Theyre more factionalized. Following Mass, the Rev. Nor have we joined the more recent chorus arguing that Alvarez's handling of the Laquan McDonald case disqualifies her from office. Kim Foxx, left, and Patrick O'Brien, right, are candidates for Cook county State's Attorney in the 2020 election. Today, the Cook County Democratic Party presented its recommendations for statewide, countywide and judicial races in the 2022 primary. (The Baltimore Sun video). When we wrote about this case before the March primary, we said that if we could choose one of the three Democrats in that race to prosecute a murder case, we'd choose Alvarez for her courtroom experience. (Yes, its legal.). U.S. Attorney John Lausch submitted his formal resignation Wednesday stating hell be leaving his high-profile post as Chicagos top federal prosecutor later this month. Whether mayors, aldermen and other elected officials are doing all they can to ensure fairness in the system and to protect innocents from violent crime. Here are the Chicago Tribune Editorial Boards 2022 endorsements for the Nov. 8 elections. In an unrelated case last year, Montano was charged on July 30 with a misdemeanor count of resisting a peace officer for allegedly running from an officer who stopped a car he was in, according to court documents. As the candidates for Cook County state's attorney debated the handling of the Laquan McDonald case before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Feb. 4, 2016, incumbent Anita Alvarez defended her investigation, saying, "I don't believe any mistakes were made." Lauschs five-plus years on the high-octane job exceeds the terms of many of his predecessors, including Fardon, who served as U.S. attorney for about 3 years beginning in 2013 before leaving for a private Chicago law firm. I was exhausted., Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. So financial acumen is a must, and both candidates bring strong money oversight credentials to the race. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaks at a campaign event on Aug. 25, 2022, at a Jackson County Democrats dinner in Murphysboro. Thursday night, a few hundred people, mostly Chicago police officers, gathered at Hale Park on the Southwest Side during a vigil for the slain officer. Copyright 2022 Attorney-FAQ.com | version 5.1.20 (commit d0adbc) Laravel v 8.83.26 | (PHP v8.1.16), Home (current) | We as a city have replaced the mayor and police commissioner (several times), and we have placed judges, the governor, parole and probation and juvenile services officials, the police union, legislators and others under intense scrutiny over their roles in stopping the bloodshed. The former Cook County assistant state's attorney, Navy veteran and son of the billionaire co-founder of The Carlyle Group private . Cuellar has been part of regular prayer meetings in the park hosted by some community members since the death of Ella French in 2021. It is tempting to view the race for Cook County state's attorney as a choice . In 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions tapped Lausch to oversee the process of sorting through roughly 880,000 records in part of the House probe into former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. The incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, has made a strong defense of her record, and we believe that it has merit in some important respects. I want to thank John for his tremendous stewardship of the office, and I wish him well in his future endeavors., Joseph Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office in Chicago, has previously said Lauschs exit had been in the works since last year, and that he will be taking some time off before considering career options.. Lausch was sworn in as U.S. attorney on Nov. 22, 2017, two weeks after being confirmed by unanimous voice vote in the Senate. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) That long tradition of. Nearly 70% of voters approved an additional .025% increase in property taxes, which would bring in $40 million dollars in new revenue annually to the preserves. He died while protecting Chicago and its people. The point is to augment, collaborate where needed, and more aggressively work to ensure that corruption no longer persists as a defining characteristic of Illinois politics. Here are the latest endorsements for each of the Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidates. Jun 16 2022. chicago tribune state's attorney endorsement For now, reports Crain's Greg Hinz Endorsement: . She has been endorsed by her former boss, Preckwinkle, and the county Democratic organization, the endorsement reads. That office is the General Assemblys watchdog, but lawmakers had weakened the IGs powers to a point where one-time Inspector General Carol Pope called her office a paper tiger.. I was exhausted., Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. CHICAGO Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx issued a statement Thursday addressing the criminal history of the 18-year-old suspected of killing Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso on Wednesday. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune). Job One for the state's attorney again, the people's attorney is to stand up for those dead victims, their devastated families, and the rule of criminal law in Cook County. Indictments stemming from the probe are expected soon, his office said. Yet we endorse one of her challengers, Kim Foxx, in the Democratic primary for state's attorney. What we need is a prosecutor someone who will focus on building strong cases and securing convictions. Watching Foxx and Pfannkuche debate,we were struck by what a good team they would make. When she debated Pfannkuche before the Tribune Editorial Board, Foxx appeared more focused than she was in her primary campaign on the horrific killings by the hundreds in poor Chicago neighborhoods each year. Former Illinois governor Pat Quinn also endorsedKim Foxx in the race for States Attorney on Sunday. In 2021, Raoul responded to the rise in organized retail crime by creating a statewide task force that improved dialogue among law enforcement, retailers, online marketplaces and states attorneys to help crack down on organized retail theft rings. With respect for Alvarez's long service and also for the third candidate in the race, Donna More, the Tribune gives Kim Foxx its endorsement. Unlike Mayor Rahm Emanuel, she hasn't come to understand that it's not in the public interest to endlessly withhold information about deadly force incidents. She's given plenty of thought to the suspicions and hostilities that have animated metropolitan Chicago since the McDonald case erupted in the public consciousness a year ago. Democratic Cook County state's attorney candidate Kim Foxxmeets with the Tribune Editorial Board on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016. Even among those who did not support him politically, he engendered trust during some of the darkest hours in the history of this great state. Vasquez-Lasso was in one of two pairs of responding officers who engaged with Montano, who allegedly ran away from the officers. We think Foxx, by contrast, in time would rebuild the public's trust. Foxx, a Chicago native, served as an assistant. [Dont miss] Election 2022: What Illinois races do you care most about and what issues are important to you? Read the full editorial here. In this month's Democratic primary, we endorse attorney Ivan Bates. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. Together, we mourn the loss of our hero, the Police Department said in a statement. General Counsel to the Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, taught at New York University School of Law, and served as a clerk to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Judge of the. A defensive stalwart, Oswego Easts Tyler Jasek surprises Joliet West. Brandon Johnson, Vallas opponent in the April runoff, said the officers death was a painful reminder of how much work we have to do in the city of Chicago to end violence., My prayers and my thoughts are with the family and all families involved, Johnson said. Coziness invites intrusion from above in matters of patronage, policy and principle. This contest comes at a time when citizens of metropolitan Chicago are re-examining, and demanding better of, the criminal justice system here: How prosecutors make charging decisions. Read the full editorial here. Its a tall mountain to climb. The board added that Vallas will be expected to use experience gained as Mayor Richard M. Daley's budget director from 1990 to 1993 in tightening city finances. U.S. Attorney John Lausch, center, prepares to speak to reporters on Sept. 14, 2022, at the Dirksen U.S. TAKE THIS WITH YOU to the voting booth. Lauschs exit comes just days before the trial of the so-called ComEd Four gets underway at the Dirksen U.S. Nine sitting or recent members of the Illinois General Assembly have been charged with federal crimes since 2019. What standards police officials require of their departments. But the top job of state's attorney involves many other skills: judgment about law enforcement priorities and conduct; frank and comfortable communication with the public; administration of a big and vital office that, like all of county government, will have to get smaller as pension costs crush budgets. Its not enough to simply mourn after a tragedy strikes, said state Rep. Aaron Ortiz, a Chicago Democrat whose district covers the Gage Park neighborhood. [Dont miss] Whats an endorsement, and why does the Tribune Editorial Board do them? She spent 12 years as an assistant state's attorney, mostly in juvenile court, and served as chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune GOP Harris County judge candidate contesting her loss after Election Day problems at polling sites by Patrick Svitek and Pooja Salhotra Updated: Jan. 6, 2023. If the treasurer is Illinois primary investment manager, the comptroller is the states main bill payer, with control over Springfields checking account. Our editorials seek to help readers make sound decisions. But Alvarez has the benefit of that hindsight, too, and she isn't using this campaign to demand the fixes. From policing to prosecution to trial to incarceration to parole, citizens are demanding better of their criminal justice system. His departure, which was first revealed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland during an unrelated news conference in Washington in January, will officially kick off a search for a replacement that will be led by Illinois two Democratic senators, Dick Dubin and Tammy Duckworth. Foley, who served as an Army chaplain in Afghanistan for four deployments spanning over five years beginning in 2009, said hes accustomed to violence, though still not comfortable with it. Ask anyone who's ever worked near the top of the state's attorney's office. Given that the county has more 800 governmental units, thats a crucial quality that voters must keep in mind. Signs promote candidates for office in downtown Waukegan. Organized theft is estimated to cost retailers across the country as much as $45 billion in annual sales, and entails both the smash-and-grab thefts seen at high-end stores along Michigan Avenue in recent years, as well as sophisticated operations that target merchandise in trucks and railroad cars. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). White . Most recently, the leader of the West Sides notoriously violent Wicked Town gang faction was convicted along with an associate on racketeering charges involving a string of murders, shootings, robberies, beatings and other violence going back two decades. Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook. Democratic voters so disapproved of how the current state's attorney, Anita Alvarez, handled the Laquan McDonald case that they rejected her primary election bid for a third four-year term. We want a state's attorney who'll focus on police misconduct, fairness to defendants and incarceration rates of the guilty. But not his teammates. We agree that her announcement of charges against the six officers involved in Freddie Grays death staved off violence. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. But 2016 isn't a normal time here. In the endorsement, the paper showed concern over Foxxs relationship with Preckwinkle, who has helped finance Foxxs campaign. This is yet another example of why we need to make sure that we are dealing with the immediate challenge of violence in the city of Chicago, which my plan speaks to that, while also getting at the root causes. Chicago police officers place blue ribbons on trees outside District 8 Chicago Lawn Police Station on March 2, 2023, in honor of police Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso who was fatally shot the night before. Courthouse in Chicago after verdicts were reached in the trial of singer R. Kelly. The CBA Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) invites you to view its evaluations of candidates running to fill vacancies on the Appellate and Circuit Courts in the upcoming general election to be held on November 8, 2022. "It's not a political endorsement. He was nominated by Trump after Durbin and Duckworth aided the White House in the search. The Tribune Editorial Board advocates for the equality of the individual, for personal responsibility, for a limited government role in the lives of the governed. Of the Houses 118 seats, 78 feature contested races. The candidates also discuss whether police misconductis systemic or the result of a few bad apples. Foxx got where she is with strong help from Preckwinkle and the county Democratic organization. DeVore dropped the lawsuit in 2020. One of the treasurers core responsibilities is managing Illinois 529 college savings program, known as Bright Start. As the candidates for Cook County state's attorney debated the handling of the Laquan McDonald case before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Feb. 4, 2016, incumbent Anita Alvarez. Those who view her actions then from the safe remove of three years and through the hindsight of the charges result are forgetting the real and justified fear that the city would erupt again into rioting if the foolish self-imposed deadline then-police commissioner Anthony Batts had set for completing the investigation into Grays death passed with no move toward accountability for the officers. A defensive stalwart, Oswego Easts Tyler Jasek surprises Joliet West. Lawyer, admitted to the Maryland bar. Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund that owns the Tribune, announced that its nearly 200 papers will no longer endorse major political candidates. She was also endorsed by the Illinois AFL-CIO and Planned Parenthood. It's an endorsement to move forward and finally get the city and the state, most importantly, moving forward," he said. The State's Attorney Office works to uphold public safety through the fair and efficient administration of justice. We like the commitment to consent decree implementation that Raouls office has shown. But Lausch was allowed to stay on the job after an unusual push from Durbin and Duckworth, who extolled Lausch as a corruption buster who needed to see through investigations of some of the states most powerful politicians. In addition to ruling on cases appealed from the lower courts, the Supreme Court appoints judges to fill vacancies, creates rules that courts must follow, and oversees attorney licensing and discipline. Brown was moving members of Boiks staff to patrol duty, and Boik told Brown the move would set back officer training mandated by the consent decree. The public has demanded urgency and new approaches from everyone involved in trying to stop the killings. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaks at a campaign event on Aug. 25, 2022, at a Jackson County Democrats dinner in Murphysboro. -Salvi has received endorsements from. CHICAGO Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx issued a statement Thursday addressing the criminal history of the 18-year-old suspected of killing Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso on Wednesday as . 2 who could emphasize the hurt in poor neighborhoods. The results of a referendum that appeared on Niles election ballots on April 6 are being kept under wraps until a legal case concerning the question is resolved. You don't think that could happen? And this is a way from a federal law enforcement standpoint that we can make an impact.. He can shoot it., Justin Steele and 6 Chicago Cubs relievers combine for the 1st spring training no-hitter in franchise history, Leah Palmer experiences grand time as Geneva grinds out victory in Class 4A third-place game. Yet we endorse one of her challengers, Kim Foxx, in the Democratic primary for state's attorney.. David Shestokas gets our endorsement for Illinois Attorney General. The board noted that Congressman Chuy Garcia's platform was too vague to issue an endorsement, while noting they were troubled by his associations with former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. I know the commander there, and I know some of the officers, so I went over and offered my services and paid (my) respects.. Illinois Supreme Court. Yes, it's easy for her critics to pounce now, knowing the things we all know. We endorse him. 79th District - Lindsay Parkhurst (R) 81st District - David Olsen (R) 82nd District - Jim Durkin (R) 84th District - Stephanie Kifowit (D) 86th District - no endorsement. Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. 88th District . Our concern was that (Boik) seemed committed to moving the process along, Raoul told us. James A. Haynes. Lausch succeeded Zachary Fardon, who stepped down from the post after Trump asked for the resignations of all Obama administration-era U.S. attorney holdovers. Shiva Mohsenzadeh was leading her opponent Jill Brickman by about 90 votes Friday morning. In the end, it was Pfannkuche who persuaded us to endorse Foxx. That she could explain to them why cooperating with cops and prosecutors in finding and convicting the bad guys can curtail the bloodshed that takes so many of their children's lives.. The Chicago Tribune editorial board made their long-awaited endorsement in the upcoming mayoral election on Friday, backing former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas for the city's top job. The victim and witnesses described the car used in the shooting and its license plate, which police learned was stolen a couple of days earlier, according to a police report included in the police case file. The question he asks repeatedly do you feel safer than you did three years ago? But we do not see an Illinois threat to those rights and we see this endorsement as an opening to skew the balance of power in the public sector to an unacceptable degree.