(Waukegan, IL) – Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart issued the following statement today in response to Republican candidate Mary Cole’s release yesterday that contained misinformation about Rinehart and a fatal DUI case in DeKalb County.
“First, I want to express my condolences to the family of Deputy Christina Musil who lost her life serving the people of DeKalb County and Illinois.
“After Deputy Musil’s death, the offender appeared before Circuit Judge Marcy L. Buick in DeKalb County. State’s Attorney Rick Amato filed a petition to detain the offender as allowed under the SAFE-T Act in every fatal DUI case. Buick found that the offender was not a “threat to the public,” so he was not detained awaiting trial.
“Clearly, anyone who has killed someone during a DUI is a threat to the public. And under the SAFE-T Act, the offender could have and should have been detained.
“My opponent is spreading false information that the SAFE-T Act prevents jailing these offenders. It is the opposite. The SAFE-T Act is the first system that allows us to jail these dangerous drivers – without worrying about the size of their bank accounts and the posting of cash bail.
“My opponent says I do not believe someone should be detained after they kill a police officer. As someone who works with heroes in law enforcement every day, it is stunning and offensive that my opponent would lie about my personal views. It is heartbreaking that anyone would use this tragedy to spread lies.
“Since the SAFE-T Act, our office successfully detained both individuals (case 1 – case 2) in Lake County who killed someone during a DUI. As a father of two, it matters to me that our streets and children are safer when drunk drivers who kill are locked up and unable to use cash to bond out.
“What is worse than my opponent lying about my personal views is that she is following other reckless and extreme politicians in their lies about public safety.
“Irresponsible politicians told the public it would be “the end of days” and that violent crime would go up. Violent crime has gone down since the SAFE-T Act went into effect. These extremists were liars then, and my opponent is lying about me now.
“Our new detention system allows judges to hold dangerous people, like this offender, without the ability to post bond. The new system isn’t to blame; it was the judge who refused to detain the offender as she was allowed to do under the SAFE-T Act.
“When my opponent recirculates misinformation, she shows she can’t be trusted to be the Lake County State’s Attorney.”
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