Want to kick out Kim Foxx? First, demand a statewide rule to allow the recall of local officials – Wirepoints

By: Matt Rosenberg

Time and again, local elected officials, state lawmakers, and even Chicago’s police union and some suburban police chiefs have expressed deep frustration with what they see as the soft-on-crime policies of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. The idea of a recall has been discussed, but in Illinois there’s no statewide process which gives proponents a legal pathway to a recall vote of a public official whom they believe is failing to serve the greater good. Compare that to California, where San Francisco’s DA just got the boot in a June recall vote.

Illinois needs to grant local voters the same sort of clear recall election powers their counterparts in many other states enjoy. It’s a fundamental tool in the arsenal of accountability in a state which badly needs it.

In 30 states there is an official state-mandated process by which voters can decide whether to recall local elected officials. In another 20 states, including Illinois, there is no such statewide process. Such a constitutional amendment was proposed in Illinois several years ago, but gained no traction with lawmakers. 

The only way a local recall vote can occur in Illinois is if the local governing body – such as a city council, school board, or county board – has itself already approved a local recall election process. That has happened in at least two small Illinois cities. They are Buffalo Grove in Lake and Cook counties, and Park City in Lake County. But getting permission from a local governing body for recall votes is a far cry from the state guaranteeing the right, if enough signatures can be gathered, to qualify a recall vote for the ballot. 

Elsewhere, state-mandated recall procedures mean that big city voters have been able to exercise this additional means of accountability. Most prominently, in San Francisco, fed-up voters this year in two separate recall elections ousted three local school board members, and then in early June, District Attorney Chesa Boudin. At issue were what voters saw as misguided school board priorities, and soft-on-crime prosecutorial policies

A survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) spells out which states have such processes, and by what authority. 

Some of Illinois’ neighboring or nearby states make local recall votes very accessible to the electorate. 

Under Michigan’s state constitution, “all elective officers except judges” may be subject to a recall vote. Signatures must be gathered in a number at least equal to 25 percent of the registered voters who cast ballots in the last gubernatorial contest in the recall jurisdiction. 

Under Wisconsin’s state statutes, recall provisions are similar but extend also to state or federal lawmakers representing any district in the state.

California is one of a number of ardently Blue States, including Oregon and Washington on the West Coast, which provide robustly for local recall votes under state law. 

Under the California state constitution and election code, recall election procedures are clearly spelled out for a wide range of local elected officials. Qualifying petition signatures must be gathered from anywhere between 10 percent and 30 percent of registered voters in the specified jurisdiction of the proposed recall vote. The percentage varies according to the size of the population of the jurisdiction; the more populous it is, the lower the percentage.

The successful San Francisco school board and prosecutor recall votes in 2022 were not the only such California recalls in recent history. In October of 2003, California Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, was recalled by a 55 percent margin. A month later, his successor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, was elected Governor in a special election. 

And although an earlier recall attempt against him failed, a second recall campaign effort targeting Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon recently announced they’d gathered enough signatures for another recall vote. They intend to add padding with another 100,000-plus signatures by the July 6 deadline. As with the successful recall of Boudin in San Francisco, the issue has been what recall Gascon recall proponents call soft-on-crime policies and resulting public safety problems.

Illinois’ governor can be recalled…theoretically

The state legislature of Illinois in 2010 did approve a recall process for Governor, although it is all but impossible to deploy. 

Before any such measure can go before voters, 20 state representatives and 10 state senators must sign their approval and half of them must be of the same political party as the sitting governor targeted for a recall vote. 

In addition, and less onerous, signatures must be gathered from the public equal to 15 percent of voters in the last gubernatorial election and there must be 100 or more signatures from each of at least 25 separate counties.

The need for recalls

The need for a state-stipulated recall process which does not require a permission slip in the form of an enabling ordinance from local governments, could be said to be especially acute in Illinois and greater Chicagoland. 

That is due not only to performance and temperament problems and policy missteps exhibited by some local officials – all of which we will leave for another time – but also to the endemic corruption of public officials within the Northern Illinois federal judicial district overseen by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

In fact, according to a recently updated University of Illinois-Chicago report, based on federal corruption conviction statistics, the Northern Illinois District representing Chicago and its suburbs is “the most corrupt metropolitan area in the country.” The UIC report also noted that based on the same criteria, Illinois is on a per-capita basis the third most corrupt state in the U.S.

If ever there were a state where for corruption and other reasons, elected officers of city councils, school boards, county governments, and local state legislators should be subject to recall votes, it is Illinois. That no such powers have yet been guaranteed to local voters in Illinois by the state is itself one more indication that the fix is still in.

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James Watkins
1 year ago

I appreciate this most excellent article. It is a subject about which I needed enlightenment. I am strongly in favor of recall of public officials by voters.

Bobbi
1 year ago

Unfortunately, we have to rely on our elected officials to let the people decide this matter. Madigan may be out of sight, but, I believe sticky fingers are still involved. Anything of this type gets a small amount of talk, to soon be buried. They take care of their own. A new breed of people running for office in this state is what’s needed- instead of the same old crowd switching jobs, and turning over their old one to friends and family. Took a Republican ballot yesterday, and there were 23 slots labeled “ no candidate “. That’s a problem… Read more »

Tim Favero
1 year ago

Illinois needs an amendment to recall state-wide elected officials. Kim Foxx needs to go.

McGrats
1 year ago

I personally worked on the “Quinn Project” that focused on getting “Recall” on a statewide ballot. We worked our asses off getting signatures throughout the state to no avail: the Illinois SC shot it down because Quinn errored by placing more than one item on the signature question. Were we used by Quinn only to help his political career? It sure seems that was and now that another saboteur has been elected to be placed on the Il SC, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting to ever see such a campaign get off the ground again.

Edward Wezain
1 year ago

It would be interesting to know when recall laws were enacted in blue states like California, Oregon and Washington. I bet these recall laws were passed when the states were much more conservative.

Rob M
1 year ago
Reply to  Edward Wezain

California was not always crazybleftist run. Reagan was a popular Governor. Nixon won California. These laws came at a time of older, white, middles class resentment. They also enacted a property tax cap, which enabled longtimeowners of multimillion houses to pay less than a brother with a bungalow in Watts in property taxes. Most people are complacent. They don’t get too excited unless a problem affects their day to day life, and pocketbook. It takes a great deal of venom to get these types of recons through. and there are usually unintended consequences. All that being said, I’m all for… Read more »

Bob
1 year ago

I’m going to give both versions of my Opinion. Cook County is lucky enough to get 1/3 of the voters TO VOTE in a General election. Look to Goofy Lightfoot 1/3 of the voters in Chicago voted when she ran against Preckwinkle. She was a fresh face and it turns out one of the most historic mistakes even for Chicago’s “WHERES MINE VOTERS”-THE SECOND OPINION IS IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. The Voters had their chance against the Colossal incompetent Kim Foxx and she got elected AGAIN- HOW MANY BITES OF THE APPLE SHOULD WE HAVE. The way it’s shaping up… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Bob
Ronson
1 year ago

There was a chance to hold Foxx accountable last night without the headache of a recall amendment: voting out 75-year-old ideologue Toni Preckwinkle, who is Foxx’s mentor. Boykin is a decent public official who helped get rid of the pop tax in 2019 and has been merciless on Preckwinkle when it comes to her lack of concern for public safety, but no one in Cook County cared. Preckwinkle and Foxx are hand in hand in their unwillingness to prosecute, wanting to empty the jails, giving violent felons electronic monitoring and so on. Voters appeared to be fine with a fourth… Read more »

debtsor
1 year ago
Reply to  Ronson

Toni won her primary by 50.6 points.
Like I said, progressive values are WILDLY popular in Cook County.

Molly
1 year ago

I am so dismayed by this. Not that New Jersey is a conservative’s dream, but we do have a state constitutional right to start the recall process. It’s probably rarely been invoked (if we didn’t recall Jon Corzine, I don’t know who we’d have recalled), but we do have the right. Of course your local politicians want to protect their own hides and the people be damned.

Marsha Familaro Enright
1 year ago

Sounds like a great idea, especially for pay-to-play Illinois. How do we get an amendment passed, given the corruption? The powers that be have successfully blocked the remap amendment.

1 year ago

I believe in practical effect it would depend on legislation by state lawmakers rather than a state constitutional amendment. The latter could theoretically be advanced but our state Supreme Court with a Democratic majority has a long track record of invalidating proposed constitutional amendments that threaten incumbents.

John
1 year ago

I agree. We voters should have the option to recall. I hear so often from committed Democrats that they’re upset with Kim Foxx. There’s no recall mechanism now so it’s wait two years for 2024. Cook County residents have their lives on the line and can’t wait.

Pat S.
1 year ago
Reply to  John

True.

Last edited 1 year ago by Pat S.
Silverfox
1 year ago
Reply to  John

Lives may be on the line, but they are of little value to the powers that be. Be assured of that.

David C
1 year ago

This would be a good idea. Unfortunately Kim Foxx was re-elected in 2020 even after voters saw the product of her work. Would a recall effort produce results that a regular election can’t?

1 year ago
Reply to  David C

That’s a fair question, David. By now, sentiment may have significantly shifted, and if well-funded, a recall campaign could highlight the case for recall. We advocate not in favor of any specific recall, but simply for a statewide process, like 30 other states have. It’s simply good policy to add accountability levers like this.

Pat S.
1 year ago
Reply to  David C

I still question how she was re-elected.

Matthew Guerreiro
1 year ago

This should be a no-brainer. But then again, getting self-interested public officials to increase their level of public oversight and accountability seems difficult.

debtsor
1 year ago

Our public officials aren’t interested in solving crime problems. They’ve said it out loud. It’s not a conspiracy theory. They’ve all said they cannot and will not arrest and incarcerate people to reduce crime. They’ve said that arresting and prosecuting criminals does not reduce crime, it only makes things worse for the black community. They actively and willfully catch and release criminals. It’s because they hate you. They want you to live in fear and in duress. You can’t recall them. And you can’t vote them out. What else are you going to do? Toni Preckwinkle has 75% of the… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by debtsor
Ataraxis
1 year ago
Reply to  debtsor

This is a pipe dream, but the only possible way to turn things around would be a unified ticket of black and Latino candidates getting elected on a law & order ticket for mayor, county president, and state’s attorney.
Will never happen, so it’s just easier to move.

debtsor
1 year ago
Reply to  Ataraxis

A super leftwing crazy pink hat wearing progressive candidate just beat her opponent in the new IL hispanic congressional district with 31,000 votes and 60% reporting. Low turnout for this primary. The progressives run the roost here. Democrats don’t care who wins the primary because they always vote blue no matter who. And that low information voting scheme gets super leftwing crazy pink hat wearing progressive candidates elected every time. Progressive dems – who control the primary and D party – would never let a Law & Order unifed get through a primary.

Last edited 1 year ago by debtsor
Ataraxis
1 year ago
Reply to  debtsor

I know. I see no workable solutions, just a further downward spiral, to a bottom that is unknowable, but probably worse than anyone can imagine. The only silver lining to the current destruction is that good parents will make sure that their children leave and never come back.

David Zalig
1 year ago

Indeed, Matt. Letting violent felons out on poral or electronic monitoring is not the way to solve Chicago’s crime problem. A recall amendment would be a great way to get a sensible person in office, that’s knows the basics about crime prevention.

David Pearling
1 year ago

I agree with Steve Hammer. There is little hope for a viable recall process in Illinois. There is little hope that the voters will vote out their hopelessly inept and correct politicians in regular elections.
The presstocricy, print and broadcast, is to blame. They are staffed by nitwits. They repeat each other’s lies all day every day.
The politicians play to the presstocricy to secure and to keep their power. They have no regard for us.

Agatha
1 year ago

I believe every state should adopt a path to recall public officials. Unfortunately, some States are too corrupt and those officials will never vote for this type of an Avenue because they themselves may be the ones recalled. The information you posted here is pure gold.

Hale
1 year ago

Unfortunately this system of government in Illinois is so endemically corrupt that those ‘who have’, have insulated themselves to the extent they can. It’ll surprise no one that corruption and crime, albeit much of it non violent, has been going on in Cook County since the beginning of time. The graft, the payola, zoning variations and sweetheart deals are commonplace in Chicago, the coin of the realm. Most of my own generation have either isolated themselves in the suburbs, live in security protected high rises or have left entirely, for Arizona, Florida, California or Colorado. For my generation, the anarchy,… Read more »

Illinois Entrepreneur
1 year ago
Reply to  Hale

I too have a business in Chicago, and your story is all too familiar to me. Nothing changes, and I have an equally disgusted sentiment toward the city.

People who don’t own a business in Chicago and just work there or live there, are blissfully ignorant of the underlying rot and filth that occurs in the city daily.

It’s quite a racket. Thanks for telling the story — it was quite interesting!

Chisel
1 year ago
Reply to  Hale

Thanks for the story, so reminiscent of the days when all City promotions went to Mayor Daley’s Ward residents. I sat in the building dept. trying to obtain a construction permit for an addition and porch for two days and several trips back and forth. Meanwhile Maggie Daley’s nephew was building a totally illegal oversized porch on two sides of his home, right down the street from me, no permits noted. My Grandfather told stories of the CPD, when every promotion had to be bought, he walked a beat his entire career. The CFD has it’s own record of lawsuits… Read more »

Lin Feddor Cappozzo
1 year ago

It would appear that Chicago has dotted its i’s and crossed it’s t’s. After reading what would be required for a recall I’d have to say it’s impossible.
Those that see this and are aware are planning their exits. Many I know are fed up and am saying I’m out.
It’s sad to see my once great city crumble.
Yesterday watching Lori Lightfoot scream F*** Clarence Thomas. Is this how adults talk?
As I stated on another page Kimmy is tough on her husband but soft on crime.
Thank you for your words.

Molly McShane
1 year ago

As usual, Illinois protects the corrupt leadership while we suffer. This has to end!

Steve Hammer
1 year ago

Matt, with all due respect you have to much hopium. Chicago and Illinois can’t even agree to term limits let alone a workable mechanism for recall. The Foxes (no pun intended) have been guarding the hen house here for to long. I would hope change is possible, but not much hope.

George
1 year ago

Illinois especially Cook County appear to be a whole different entity than any other county in the United States
The local newspapers print half truths
We’ve had some good states attorneys in the past such as Dick Devine, even Anita Alvarez appears to have been more interested in prosecuting crimes
We’ve become a joke on our fight on crimes
Criminals have more rights than victims
Sad to say a recall will never happen

Dan
1 year ago

Illinois’ system is rigged by those in power. Just like the off season elections that keep most voters at home. The system works. At keeping lousy corrupt politicians employed.

Jay
1 year ago

There’s no doubt that a recall similar to CA would be a fast-track–but not a guarantee– to reform, at least in Foxx’ office. The infrastructure embedded since Richard J. the 1st is showing cracks but is not nearly to the breaking point…yet.

The final push would have to be the local media gravitating towards the side of change. I’ve been saying, they (the execs, not the worker bees–want to make that distinction) are sheep of the smelliest order, very damp & stinky, and will follow where story goes if that’s what everyone else is doing. They love the big mo.

Chris Duffy
1 year ago

Foxx practices some of the most insidious kind of racism…..the racism of low expectations. The twisted notion that people of color cannot possibly be expected to live up to society’s standards, follow society’s laws…or be held accountable in the same way everyone is. It is the permissive, corrosive mindset that enables feeble law enforcement and emboldens criminal elements that make life dangerous and miserable for the vast majority of all of us, regardless of who and what we are and where we live. .

debtsor
1 year ago
Reply to  Chris Duffy

It’s not racism. It’s special treatment based on race. They get lighter sentences and you just have to deal with it. Or move. It’s not like you’re going to vote Republican!

Last edited 1 year ago by debtsor
John
1 year ago

We definitely should have a state-provided process for petitioning to recall local elected officials. The state and city are collapsing. Citizens are demoralized by what seems to be an insider group that doesn’t represent anyone but thugs in suits.

Ex Illini
1 year ago

Having the ability to recall elected officials is all well and good, but there’s very little chance it ever happens to Lil Kim. Illinois is too far gone for this to ever become a reality. Nobody cares enough in Cook County. A better chance would be her running afoul of the law. Prosecuting the prosecutor has a nice ring to it. By the way, where’s Jussie? Is that guy ever going to serve his sentence. Must be black privilege.

Lion's Choice
1 year ago

AND THE AWARD FOR ‘LEAST SELF AWARE FAILED ACTOR’ GOES TO: Fake Prosecutor Kim Foxx’s BFF — Virtue Signaling Fraudster Jussie Smollett — Is Trying To Make America Forget His Fake-Racism-Staged-Hate-Crime-Hoax In Chicago — Smollett Gets Roasted For BET Awards Appearance: Who Let Him In – New York Post

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