About the Candidate
Name: David Shestokas
DOB: Jan. 16, 1952
Occupation: Attorney
Political Experience: Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney; President Lemont Library Board; Republican National Lawyers Association Election Integrity FL 2016, PA 2020, GA 2021; Hearing Officer Chicago Board of Elections 2019-2021
Website: dave4ag.com/
Twitter: @shestokas
Facebook: Attorney Shestokas
Instagram: @shestokas
Candidate Statement
I’m Illinois Attorney General Candidate David Shestokas. You can learn more about me and the campaign at Dave4AG.com.
The first duty of the Illinois Attorney General is to “represent the people of the state.” Not the governor, not a government agency, but the people. The current AG wages “lawfare” against the people of Illinois.
For example, my lawsuit for the Illinois Conservative Union against the Board of Elections asks the Board to obey federal law. The Attorney General says the Board doesn’t have to, filing frivolous motions treating the citizens as an irritant.
As Attorney General I will review all claims alleging illegal government action and seek resolutions, not litigation.
As Attorney General, I can immediately address crime. Under existing law the AG can prosecute cases that local State’s Attorneys declined.
Assistant AG’s now waging war against citizens will be assigned to monitor state’s attorneys who fail to bring criminal cases on foolish theories like mutual combat. Without additional expense, this quickly impacts citizen safety.
As an Assistant State’s Attorney, I was involved in over 400 felonies and 10,000 misdemeanors. The next criminal case either of my opponents prosecute will be their first.
My 35 years as an attorney includes criminal justice, child protection, elections, religious liberty, and pro bono work for civic and charitable organizations.
I seek justice for Illinois citizens. I have no aspirations for another office.
I will be the People’s Lawyer, assuring the government’s conduct is legal and those designated to protect its society, like local prosecutors, fulfill their duty.
I’m Illinois Attorney General Candidate David Shestokas and I ask you to visit Dave4AG.com to learn more.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
The Attorney General, pursuant to the Illinois Constitution and the Illinois Attorney General Act has the prime duty to represent the people of the state. Not only the current Attorney General but the previous Attorney General conducted themselves as the attorneys for the government, not the people.
An example is the response of the AG to a lawsuit I filed on behalf of the Illinois Conservative Union asking the Bd. of Elections to comply with the National Voter Registration Act. The Bd. is represented by the Attorney General, and the issue involved has been decided in 12 other states, but the AG insists on filing motions and requests that are unrelated to the issues involved, practicing “lawfare” against the citizens that elected him. This is not a unique case in how the office is conducted. I will be an Attorney General for the People of Illinois as directed by the Illinois Constitution and statutes.
What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?
The office has a specific statutory duty regarding assisting citizens with FOIA requests and apparently does that with some efficiency. The office does not exercise its authority when it comes to issues of monitoring choices of local prosecutors to essentially rewrite Illinois law under the guise of prosecutorial discretion.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
As mentioned above the office automatically litigates against citizens that have alleged the State has acted in an illegal fashion either in violation of the Illinois Constitution, US Constitution or Illinois statute. The proper response to each of those allegations is not to litigate, but negotiate with an eye to resolution. The most pressing problem is that of public safety exacerbated by local prosecutors choosing to not prosecute crimes. The Illinois Constitution and statutes provide the Attorney General authority to be involved in any matter in which Illinois is an interested party. It is worth noting that every criminal case is captioned “The People of the State of Illinois v. John Doe.”
By reassigning Assistant Attorneys General who are now involved in litigating against the people to monitoring local prosecutors in the conduct of their duty, an immediate impact can be had upon public safety. This can be accomplished by strong relationships with Sheriffs and Police Depts. who are most aware of cases that State's Attorneys fail to pursue after they have done the hard and dangerous work of investigation and arrest.
What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?
Regarding the reference to law enforcement above, a dedicated group in the office would be established specifically for response to prosecution inquiries from such departments. Regarding citizen suits against the state alleging illegal activities, a team would be established with a goal to negotiate not litigate such allegations. A regular review of cybersecurity issues to protect against future hacks and interruptions of constituent service as took place last year must be built into management of the office.
