Sheila Simon

Last updated
Perry Knop
​
(m. 1987)​
Sheila Simon
Sheila Simon.jpg
Simon in 2010
46th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
In office
January 10, 2011 –January 12, 2015
Children2
Education Wittenberg University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

Sheila J. Simon (born March 13, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Illinois, from 2011 to 2015. In 2014, she was the Democratic nominee for Illinois State Comptroller, losing to Republican incumbent Judy Baar Topinka. Simon is the daughter of former U.S. Senator Paul Simon, who had previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Illinois (1969–1973), and his first wife, former Illinois State Representative Jeanne Hurley Simon.

Contents

She currently serves as a professor of law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law.

Education and pre-political career

Sheila Simon received a B.A. in 1983 from Wittenberg University and a J.D. in 1987 from Georgetown University Law Center. Following law school, she worked as a staff attorney at a legal aid clinic, the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation from 1987 to 1992, providing legal services to indigent clients. She was an associate at the firm of O'Neill & Colvin in Carbondale, Illinois, from 1992 to 1994 [1] and then served as an assistant state's attorney in Jackson County, Illinois from 1994 to 1998, where she prosecuted DUIs and domestic battery cases. [2]

Along with several other attorneys and with the support of school faculty, Simon helped to inaugurate Southern Illinois University's law school domestic violence clinic in 1998. [3] She worked as a clinical assistant professor at Southern Illinois University School of Law from 2000 to 2005 and was promoted to clinical associate professor in 2005. [1]

Political career

Simon was on the Carbondale city council from 2003 to 2007 and unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Carbondale in 2007. [2] Subsequently, Governor Quinn selected her to serve on the Illinois Reform Commission, which helped to establish the first political contribution limits in Illinois law. [4]

The Reform Commission consisted of 15 members from a wide variety of backgrounds, from attorneys, business owners, academics and even a football coach. [5] The Commission issued a 100-day report after holding hearings across the state and examining ethics regulations in states across the country. [6]

On October 28, 2019, State Treasurer Mike Frerichs nominated Simon to serve as a member of the Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee. The Illinois Senate confirmed Simon's appointment on May 26, 2021. [7]

Lieutenant Governor of Illinois

On March 27, 2010, Illinois Democratic leaders, in the form of the 38-member Democratic State Central Committee, selected Simon to be Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's running mate in the November 2010 general election, despite her not appearing as a candidate in the original primary election, as the candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. [8] Simon replaced Scott Lee Cohen on the ballot after Cohen, who won the February 2010 Democratic primary, withdrew amid controversies involving his personal life. Among potential candidates, Simon beat out Illinois State Rep. Art Turner, who had come in second in the primary to Cohen. [8]

According to the Quinn/Simon campaign, the pairing of Gov. Quinn and Sheila Simon was appropriate, as the two worked together successfully in achieving the passage of campaign finance law, and have many shared goals and political viewpoints. [4] Simon was sworn in on January 10, 2011. [9]

State Senate campaign

On September 7, 2015, Simon announced her candidacy for the Illinois Senate seat being vacated by the retiring David Luechtefeld. Simon was defeated by her Republican opponent Paul Schimpf. [10]

Personal life

Simon and her husband, Perry Knop, were married in 1987. [11] Knop is a Political Science professor and the Social Science department chair at John A. Logan College, the Carterville community college that serves the Carbondale area. [12] In 2010, they had two daughters in college, and hosted a female exchange student from Peru. Simon has been in the band Loose Gravel for over ten years. [13] She plays banjo and bassoon. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williamson County, Illinois</span> County in Illinois, United States

Williamson County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 67,153. The largest city and county seat is Marion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Simon (politician)</span> American politician (1928–2003)

Paul Martin Simon was an American author and politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and in the United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, he unsuccessfully ran for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Ryan</span> Governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003

George Homer Ryan is an American former politician and convicted felon who served as the 39th governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as secretary of State of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and as lieutenant governor from 1983 to 1991. He was later convicted of federal racketeering, bribery, extortion, money laundering and tax fraud stemming from his time in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Blagojevich</span> Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009

Rod Blagojevich, often referred to by his nickname "Blago", is an American politician, political commentator, and convicted felon who served as the 40th governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. He was impeached, removed from office, convicted, and incarcerated for eight years on federal charges of public corruption. A member of the Democratic Party, Blagojevich previously worked in both the state and federal legislatures. He served as an Illinois state representative from 1993 to 1997, and the U.S. representative from Illinois's 5th district from 1997 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Baar Topinka</span> American politician (1944-2014)

Judy Baar Topinka was an American politician and member of the Republican Party from the U.S. State of Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Madigan</span> American lawyer and politician

Lisa Murray Madigan is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as Attorney General of the U.S. state of Illinois from 2003 to 2019, being the first woman to hold that position. She is the adopted daughter of Michael Madigan, who served as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995 and from 1997 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Illinois gubernatorial election</span>

The 2006 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich won re-election to a second four-year term scheduled to have ended on January 10, 2011. However, Blagojevich did not complete his term, as he was impeached and removed from office in 2009. This was the first election since 1964 that a Democrat was re-elected governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of Illinois</span> Second highest executive of the U.S. State of Illinois

The lieutenant governor of Illinois is the second highest executive of the State of Illinois. In Illinois, the lieutenant governor and governor run on a joint ticket and are directly elected by popular vote. Gubernatorial candidates select their running mates when filing for office and appear on the primary election ballot together. When the governor of Illinois becomes unable to discharge the duties of that office, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor. If the governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. Under the Illinois Constitution, the Attorney General is next in line of succession to the Governor's office after the lieutenant governor, but does not succeed to the lieutenant governor's office. From the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich in 2009, until the inauguration of Sheila Simon in 2011, Attorney General Lisa Madigan would have become governor if Pat Quinn had vacated the office. Historically, the lieutenant governor has been from either the Democratic Party or Republican Party. The current lieutenant governor is Democrat Juliana Stratton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Quinn (politician)</span> Governor of Illinois from 2009 to 2015

Patrick Joseph Quinn Jr. is an American politician who served as the 41st governor of Illinois from 2009 to 2015. A Democrat, Quinn began his career as an activist by founding the Coalition for Political Honesty. He was elected lieutenant governor in 2002 and served under governor Rod Blagojevich. After Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office in 2009, Quinn assumed the governorship. He secured a full term in office in the 2010 gubernatorial election, but later lost his bid for a second term in the 2014 gubernatorial election to his opponent Bruce Rauner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Illinois</span> Government of a U.S. state

The Government of Illinois, under Illinois' Constitution, has three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The State's executive branch is split into several statewide elected offices, with the Governor as chief executive and head of state, and has numerous departments, agencies, boards and commissions. Legislative functions are granted to the General Assembly, a bicameral body consisting of the 118-member House of Representatives and the 59-member Senate. The judiciary is composed of the Supreme Court of Illinois and lower courts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Hartigan</span> American lawyer and politician

Cornelius Francis "Neil" Hartigan is an American lawyer, judge, and politician who served as the Attorney General of Illinois and the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Arthur L. Turner is a former Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 9th District from 1981 to 2010, and serving as the Deputy Majority Leader. He was a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 2010, but placed second to Scott Lee Cohen. Mr. Cohen relinquished the nomination after controversies involving his personal life became public. On March 27, 2010, the 38-member Democratic State Central Committee, chose Sheila Simon to be the candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois over Turner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Illinois gubernatorial election</span>

The 2010 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic Governor Pat Quinn was elected to a full term in office, having become governor in 2009 following the impeachment and removal of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Quinn was elected as the Democratic nominee, the Illinois Green Party nominee was attorney and 2006 nominee Rich Whitney, the Republican nominee was State Senator Bill Brady, the Libertarian Party nominee was Lex Green, and Scott Lee Cohen ran as an independent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David H. Hoffman</span> American prosecutor (born 1967)

David H. Hoffman is a former federal prosecutor and was Chicago's inspector general. Hoffman ran for the Illinois seat of the U.S. Senate in 2010 but lost to Alexi Giannoulias in the Democratic primary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick M. Collins</span>

Patrick M. Collins, is an American lawyer. Collins is a partner in King & Spalding LLP's Special Matters and Government Investigations practice. Previously, he was a partner at Perkins Coie LLP. Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Collins worked for the United States Department of Justice as an assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2005, he led the U.S. government's team in the trial and conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan on charges of racketeering and fraud. In 2009, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn appointed Collins to chair the Illinois Reform Commission, which was tasked with making recommendations for ethical reform for Illinois government. Several of the IRC's recommendations became the basis for new state legislation, including an overhauled Freedom of Information Act and the state's first measures to limit campaign finance in history. In January 2010, Collins authored a book entitled Challenging the Culture of Corruption: Game Changing Reform for Illinois.(ISBN 978-0879464240). In 2010, Collins was selected by the Chicago Law Bulletin as one of Chicago's "Top Ten" attorneys of the decade. Prior to his 12 years with the Department of Justice, Collins worked as an associate in private practice.

Jeanne C. Hurley Simon was the first wife of Senator Paul Simon and the mother of former Illinois Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, was a state and national public official in her own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Illinois gubernatorial election</span> Election of Bruce Rauner as governor of Illinois

The 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, concurrently with the election to Illinois's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Illinois elections</span>

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Illinois on November 4, 2014. All of Illinois' executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of Illinois' eighteen seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on March 18, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evelyn Sanguinetti</span> American politician

Evelyn Sanguinetti is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 47th lieutenant governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019. She previously served on the Wheaton City Council. Sanguinetti announced her candidacy for the 2020 election in Illinois's 6th congressional district, challenging first-term Democratic incumbent Sean Casten, but dropped out on October 11, 2019.

Paul M. Schimpf is an American lawyer and former Republican member of the Illinois Senate from the 58th district from 2017 to 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 Association of American Law Schools Directory of Law Teachers 1300 (2010–11).
  2. 1 2 Guzzardi, Will (2010-03-30). "Sheila Simon: Learning About The Democrats' New Lieutenant Governor Nominee". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  3. ↑ "SIU School of Law". Law.siu.edu. 2009-09-25. Archived from the original on 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  4. 1 2 "Governor Quinn Signs Campaign Reform Law". Illinois Government News Network (Press release). Governor's Office Press, State of Illinois. 2009-12-09. Archived from the original on 2010-11-03. Retrieved 2010-10-29.
  5. ↑ "Illinois Reform Commission – Meet the Commission". ReformIllinoisNow.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  6. ↑ "Illinois Reform Commission – Mission". ReformIllinoisNow.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-02. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  7. ↑ Frerichs, Mike (October 28, 2019). "Appointment Message 101-0250". Illinois General Assembly . Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Clout St: Democrats pick Simon as Quinn's running mate". Newsblogs.chicagotribune.com. 2010-03-27. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  9. ↑ Garcia, Monique; Long, Ray; Pearson, Rick; Wilson, Todd (January 10, 2011). "Quinn takes oath amid increased security in Springfield". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  10. ↑ Hancock, Amanda (2015-09-08). "Sheila Simon announces bid for Illinois State Senate". The Southern. Retrieved 2015-09-08.
  11. ↑ Pearson, Rick; Long, Ray (March 27, 2010). "Sheila Simon vows to campaign for lt. gov. on her own merits". Chicago Breaking News . Chicago: Tribune Company. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  12. ↑ "Social Science Faculty/Staff – Full–Time". Carterville, Illinois: John A. Logan College. Archived from the original on 2010-11-24. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  13. ↑ "Meet Sheila Simon". Quinn for Illinois. 2010-08-05. Archived from the original on 2010-10-01. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  14. ↑ "Sheila Simon and the girl pope song". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Illinois Comptroller
2014 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
2011–2015		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.