Kim Foxx grew up in the Cabrini Green public housing complex and is a sexual assault survivor. She worked as an assistant Cook County state’s attorney and became disenchanted when Anita Alvarez was running the office. With the support of County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Foxx challenged her former boss and managed to win her first run for office in 2016.
Foxx made criminal justice reform and the use of restorative justice practices her focus, as a way of offering relief to African Americans and Latinos who historically have been overrepresented in the courts, jails and prisons. But she drew national attention with her handling of the Jussie Smollett case, in which charges against the celebrity accused of staging a hate crime against himself were dropped. A Cook County grand jury, working with a special prosecutor, in February indicted Smollet on six counts of disorderly conduct stemming from the alleged attack, reigniting criticism and calls for her to be replaced.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Age: 47
Education: Juris Doctor, Southern Illinois University School of Law; Bachelor’s degree, Southern Illinois University — Carbondale
More Top Picks Best Indoor Sensory Swings For Kids
Residence: Flossmoor
Occupation: Incumbent Cook County state’s attorney
Personal: Married to Kelley Foxx, a senior manager for governmental affairs for Bird.
Political experience: Elected Cook County state’s attorney in 2016
Three key positions: 1) Reform the criminal justice system that has marginalized residents that are low-income and communities of color; 2) Treat low-level offenders differently from violent criminals; 3) Right the wrongs from the war on drugs by expunging the records of low-level offenders.
Website: www.kimfoxx.com
Read up:
Foxx capitalizes on personal story, political ties in state’s attorney race
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx strikes back at Chicago police union after her fairness questioned
Mystery remains over why Kim Foxx’s office dismissed hoax charges against Jussie Smollett
Kim Foxx welcomes independent investigation of office’s handling of Jussie Smollett case
Highlights from the Kim Foxx texts regarding the Jussie Smollett case
More Top Picks Curling Irons
Actor Jussie Smollett faces new disorderly conduct charges in alleged fake attack
Double-jeopardy claim for Jussie Smollett could hark back to landmark case against mob hit man
Meet the candidates for Cook County State’s Attorney and other county races