Michael P. McCuskey

Michael Patrick McCuskey (born June 30, 1948) is the Illinois Legislative Inspector General since his appointment on February 17, 2022. He has served as a state circuit and appellate judge, and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

For the American football player, see Michael McCloskey. For the Canadian politician, see Michael McCluskey.
Michael Patrick McCuskey
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
In office
June 30, 2013 – May 31, 2014
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
In office
December 14, 2004 – March 12, 2012
Preceded byJoe Billy McDade
Succeeded byJames E. Shadid
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
In office
April 3, 1998 – June 30, 2013
Appointed byBill Clinton
Preceded byHarold Baker
Succeeded byColin S. Bruce
Personal details
Born
Michael Patrick McCuskey

(1948-06-30) June 30, 1948
Peoria, Illinois
Political partyDemocratic[1]
EducationIllinois State University (BS)
Saint Louis University (JD)

In 1966, McCuskey graduated in a class of 16 students at Sparland High School,[Note 1] Sparland, Illinois. He was recruited to Illinois State University in 1966 by baseball coach Duffy Bass, who told McCuskey about the new Political Science department starting at ISU that autumn.[2] While at ISU, he was a member of the 1969 baseball team that played in the NCAA College Division championships;[3] a sore arm ended his pitching career. McCuskey received a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University in 1970[3] as part the first class to graduate from ISU's Political Science department.[2] Following graduation, he was a baseball coach and history teacher at Ottawa Township High School, Ottawa, Illinois for two years,[2][3] then entered the Saint Louis University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1975.[4] He was in private practice as a partner in the law firm of Pace, McCuskey and Galley in Lacon, Illinois from 1975 to 1988, and was also the chief public defender of Marshall County, Illinois, from 1976 to 1988.[3][4]

Judicial career

State judicial service

He was elected an Illinois state circuit court judge on the Tenth Judicial Circuit from 1988 to 1990, where he sat in felony court at Peoria.[3][4] When two new seats were created on the Illinois Appellate Court, he chose to run for one of the newly created seats. In the 1990 general election, McCuskey defeated Republican candidate William Holdridge.[5] Robert A. Barnes Jr. was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to succeed him in the 10th circuit effective January 3, 1991.[6]

McCuskey served as a judge on the Illinois Appellate Court from 1990 to 1998.[3][4][7] In 1993, he was selected its presiding judge.[8] In 1991, he received the Illinois Public Defender Association's Award of Excellence and Meritorious Service.[9] While an appellate court judge, McCuskey was appointed to the Administrative Committee, replacing Tobias Barry, who had served as committee chairman.[10]

After his confirmation to the federal bench by the U.S. Senate, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed former state legislator Judy Koehler to the vacancy.[11]

Federal judicial service

He was nominated for the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois by President Bill Clinton on July 31, 1997, to a seat vacated by Harold Baker. McCuskey and G. Patrick Murphy's respective nominations were held by Phil Gramm in retaliation for Carol Moseley Braun blocking Gramm's preferred nominee to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission until the intervention of George Ryan.[12] McCuskey was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 2, 1998, and received his commission on April 3, 1998.[4] He served as chief judge of the district from December 14, 2004[3][Note 2] to March 12, 2012, when he swore in successor James E. Shadid.[13] McCuskey took senior status on June 30, 2013, and retired from the bench on May 31, 2014.[4]

Return to state judicial service

He was appointed to the Illinois Tenth Judicial Circuit, his original seat, taking office on June 3, 2014, to complete the term of the retiring Kevin Galley. McCuskey took up his seat in Marshall County, and stated his intention to run for election in November 2016. In 2016, McCuskey was elected to the vacancy unopposed. He stepped down as a judge in 2020[1] The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Paul Bauer as McCuskey's successor as the resident circuit judge of Marshall County.[14]

ISU Board of Trustees

Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed McCuskey a member of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees for a term commencing September 29, 2005 and ending January 17, 2011. McCuskey was confirmed by the Illinois Senate in a unanimous vote on November 3, 2005.[15] In 2011, Governor Pat Quinn reappointed McCuskey to the ISU Board of Trustees for a term from 2011 to 2017.[3][16] Upon reassuming a circuit court judgeship in 2014, he stepped down from the ISU Board of Trustees and was replaced by Robert Dobski.[17]

Illinois Legislative Inspector General

On July 14, 2021, Carol M. Pope announced her intent to resign as the Legislative Inspector General effective January 31, 2022.[18] The Illinois Senate voted in favor of McCuskey's nomination on February 16, 2022, and the Illinois House voted in favor of his nomination the next day.[18] McCuskey was appointed to complete the remainder of Pope's term. On May 9, 2023, the Illinois General Assembly voted to appoint McCuskey to a five-year term as the Legislative Inspector General to start June 30, 2023 and end June 30, 2028.[19]

Personal

His wife, Barbara Huber McCuskey, graduated from Illinois State University in 1987; as of 2006, they had one son and lived in Urbana,[2] and as of 2015 lived in Lacon.[7]

Notes
  1. Sparland High School was consolidated into the current Midland High School.
  2. Illinois State University's Trustee biography says that McCuskey's chief judge term started on December 14, 2004; Greyheart says only December 2004; the Federal Judicial Center biography says only 2004; Kravetz in the Peoria Journal Star says "since 2005".

References
  1. Smith, Gary (August 20, 2020). "Judge Michael McCuskey reflects on 32-year judicial career". Journal Star. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  2. Graybill, Elaine (Spring 2006). "Illinois State University was a home run for Judge Michael McCuskey '70" (PDF). Political Science News & Views (newsletter). Normal, Illinois: Department of Politics and Government, Illinois State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-11. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  3. "Michael McCuskey - Board Chair". Normal, Illinois: Illinois State University. Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  4. "McCuskey, Michael Patrick - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
  5. "Judges: [FINAL Edition 1]". The Pantagraph. November 8, 1990. p. A5 – via ProQuest.
  6. "Names: The Judiciary". Illinois Issues. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  7. Smith, Gary L. (January 5, 2015). "McCuskey comes home as Marshall County judge". Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois: GateHouse Media. pp. A1, A9.
  8. "ISU grad named presiding justice". Pantagraph. June 27, 1993. p. B9 – via ProQuest.
  9. Ryan, George (ed.). "Judicial Branch". Illinois Blue Book 1997-1998. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 182.
  10. Henriksen, Steve. "Names: Judiciary". Illinois Issues. Sangamon State University. 17 (7): 35. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  11. "Former lawmaker now on the bench", Illinois Issues, July/August 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  12. Davis, Jennifer (ed.). "People: Appointments". Illinois Issues. University of Illinois at Springfield. 24 (5). ISSN 0738-9663. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  13. Kravetz, Andy (March 13, 2012). "Shadid takes oath as chief judge". Peoria Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois: GateHouse Media. p. B1. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
  14. Taft Grosboll, Carolyn (September 14, 2020). "Paul Bauer Announcement" (PDF). Letter to People of Illinois. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Supreme Court. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  15. "Nominations to Various Board" (PDF). Journal of the Illinois Senate. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Senate. 94 (60): 21. November 3, 2005. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  16. https://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans97/09700051.pdf
  17. "Appointment Message No. 99-0187" (PDF). Journal of the Illinois Senate: 23. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  18. Harmon, Don (February 17, 2022). "SJR 48: Inspector Gen-Michael McCuskey". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  19. West, Maurice (May 9, 2023). "House Joint Resolution 35 - Legislative Inspector General". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2023.

Sources
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