About the Candidate
Name: Kwame Raoul
DOB: Sept. 30, 1965
Occupation: Attorney General of Illinois
Political Experience: Attorney General of Illinois (2019-Present), Illinois Senator (2004-2018)
Website: Kwameraoul.com
Twitter: @KwameRaoul
Facebook: Kwame Raoul
Candidate Statement
Over three years ago, I was sworn in as the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois.
I knew then as I do now that the role of state attorney general is more critical than at any other time in our country’s history.
There has been an assault, fed by misinformation, on our democracy, our environment, our access to health care and our decency.
I have stood individually and together with attorneys general across the country as the last line of defense.
While some Republican attorneys general helped gather those responsible for the January 6 insurrection, I fought to protect and uphold your right to vote and our democracy.
Now this summer, the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to impact Roe v. Wade, and states across the country are passing laws threatening a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her body.
But I continue to fight in courts across the country to protect a woman’s right to choose.
And I am extremely proud to continue standing up for women’s equality by leading the effort in court for the Equal Rights Amendment.
My office also works to fight crime in our communities, investigating and prosecuting criminals for preying on children online.
And we have partnered with U.S. Secret Service to help prevent mass shootings in schools, places of worship.
I have also created a state-of-the-art gun tracing platform to better fight illegal gun trafficking,
And I formed Illinois’ first statewide task force to combat smash-and-grab crimes.
Over the last several years, our country’s politics have become far too polarized.
But I have worked with my Republican colleagues in the spirit of compromise, rather than inflaming divisions.
I am incredibly proud of my work as Attorney General of Illinois, and I’m just getting started.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
Three and a half years ago I took on the role of the Attorney General knowing that in every state the role is more critical than at any other time in modern history. I took on the responsibility after the tenure of Lisa Madigan who had served admirably for 16 years. I knew there were some focus areas of the office that I wanted to enhance, including partnering with fellow law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute crimes, providing trauma-informed care for crime victims, and enhancing our technology to be able to go after online child predators.
I have also led collaborative efforts to fight for women’s equality, protect access to health care and reproductive health care, and protect voting rights and our democracy at large. We have been successful in our efforts, but there is more work to do.
What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?
The office does many things well. We have been champions for Illinois consumers, whether it is those preyed on by for-profit schools and lenders, by those who fall victim to deceptive practices involved in the manufacturing and marketing of opioids, or those who fall prey to fraud involving home repair, COVID-19 assistance, and other schemes.
I have also partnered with federal, state, and local law enforcement to fight crime and enhanced the way we serve and assist victims of crime. We need to make sure the office is adequately funded so we can appropriately staff our office and retain talented attorneys to continue our work.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
Crime in our communities is one of the most pressing issues today. I am working with the state legislature, in state and federal courts across the country, and with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to address crime. With law enforcement partners, I am cracking down on expressway violence, criminals preying on children online, smash-and-grab crimes in our communities, and the illegal trafficking of guns to criminals. I have also worked hard to enhance the way we provide resources to crime victims.
What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?
We are enhancing our outreach efforts as we grow out of the pandemic in a way that allows us to educate Illinois residents about our services in person and in communities. The pandemic has also allowed us to enhance the way we make ourselves available virtually through trainings and awareness programs. We have increased our ability to respond to those for whom English is a second language.
My office also provides direct help and resources to Illinois residents on a wide array of issues to help them resolve consumer fraud and price gouging complaints, help address civil rights complaints and rights for people living with disabilities, and help access public records. We also provide important resources to parents, schools, and teachers across the state to protect their children online.
