The following are the questions from the Champaign Voters Alliance for the Champaign County Voters’ Guide along with my answers regarding my candidacy for Illinois Attorney General. The questions are in bold, followed by my answers. The questionnaire also asked for campaign contact information and that is included as well. The instructions for response are also included as a possible item of interest as well as the picture that was requested.
The Guide is a great resource for every Illinois voter for its coverage of statewide candidates as well as candidates local to Champaign County, Illinois. Students at the University of Illinois who will be voting at school are encouraged to utilize the guide.
Candidate Name: David Shestokas
Public Phone Number: 708-213-7955
Email Address: dave@dave4ag.com
Candidate Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/attorneyshestokas (David J. Shestokas for Illinois Attorney General)
Twitter Page: @shestokas and @dave4ag
Website: https://www.dave4ag.com/home
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For the below Questionnaire, please keep each answer to 200 words or less. These questions are designed to quickly bring voters up-to-speed on the office, how it affects them, and how you may be different from your opponent(s). We provide links to additional resources for people that want to further research candidates (such as the LWV Candidate Forums, and the candidate’s own websites). If you have additional links to questionnaires/candidate-guides from other groups, we’d love to include those links in our guide as well.
As an example of how other candidates have answered in the past, see our previous candidate guides at: https://votechampaign.org/past-guides/ or the 2020 General Election Guide.
The Questionnaire
1.) What is the importance of the Illinois Attorney General to the residents of Champaign County?
Most people associate the term “Attorney General” with the U.S. Attorney General. The title is shared with the Illinois Attorney General but the jobs are vastly different. The U.S. Attorney General is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the president, and as a practical matter executes the president’s policies.
The Illinois Attorney General is elected by the people, and responsible to them, not the governor or any government agency. It is important for Illinois citizens to understand how dissimilar that is from the U.S. Attorney General’s job.
Recent Illinois Attorneys General have operated as the governor’s lawyer acting to execute his policy rather than seeking justice for Illinois citizens. Citizens that have legitimate grievances have found the Attorney General opposing them. This conduct is contrary to Illinois law, and only Illinois citizens can correct it through elections.
If the office were conducted according to law, the Illinois Attorney General would exercise the authority to oversee and prosecute crimes that local prosecutors have chosen to ignore and seek justice for citizens rather than treat citizens as irritations when they challenge government failures to act legally. This has implications for Champaign County citizens in protection from crime and in the exercise of their constitutional and statutory rights.
2.) Why are you qualified to be the Attorney General of Illinois?
Public safety is the first duty of government and experience in that area is critical to the citizens of Illinois. I have worked to secure our elections (as counsel in a suit against the Board of Elections) and protect religious liberty with a suit against restrictions on church operations. I understand that this is a special job in the law with a duty to achieve justice and will conduct the office with that guiding principle.
I was involved in over 400 felony cases and more than 10,000 misdemeanors as a prosecutor. The next time either of my opponents prosecute a criminal matter will be the first time.
The scope of my 35 years as an attorney includes criminal justice, child protection, elections, religious liberty, and pro bono work for civic and charitable organizations.
I have a demonstrated commitment to constitutional principles. This shown by the two books I’ve written Constitutional Sound Bites and Creating the Declaration of Independence, my personal website and the years I have spent educating about America’s Founding principles.
The Attorney General is Illinois’ chief law enforcement officer. Experience in enforcing the law and a proven commitment to the legal system that protects our freedoms are qualities citizens should seek in their Attorney General.
3.) If elected, what is something you would like to accomplish, and how long will it take?
The first duty of the elected IL Attorney General is to “represent the people of the state,” not the governor, nor a government agency. The current AG wages “lawfare” against Illinois citizens.
For example, my Illinois Conservative Union lawsuit asks the Board of Elections to obey federal law. The current Attorney General says the Board doesn’t have to, filing frivolous requests and motions treating citizens as an irritation.
As Attorney General I will gather all pending citizen suits alleging illegal government action and seek resolutions, not kneejerk litigation.
The next action will address the issue of crime. Under existing law the AG can prosecute cases declined by the local State’s Attorney.
As citizen lawsuits are resolved, Assistant AG’s now litigating against IL citizens will be assigned to monitor state’s attorneys failing to charge crimes on foolish theories like mutual combat and, where appropriate, file charges. This immediately impacts the safety of Illinois citizens, without additional expense.
Existing law allows for immediate implementation of these changes, including an Assistant Attorney General assigned to requests from law enforcement agencies for prosecutions of serious matters declined by local State’s Attorneys.
These changes can be accomplished in months not years. Citizens will then have an Attorney General that works FOR THEM, not AGAINST THEM.
4.) Is there anything else you would like to say to an undecided voter?
The Attorney General is elected by the citizens. In Illinois history, very often the job has been held by persons who have a political agenda, where government is the family business not public service.
I have had a 35 year diverse legal career, and I am not seeking the office as a stepping stone to some higher office. As I view the office, there is none higher than being the People’s Lawyer.
During my time as a State’s Attorney I understood when I announced to the court: “Good morning your honor, David Shestokas on behalf of the People of the State of Illinois”, that the individual across from me, accused of a crime, was one of the People as well. My duty was to JUSTICE. That is also the prime duty of the Attorney General, not to be the defender of the government (as that office has been in recent memory) but to ensure that the government follows the law in its prime duty of ensuring the safety and security of the citizens who are the ultimate sovereigns.