Peoria Standard

Accusing State's Attorney Kim Foxx of preferential treatment of some defendants, Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfiled) announced on March 11 that he is sponsoring a bill to give Cook County citizens the ability to remove Foxx from her elected position via recall.

"State's Attorney Foxx has created a crisis of confidence in the Cook County judicial system. Giving preferential treatment to some defendants like Jussie Smollett and totally ignoring the victims of crime has caused the public to lose faith in her ability to execute the duties she was elected to do," Butler said.

House Bill 5712 would allow Cook County residents to recall the elected State's Attorney. It would go into effect immediately.

The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association issued a statement on Foxx's dismissal of Smollet's case in March of 2019, noting that although Foxx had said she would recuse herself from the case, she kept it in house, instead of appointing a special prosecutor. There were also concerns about the record being sealed.

In December, Smollett special prosecutor Dan Webb said he would ask the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission to launch a formal inquiry into Foxx and her office, to determine if Foxx or her team violated professional ethics standards.