FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eric Rinehart Announces His Run for Lake County State’s Attorney in 2020
State Representative Sam Yingling announces his endorsement for Rinehart
Waukegan, IL – Today, Eric Rinehart officially announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Lake County State’s Attorney in the March 2020 primary election. Rinehart was joined by Illinois State Representative Sam Yingling who enthusiastically endorsed his candidacy. Rinehart was also joined by family, friends, colleagues and community members.
Transcript from Eric Rinehart’s Announcement:
“Lake County deserves a state’s attorney who can serve the people better.
“Today, violent criminals go un-prosecuted while violent crimes sit unsolved – because we waste too much time and too much money pursuing minor convictions in victimless cases.
“We need to do a better job of making our county safer.
“To make our county safer, the office must be open about how it makes decisions. This transparency is critical to any justice system and there is not enough accountability in the system that is supposed to protect us.
“We punish addiction that we should treat as an illness. And whether you are a victim or a defendant, your chances of finding justice at this courthouse is too often determined by your resources, with a disadvantage to those who are marginalized. We can no longer afford a State’s Attorney who listens to the few while failing to protect the many.
“And so today I announce my candidacy for Lake County State’s Attorney because I believe your state’s attorney should fight for ALL the people – regardless of race, gender, place of birth, sexual orientation, ability, political position, or social status.
In these divisive times, more than ever, it is important to have a justice system that respects and protects the dignity of all people.
“How we protect our families and our communities through the criminal justice system is the most important issue decided on the County level.
“But for decades, decisions in that building have been made by the same group of people — people who are not fighting for you. The prosecutor’s office must strive to bring justice to all communities and to protect everyone from both the horror of crime and the tragedy of wrongful prosecution.
“Despite the amazing resources and the shared ideals of so many people who work here, our justice system is broken. For too long, an individual’s access to justice has been determined by their income or their position, and not by the merits of the case. For too long, victims’ access to the courts has depended on that victim’s demographics and not on their pain – or the damage they have suffered.
“We need new leadership and new solutions to fix our system in Lake County. We need a fighter. I am that leader. I will fight for you.
“I care deeply about Lake County. Lake County is an amazing and beautiful place with vast resources and incredible people. We must use the talent and resources that we have right here to do better – to improve all residents’ lives. My commitment to Lake County is why I am standing here today.
“I have lived, I have learned, and I have worked in Illinois my entire life. My parents are teachers. They raised me to believe there is no higher calling than public service. I will work hard to live by their example every day. That is why I am standing here today.
“My wife Stephanie and I chose to raise our family here. They are why I am standing here today.
“For over 16 years I’ve been fighting for my clients in the civil and criminal courtrooms of Lake County. I have seen the system fail both victims and defendants. That is why I have decided to launch this campaign.
“Every day of my legal practice is dedicated to delivering results for my clients. I now want to deliver results for Lake County by focusing on five areas of urgent reform:
“First, we must be transparent. Transparency is the foundation of democracy, and fundamental to the pursuit of justice. The people of Lake County deserve to know and understand what crimes are happening in thier community. They also deserve to know whether their police department and their State’s Attorney are solving those cases and finding justice for victims.
“Second, we must renew our focus on violent crimes. The number one mission of our office will be to prevent crime now and in the future. All other policies arise from this singular goal of protecting families and communities. But the problem we face now is that this office has no long-term plan to reduce violent crime or to protect the public. Instead, the office unnecessarily expends thousands of hours and thousands of dollars on low-level crime while neglecting the effective prosecution of violent crimes. When prosecutors spend too much time on victimless crimes, they are not protecting us.
“Third, We must restore confidence in the office: The State’s Attorney’s Office must be above reproach when it comes to political influence. I am a first-time candidate for any office. Any politician in this county who breaks the rules will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Right here in our county, we made national news for the worst possible reason. In this very building, This State’s Attorney’s office wrongfully prosecuted innocent people. We must confront this ugly fact, and reconcile with our history of wrongful prosecutions. There has never been a full account of how our system wrongfully prosecuted so many individuals in the past. I will change the culture that led to these wrongful convictions – and report back to all the people on how and why this culture persisted for so long.
“Fourth, I’ll provide the leadership we need in crime prevention. A prosecutor’s mission is to protect communities in the short term and in the long term. I will broaden programs that focus on rehabilitation over incarceration. In that way, we can reduce drug addiction and protect our communities into the future. We must radically reform our approach to juvenile justice so that we account for new approaches to understanding our youngest most vulnerable members of society. For too long, prosecutors have focused only on their immediate (and overwhelming) caseloads. But our office will lead the way in analyzing legislation and social policies that actually prevent crime in the future. And we will actively engage with state and federal government to bring more crime prevention resources into this county.
“Fifth, rebuilding the connection between the police and our communities is critical. The police protect and defend us every day. They are true heroes. But a criminal justice system cannot function without trust between the police and the residents of this county. The prosecutor must be an advocate for justice. When an individual’s constitutional rights are violated, the prosecutor must step in and protect that individual’s rights — that is in the best interests of justice.
“My office will track constitutional violations and make our government accountable to the courts when those rights are violated. We will also focus our resources on such things as increasing police training about constitutional principles and preservation of evidence. When we improve training and communication, we restore that link between the people and the police department. And that trust is vital to everyone’s safety.
“Lake County is a beautiful and wonderful place. That’s why I live here. We all know there is nothing more important than a safe and secure community for our children. But It is time to tackle crime prevention in Lake County with intelligence, strategy, and vision. Our hard-earned taxpayer money should be spent on this important goal — but it should not be wasted. We can have a brighter and safer future.
“We are here in Lincoln Plaza, facing Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. I will work to bring those leaders’ visions for a just and fair society into reality. That will be my goal every morning when I wake up.
“Join me in this fight to change our system to better protect our families and communities. You deserve that. Let’s all work together to bring the Lake County State’s attorney’s office back to the people.
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