Flare-ups during Lake Co. state's attorney debate

The candidates for Lake County state's attorney could not make it through their opening statements at a forum Sunday before the debate overheated.

Democratic challenger Michael Jacobs lashed out twice at incumbent Republican Michael Waller during the half-hour exchange between the two, prompting the moderator to step in and ask for calm.

Waller, state's attorney since 1990 and facing his second electoral challenge from Jacobs, was on the brink of referencing Jacobs' 2006 personal bankruptcy in his opening statement when Jacobs interrupted.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Jacobs said. "I thought there were not supposed to be any personal attacks here, and if they are going to continue, I'll get up and leave."

Kathy Tate-Bradish, the moderator from the League of Women Voters, asked both candidates to stress their qualifications rather than attack their opponent.

Waller replied that he was simply responding to Jacobs' claim in his own opening statement that Waller's office does not seek severe enough sentences for child sex offenders.

"You allowed him to make a personal attack on me," Waller told Tate-Bradish. "Why should I be held to rules he is not?"

Later in the debate, after Waller had said his office has recently been notified by the state that their child support enforcement and collection system is the best in the state, Jacobs said he believed the system needed improvement.

Waller chuckled audibly, and Jacobs again lashed out.

"Mr. Waller, I am trying to be respectful to you and I expect you to be respectful to me," Jacobs said. "I do not think it is appropriate for you to be laughing at me while I am speaking."

Waller then asked Jacobs, "How do you get any better than number one?" before Tate-Bradish again admonished both speakers.

In response to other questions and in a closing statement, Waller emphasized his years of experience in the Lake County legal system, including 18 years as state's attorney, nine as a top-ranking assistant state's attorney and eight in private practice.

"I have a 35-year record of exercising sound and fair judgment on behalf of the people of Lake County," Waller said. "I work hard everyday to protect the good and law-abiding people of the county."

Jacobs said he has more than 20 years of experience as an assistant state's attorney in Cook County, and although conceding that he has no management experience in that office, believes he is ready to lead.

"The Lake County courts need to go in a different direction, and I can take them there," Jacobs said. "People need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Candidates for Lake County coroner also clashed at the forum, held at the Warren-Newport Township Library in Gurnee.

Republican Dr. Michael Oster repeated criticism raised by party officials last week of Democratic incumbent Richard Keller agreeing to testify for the defense in a recent child abuse case.

Keller responded that he had testified only as an expert physician in the area of medical examination of child abuse victims, and the testimony had nothing to do with the administration of his office.