Cook County Democrats To Reconsider Making An Endorsement In State's Attorney's Race
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Facing near-relentless demands for her resignation over the delay in charging a Chicago cop with murder for the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez now faces the prospect of Democratic Party leaders endorsing one of her challengers in the upcoming primary.
The Cook County Democratic Party Executive Committee decided last August to remain neutral in the race between Alvarez, Kim Foxx, and Donna More; but now has called for a Thursday meeting of the Central Committee to reconsider making an endorsement.
All three candidates have been invited to attend the meeting to make their case to be the party's standard bearer in the state's attorney's race.
"There's been calls by some committeemen to request to have us meet again and revisit that endorsement, so we're going to get back together on Thursday. All 80 commiteemen are able to attend, and we'll hear from all three candidates for state's attorney, and then there may or may not be a vote for an endorsement," Cook County Democratic Party executive director Jacob Kaplan said.
Many activists, protesters, and even some Hispanic aldermen have said Alvarez should resign for her handling of the McDonald case. She did not charge Officer Jason Van Dyke with murder for more than a year after he shot McDonald 16 times on a Southwest Side street in October 2014.
Alvarez has said she will not step down, and has defended her handling of the case, saying she does not apologize for conducting a meticulous and thorough investigation to build what she said is the strongest possible murder case against Van Dyke.
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The charges against Van Dyke came only days after a Cook County judge ordered the city to release police dashboard camera video of the shooting, which shows Van Dyke opening fire on McDonald as the teen was walking away from officers, contrary to the police department's initial claims McDonald lunged at officers with a knife.
Critics have accused Alvarez and Mayor Rahm Emanuel of intentionally delaying the release of the video of the McDonald shooting for their own gain, in order to assure they could get re-elected. Both have denied those claims, and said they will not resign.
Alvarez's challengers are both former Cook County prosecutors. Foxx went on to become chief of staff to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who is backing her in the race. More is also a former federal prosecutor now in private practice.
Some committeemen believe the votes are there to endorse Foxx.
(Credit: CBS)
