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"In Madison and St. Clair counties, confidence in the local governmental and judicial systems was tested like never before when in the last year and a half a county treasurer was brought to justice on corruption charges and an elected state court judge was jailed on heroin charges.<br /><br />U.S. Attorney Stephen Wigginton prosecuted both of these high profile cases against Democratic public officials which ended when those indicted received relatively light sentences for their crimes.<br /><br />A review of contributions that Wigginton, his firm and partner have made through the years shows a strong preference for Democratic candidates and causes.<br /><br /><strong>Past to Present</strong><br /><br />Eight years ago, as Democrats sensed a victory that would restore their control of the U.S. Congress, Belleville lawyer Bruce N. Cook led an effort that raised $58,000 for Senator Dick Durbin in one day.<br /><br />Cook himself gave Durbin $2,200, and so did sons Bruce R. Cook and Michael Cook.<br /><br />Their wives together gave Durbin $5,200. Lawyers in Cook&rsquo;s firm added $4,000.<br /><br />Durbin collected $1,000 each from other attorneys such as Stephen Wigginton, who Durbin would later recommend for U.S. Attorney - a job that one day would involve investigating a death on property of the Cook family.<br /><br />On June 28, 2010, while Wigginton awaited Senate confirmation, the firm he shared with Michael Weilmuenster gave $500 to a joint fund of candidates for circuit judge, Robert Haida and Michael Cook.<br /><br />Two days later, Weilmuenster and Wigginton gave Haida and Cook $4,000.<br /><br />Wigginton also investigated former Madison County treasurer Fred Bathon, a Democrat, who rigged tax sale bids to enrich contributors.<br /><br />With judge Michael Cook, he found no merit in a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit finding probable cause to believe he distributed illegal drugs.<br /><br />Nor did he follow through on a state police laboratory report identifying Cook as suspect in the death of St. Clair County associate judge Joe Christ.<br /><br />On the charges he brought, he bargained a sentence so short that a judge rejected it, twice.<br /><br />With Bathon, Wigginton chose not to seek restitution for victims of a $4 million crime.<br /><br />The decision benefited not only Bathon but also John Vassen and Scott McLean, who pleaded guilty of conspiring with Bathon.<br /><br />Just as Wigginton did for Cook, he bargained such short sentences for Vassen and McLean that a judge rejected them.<br /><br />A Department of Justice manual requires recusal &ldquo;where a conflict of interest exists or there is an appearance of a conflict of interest or loss of impartiality.&rdquo;<br /><br />Wigginton&rsquo;s history of contributions shows the pronounced support for Democratic candidates:<br /><br /><strong>1994-2002</strong><br /><br />He wrote his first check in 1994, for $200, to state representative candidate Jay Hoffman.<br /><br />In 1999, when Bruce N. Cook raised $14,750 for Durbin, Wigginton contributed $250. Cook, his sons, and their three wives each gave Durbin $1,000. Three lawyers in Cook&rsquo;s firm added $500 each.<br /><br />Wigginton gave Madison County state&rsquo;s attorney Bill Haine $250 in 2000, and he gave Hoffman $500 in 2001.<br /><br />Wigginton and Weilmuenster started a firm together in 2001.<br /><br />The firm gave its first campaign check to St. Clair County state&rsquo;s attorney John Baricevic, for $250, and the second to judge James Donovan, for $300.<br /><br />In 2002, the firm gave $5,000 to Rod Blagojevich&rsquo;s campaign for governor and $1,000 to Lisa Madigan&rsquo;s campaign for attorney general.<br /><br />In St. Clair County, the firm gave $250 to the party&rsquo;s central committee, $250 to circuit judge candidate Annette Eckert, and $200 to circuit judge Michael O&rsquo;Malley.<br /><br />In Madison County, the firm gave $200 to Thomas Chapman, who is currently an associate judge.<br /><br />Weilmuenster gave $2,500 to the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.<br /><br />Wigginton gave incumbent Congressman Jerry Costello $1,000.<br /><br /><strong>2003-05</strong><br /><br />Weilmuenster gave the trial lawyers $2,500 again in 2003, and Wigginton gave Costello $1,000 again.<br /><br />The firm gave $300 to Donovan, $260 to Baricevic, $200 to coroner Rick Stone.<br /><br />In 2004, the firm gave appellate court justice Gordon Maag $2,200 for his Illinois Supreme Court campaign against Lloyd Karmeier.<br /><br />The firm gave $1,500 to the Illinois Democratic Party.<br /><br />In St. Clair County, the firm gave $1,900 to circuit judge Robert LeChien, $300 to circuit clerk Barney Metz, $250 each to board chairman candidate Mark Kern and auditor Patty Sprague, and $200 to Stone.<br /><br />In Madison County, the firm gave $200 each to county board chair Alan Dunstan, circuit judge Andy Matoesian, and county board member Sue Brown.<br /><br />Weilmuenster doubled his contribution to the trial lawyers, giving $5,000.<br /><br />Wigginton again gave Costello $1,000.<br /><br />In 2005, Weilmuenster gave the trial lawyers $2,500, and Wigginton gave Costello $1,000.<br /><br />The firm gave $1,000 to Troy mayor Tom Caraker, and $500 each to Hoffman, state senator John Cullerton, and East St. Louis school board president Lonzo Greenwood.<br /><br />The firm gave $300 to appellate court justice candidate Bruce Stewart and $200 to Madison County judicial candidate Dave Hylla.<br /><br />The firm gave $750 to the St. Clair County central committee, $300 to the state party.<br /><br /><strong>2006</strong><br /><br />In 2006, the firm gave candidates $3,900 through August.<br /><br />The firm gave $750 each to Blagojevich and Hoffman.<br /><br />In St. Clair County, the firm gave $450 to circuit judge Jan Fiss, $250 each to Kern and the central committee, and $200 to county clerk Bob Delaney.<br /><br />In Madison County, the firm gave Hylla $1,250.<br /><br />On Sept. 6, 2006, Wigginton joined in a fund raising event for Durbin that reflected the success of lawyers in St. Clair and Madison county courts since the Durbin event in 1999.<br /><br />Bruce N. Cook, his sons, and the wives of all three gave Durbin a total of $11,800.<br /><br />Cook&rsquo;s law partners Joseph Bartholomew, Bernard Ysursa and Gregory Shevlin, each gave Durbin $1,000, as did Claudia Bartholomew.<br /><br />Others followed Cook&rsquo;s example.<br /><br />Tom Keefe of Belleville gave Durbin $3,200, the most for any individual.<br /><br />Kern gave him $2,000.<br /><br />Edwardsville injury lawyer Mark Goldenberg and partner David Antognoli each gave him $2,000, as did Edwardsville asbestos lawyer Randy Gori.<br /><br />Keith Short of the Becker firm in Belleville gave him $2,000, and colleagues Alvin Paulson, Kevin Hoerner, Garrett Hoerner, and Elizabeth Egan each gave him $1,000.<br /><br />Lawyers at Korein Tillery in St. Louis together gave him $7,000.<br /><br />Belleville law partners Jerald Bonifield and John Rosenstengel each gave him $1,000.<br /><br />Swansea lawyer John Kurowski gave him $1,000, and so did Constance Kurowski.<br /><br />Wigginton, eight other lawyers, and five persons in other occupations each gave him $1,000.<br /><br />Durbin raised $58,000 in all, almost four times as much as in 1999.<br /><br />On the same date, Wigginton gave Costello $1,000.<br /><br /><strong>2007</strong><br /><br />Wigginton gave Durbin $1,000 in 2007, and wife Kathleen Wigginton gave him $250.<br /><br />They jointly gave $250 to Madison County circuit judge Bill Mudge, and the firm gave $250 to Madison County circuit judge candidate Richard Tognarelli.<br /><br />The firm gave $900 to appellate court candidate James Wexstten, $200 to regional school superintendent Brad Harriman.<br /><br />In St. Clair County, the firm gave $250 to the central committee and $200 to circuit clerk candidate Brendan Kelly.<br /><br />Weilmuenster gave the trial lawyers $2,500, and Wigginton gave Costello $1,000.<br /><br />On Sept. 30, 2007, Weilmuenster jumped on the bandwagon of presidential candidate Barack Obama with a check for $1,000.<br /><br /><strong>2008</strong><br /><br />Wigginton in June 2008 gave Obama $500.<br /><br />Weilmuenster gave the trial lawyers $2,500 in that election year. Wiggington skipped his annual $1,000 contribution to Costello. Kathleen sent it instead.<br /><br />In St. Clair County, the firm gave $1,200 to circuit judge Michael O&rsquo;Malley, $500 each to Kern and Kelly, and $450 to the central committee.<br /><br />In Madison County, the firm gave Mudge $250, and Wigginton gave Dunstan $200.<br /><br />The firm gave $1,000 to Hoffman, and $500 to state senator James Clayborne.<br /><br />The firm gave $1,200 for retention of Fifth District appellate judge Richard Goldenhersh, and $250 for retention of circuit judge Dennis Doyle.<br /><br />On Oct. 22, Wigginton gave Obama $250.<br /><br />Next day, he gave $250 to senate candidate James Martin.<br /><br /><strong>2009</strong><br /><br />The firm set a lump sum record on Jan. 30, 2009, giving Wexstten $10,000. On the same date the firm gave Kern $500.<br /><br />That spring, Weilmuenster gave the trial lawyers $2,500, and Wigginton gave Costello $1,000.<br /><br />The firm gave $250 to the political action committee of the building and construction trades council, and $200 each to Dunstan and state representative John Fritchey.<br /><br />The Wiggintons gave $250 to Madison County circuit clerk Matt Melucci in May, and they gave Mudge $250 in June.<br /><br />Also in June, the firm gave $1,000 to governor Pat Quinn.<br /><br />In July, Durbin submitted Wigginton&rsquo;s name to Obama as a possible U.S. attorney. Durbin also submitted the name of Courtney Cox, who held the position at the time.<br /><br />Later that year, the firm gave $500 to state representative Eddie Jackson, $250 to the central committee, and $200 to Kelly.<br /><br />That November, Wigginton gave $1,000 to candidate for state treasurer Alex Giannoulias.<br /><br /><strong>2010</strong><br /><br />In February 2010, the firm gave Kern $1,000.<br /><br />On April 5, Weilmuenster doubled his annual check for the trial lawyers to $5,000.<br /><br />On April 14, Kathleen Wigginton gave Costello $1,000.<br /><br />On April 15, Obama nominated Wigginton.<br /><br />On May 21, the firm gave $250 to the building trades council.<br /><br />On May 22, Weilmuenster gave Costello $300.<br /><br />On June 14, Kathleen Wigginton gave Giannoulias $1,000, and the firm gave St. Clair County assessor Jennifer Gomric Minton $200.<br /><br />On June 28, the firm gave $300 to Committee for a Free Judiciary.<br /><br />Also on that date, the firm gave $500 to the joint campaign of Haida and Cook.<br /><br />On June 30, the firm gave Haida and Cook $4,000.<br /><br />That August, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Wigginton.<br /><br /><strong>2011</strong><br /><br />In 2011, Costello&rsquo;s annual check for $1,000 came from Kathleen Wigginton. She gave congressional candidate Harriman $2,500.<br /><br /><strong>2013</strong><br /><br />On Feb. 5, 2013, Wigginton filed information that Bathon violated antitrust laws.<br /><br />Bathon waived indictment, an option some defendants exercise when they negotiate pleas before prosecutors file charges.<br /><br />On Feb. 25, Wigginton moved for an order &ldquo;determining that it is impracticable to perform a complete accounting of the losses to each individual victim.&rdquo;<br /><br />Chief District Judge David Herndon denied the motion without prejudice on March 1, and asked for more information.<br /><br />On March 10, in Pike County, Michael Cook found Joe Christ dead.<br /><br />At an autopsy, a &ldquo;one hitter&rdquo; device for snorting cocaine fell from Christ&rsquo;s clothes to the floor. Pike County sheriff and coroner Paul Petty picked it up.<br /><br />Petty questioned Cook in Belleville on the day of Christ&rsquo;s funeral, and filed a report that Cook admitted using drugs.<br /><br />Deputy sheriff Matt Frazier summarized the case as possible negligent homicide.<br /><br />He wrote that Cook told Petty others like him in the courthouse used drugs.<br /><br />Petty and Frazier reported that Cook said a person in the courthouse gave Christ the one hitter as a gift on his promotion from prosecutor to judge.<br /><br />Pike County state&rsquo;s attorney Carrie Boyd did not touch the case.<br /><br />When Boyd declined to act, Wigginton took charge.<br /><br />He had already opened an investigation into a drug business that Deborah Perkins ran from her home at 20 Kassing Drive in Fairview Heights.<br /><br />Two guests of her son, Douglas Oliver, had died of overdoses in 2012.<br /><br />Wigginton had indicted Perkins as leader of the enterprise and Oliver as a distributor.<br /><br />He had also indicted distributor Eric Beckley of Centreville.<br /><br />Agents had questioned distributor Sean McGilvery of Belleville, but had not arrested him.<br /><br />On May 23, they arrested Michael Cook at McGilvery&rsquo;s home.<br /><br />They arrested McGilvery elsewhere, and charged him as Cook&rsquo;s heroin dealer.<br /><br />They arrested St. Clair County probation officer James Fogarty, and charged him as Christ&rsquo;s cocaine dealer.<br /><br />Wigginton filed information that Cook possessed heroin and used it while possessing firearms.<br /><br />Cook waived indictment, as Bathon had done.<br /><br />Three days later a state police scientist reported finding more genetic material from Cook on the one hitter than from Christ, indicating it belonged to Cook.<br /><br />The report identified Christ as victim, Cook as suspect.<br /><br />Meanwhile in Bathon&rsquo;s case, Wigginton informed Herndon that the government analyzed 11,762 transactions in annual auctions from 2004 to 2007.<br /><br />He provided a table showing that tax buyers who would have collected $778,035 in the absence of collusion instead collected $4,846,902.14.<br /><br />He again declared it impracticable to calculate the loss for each parcel.<br /><br />In Cook&rsquo;s case, in June, Senior Judge William Stiehl suspended the proceedings so Cook could obtain treatment.<br /><br />Stiehl then recused himself, and the other judges followed suit.<br /><br />Herndon assigned the case to Senior Judge Joe McDade from the Central District of Illinois.<br /><br />In Bathon&rsquo;s case, in October, Wigginton filed information that tax buyers John Vassen and Scott McLean conspired with Bathon.<br /><br />They too waived indictment, agreeing to spend 10 to 16 months in prison.<br /><br />Wigginton asked Herndon for an order that, &ldquo;no additional resources need be expended in determining the exact amount of restitution owed to each of the potential victims in the case.&rdquo;<br /><br />Wigginton gave Durbin $1,000 in December, his first campaign contribution in three years.<br /><br /><strong>2014</strong><br /><br />In January, Herndon questioned whether a range of 10 to 16 months was appropriate for Vassen and McLean.<br /><br />After an exchange of briefs under seal, Herndon sentenced Vassen for two years and McLean for 18 months.<br /><br />In Cook&rsquo;s case, Wigginton negotiated an 18 month sentence but McDade found it too lenient in light of the harm to public confidence in the judiciary.<br /><br />At a second sentencing hearing this March, Wigginton again asked for 18 months.<br /><br />He praised Cook as generously as Cook&rsquo;s lawyer did.<br /><br />McDade stretched the sentence to two years.<br /><br />Wigginton said after the hearing that the investigation would continue.<br /><br />He has not charged anyone since."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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