve as Circuit Court Judge.” Chicago Bar Association, January 12, 2008

Which is their reaffirmation from a previous review:

“The candidate is a graduate of Chicago-Kent School of Law where she excelled in moot court and was awarded the Student Bar Association Bar and Gavel Award. She has been a speaker and Presenter to the Chicago Police Department, Oakton Community College and Carpenter Elementary School. She has attended several CLE seminars during the past five years including those on the Subjects of cross-examination and prosecutorial ethics.

The Candidate has spent her career as a prosecutor of criminal cases in the Cook County State’s Attorneys Office in a number of capacities including; juvenile abuse, neglect and felony review. She is currently the senior sex trial specialist of the Sexual Crimes Division. She is highly regarded for her integrity and advocacy skills and is qualified to become an Associate Judge.” Chicago Bar Association, May 4, 1999