Former Ald. Bob Fioretti making second bid for Cook County State's Attorney; this time as a Republican
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx's seat is up for grabs next month as she prepares to leave office at the end of her term. The Republican running for her seat is a familiar face to Chicago voters.
Civil rights attorney and former Ald. Bob Fioretti insists he's the best person for the job.
Fioretti has criticized Foxx's handling of her role as Cook County's top prosecutor, and her relationship with the police.
"The police officers are the bad guy, and the victims don't count. Well, I'm going to change that view on November 5th," Fioretti said.
Fioretti said looking after victims and their families and improving the Cook County States Attorney Office's relationship with police are two of his top goals.
"It is strained. People don't trust each other in one office versus the other office," he said.
Fioretti is a well-known figure in Chicago politics, but not necessarily on the Republican ticket.
He was alderman of the city's 2nd ward from 2007 to 2015.
He ran for Cook County Board President twice – losing to Toni Preckwinkle in the Democratic primary in 2018, and then challenging her again as a Republican in 2022, his first time running as a Republican. Both times, he finished with less than 40% of the vote.
He's also run for State's Attorney before, finishing a distant fourth in the Democratic primary in 2020. He ran for mayor in 2015 and 2019 – finishing in 4th place with 7.4% of the vote in a five-way race in 2015, and getting less than 1% of the vote in a crowded race in 2019.
He said his political allegiances have changed in recent years.
"I think the Democratic Party left me, as it has left many people," he said.
The longtime civil rights attorney, who recently picked up the endorsement of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., blames a "lack of direction" in the States Attorney's office for the historic departure of assistant prosecutors in recent years.
From a prosecutor's standpoint, he thinks getting rid of the gunshot detection system ShotSpotter in Chicago was a mistake by Mayor Brandon Johnson. He also said he still has his concerns about the end of cash bail in Illinois, and vowed "to make sure people are charged fully with crimes."
"I do not want criminals in this revolving door that we see at 26th Street being released … when they could be a harm to our community, a harm to the victims and their families," he said.
Fioretti said he repeatedly asked his Democratic challenger, retired judge Eileen O'Neill Burke, who narrowly won her nomination, to debate him.
"We sent a letter asking for five. I know community groups have asked her to debate, and I know others have asked her for debates. So far, silence," he said.
CBS News Chicago Investigator Megan Hickey also sat down with Burke to talk about why she believes she is the better choice. Stay tuned for that story on Friday.
Libertarian Andrew Charles Kopinski is also on the November ballot.
