Lisa Madigan Rates Mention As Possible Obama Supreme Court Pick

Dozens of names have surfaced as potential replacements for Supreme Court Justice David Souter, who is retiring at the end of this year's term. The money is on President Obama selecting a woman, something Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court's lone female justice, has said is much needed.

In its roundup of 20 potential candidates, Slate leans toward women, including a dark horse from Illinois: Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Slate calls Madigan "a rising star in Illinois politics" and notes that she shares a background in community organizing with Obama.

Consider this for Madigan's column: She successfully argued a case before the Supreme Court, the first attorney general to personally do so in 25 years--while seven months pregnant. The case, Illinois v. Caballes, gave police the authority to use drug-sniffing dogs on the outside of a stopped vehicle without a warrant or reason to suspect possession.

As Law.com notes, Madigan has other serious law-and-order bona fides, such as advocating for stricter supervision and registration of sex offenders, stronger methamphetamine laws, and scrutiny of the state's gaming industry. Prior to joining the state senate, Madigan specialized in employment law at a Chicago firm and as attorney general filed an amicus brief in support of the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy in Grutter v. Bollinger. She also challenged former Illinois Gov. George Ryan's commutation of 32 death row inmates on legal grounds--and lost--and recently came under fire for not aggressively investigating 25 cases relating to a Chicago police commander accused of torture.

The odds are slim for Madigan, who is weighing a run for governor in 2010, but it's not nearly as unlikely as Sen. Dick Durbin's suggestion that Obama consider first term Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Comments

[DDK]

Put this in the category of no way, no how. Nope. Not gonna happen.

[Cogs]

She can only really help her father and his cronies by becoming governor.

[wwoody]

let rethink this.

[furtivelook]

She's not qualified to be dog catcher.

[Dr Manhattan]

What in God's name as she ever done of note in legal profession? She's not scholar, never been a judge, and she's a lousy AG. Who the heck writes this junk and why does HP post it?

[rwext]

No one from Illinois .... Haven't we all see the disaster that Illinois politicians have wrought in the last 100 days?

[naschkatze]

Never happen.

[bdl0715]

I think Lisa Madigan would be great on the Supreme Court. I like her, but I can not vote for her for Governor as long as her father is the Speaker of the House.

[berryessence]

MADIGAN STAY IN IL

RUN FOR GOVERNOR...YOU NOT READY FOR SUPREME COURT

[dan-o]

Someone from Illinois politics? Ha HA HA HA HA HA.....Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I wonder how much a Illinois politician could get for Supreme COurt votes.

[TheMoon]

She was barely qualified for State's Attorney just a couple of years ago. Now she's ready for the Supreme Court?? I don't think so.

[KarateKid]

OH, PULEEZE!!! You've got to be kidding.

[Clayton139]

I am behind you on this one Mr. President !