About the Candidate
Name: Donna More
DOB: Jan. 31, 1958
Occupation: Attorney
Political Experience: Extensive experience in government service – state and federal prosecutor, gaming regulator.
Website: donnamore.com
Twitter: @donnamore_SA
Candidate Statement
I’m Donna More, Democrat for Cook County State’s Attorney.
As the county’s chief prosecutor, I’ll bring balance to our justice system. I’ll incarcerate when necessary. Grant second chances when merited. I’ll lead the charge against gun violence by holding violent criminals accountable and making it safe for witnesses to come forward.
In 2019, murders increased by nearly a third in Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods… because Kim Foxx is playing catch and release with gunslingers.
I’m running to protect and defend families who are most vulnerable to violence, to advocate for victims seeking justice, and to lead clergy, parents, activists and law enforcement in the fight against crime, corruption, and hate.
No more special deals for the rich, famous and politically connected. No one is above the law.
No more criminalizing poverty. Non-violent offenders should not be kept in jail simply because they can’t afford bail.
No more getting away with murder. We’ll charge killers caught killing on video. We’ll take violent criminals and repeat gun offenders to trial rather than let them loose to roam our streets. We’ll charge flash gang members who steal from our stores.
We’ll rebuild the public corruption unit and go after crooked politicians.
I’m not a machine candidate. I’m a former federal and state prosecutor who will enforce the law without fear or favor. I don’t think having money means having qualifications. I believe judgment and experience actually matter … and I have both.
If you share my vision for a fair and balanced justice system, vote for me on March 17th. It’s the first step in making our community safer.
Thank you.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
Incumbent Kim Foxx is not protecting the safety of our families. Her misguided charging and bonding policies free dangerous criminals arrested by police to roam our streets, terrorize our neighborhoods.
She has made police the enemy and the community the victim. Violence proliferates. Public safety is compromised. Local economies deteriorate. It's the sorry state of criminal justice in Cook County.
The State’s Attorney’s job hinges on trust. Law enforcement needs to know we will press charges. Citizens need to know we will hold perpetrators accountable. Victims need to know we are intent on delivering justice.
That’s the true definition of restorative justice. It’s not catch-and-release. It’s not ibonding violent offenders onto the streets. It’s a balance of aggressive prosecution and compassionate justice.
I’m running because Foxx must be replaced by a competent prosecutor or Cook County will continue to suffer from this plague of tragic and often violent consequences.
I am the only candidate in the race with felony trial experience both as a state prosecutor and assistant US attorney. I am running against the County’s corrupt political machine and a candidate with a billion-dollar ATM at his fingertips. The combination – experience and independence – put me in the unique position to actually reform the State’s Attorney’s Office without influence from politics and/or money.
What is your vision for this office?
My vision has accountability at its core. People who commit crimes – regardless of color, creed, position – must be held accountable. If they aren’t, the criminal justice system’s very existence is in jeopardy. And so is the safety of the public.
Realizing the vision involves taking three urgent steps.
I will make law enforcement and elected officials trusted partners of the State’s Attorney Office. We must be a unified community to successfully fight the epidemic of violence and crime against our families, our neighbors, our homes, and our businesses.
I will reverse “catch and release” and other non-charging policies to ensure that we are dispensing justice on a case-by-case basis. We must end the practice of categorical dismissals of crimes. For example, Foxx refuses to charge retail theft under $1,000 even for repeat offenders, putting Chicago in top five of cities for organized retail crime.
I will make certain that we make prosecutorial decisions based on the law without fear or favor. Politics, celebrity and money will not influence legal decisions nor will they bend the definition of “discretion” to the point of jeopardizing public trust and safety.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
Cook County residents do not have a lawyer … and constituents in every neighborhood recognize it. Repeat gun offenders routinely return to the streets. There is a 50% chance that killers will get away with murder in the County. Carjackers are released within six hours. Gangs invade stores and, stolen goods in hand, wave to security cameras on the way out the door knowing they won’t be charged.
No one sees catch and release as “reform” because it lacks the most essential aspect of justice: accountability. We need to change practices – and in many cases laws – that will address the problems of mass incarceration, poverty and mental illness. My approach will be to use smart charging and prosecutorial discretion as tools. That way we can strike a balance in the system that delivers incarcerations when warranted and second
chances when merited and just.
