Robert W. Fioretti: 2024 candidate for Cook County state’s attorney

Bio

Party: Republican

Office Sought: Cook County state’s attorney.

City: Chicago

Age: 71

Occupation: Civil Rights Attorney

Previous offices held: Chicago 2nd Ward Alderman

Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?

I am running for State's Attorney to return the office to what State's Attorneys are supposed to do: enforce the law as it is written, work with law enforcement, not against them, and to stand for the victims, not ignore them.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

I have the experience, the temperament, and the character a State's Attorney needs. My priority would be to make Cook County as safe as possible to live and work by putting violent criminals in jail for a long time.

What crime should be the office’s top target? Drugs? Gang violence? Child sex abuse? Something else? Why? What steps will you take to address the priorities as you see them?

Violent crimes-murder, rape, carjacking, arson among others should be the highest priority. When I am State's Attorney there will be no more coddling of violent criminals. For the past eight years, violent offenders have felt emboldened knowing Cook County has not been serious about prosecuting them.

Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the state's attorney's office. Are personnel allocated as they should be? Are there capital expenses or other budgetary items that the office must address, and, if so, how do you propose to address them?

Prosecuting violent crime will be the priority for resources in the office. I will ask the prosecutors who left in disgust under this Administration to return at the same level of rank and pay as when they left. Too many inexperienced prosecutors are handling violent crime prosecutions. Not enough attention is paid to public corruption. That will change when I am in office.

Name one concrete program you’ll create or personnel move you’ll make to improve efficiency in the office or make it more successful. Explain how it will be funded and how you will overcome any obstacles to initiating it.

I will investigate the corrupt property tax system, and will ask the County Board for additional resources to fund that effort. We have abundant anecdotal information that the system is rife with corruption and insider dealing. The average residential homeowner has no voice in the process. I intend to be that voice. Promises were made to shift the tax burden from residential homeowners to downtown commercial properties. The opposite happened. Particularly the south side suburbs had their property taxes doubled in some cases. How did this happen? The people deserve answers.