Kwame Raoul

Kwame Raoul
Name	Kwame Raoul
Office	42nd Attorney General of Illinois
Term start	January 14, 2019
Governor	J. B. Pritzker
Predecessor	Lisa Madigan
State senate	Illinois
District	13th
Term start	November 6, 2004
Term end	January 13, 2019
Predecessor	Barack Obama
Successor	Robert Peters
Birth date	30 September 1964
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Lisa Moore, 1991
Education	DePaul University (BA), Chicago-Kent College of Law (JD)

Kwame Raoul. He is an American attorney and politician serving as the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th district from 2004 to 2019, succeeding Barack Obama. Raoul has focused his tenure on consumer protection, criminal justice reform, and civil rights litigation.

Early life and education

Kwame Raoul was born in Chicago to Haitian immigrants. He grew up in the Hyde Park neighborhood and attended Chicago Public Schools. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from DePaul University before receiving his Juris Doctor from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. His early exposure to social justice issues was influenced by his father's work as a community organizer and his mother's career in nursing.

Legal career

Before entering politics, Raoul built a career as a prosecutor and labor attorney. He worked as a Cook County State's Attorney in the criminal appeals division. Later, he served as a senior staff attorney for the City Colleges of Chicago and worked in private practice, specializing in labor and employment law. His legal work often involved representing unions and employees, which shaped his advocacy for workers' rights.

Illinois Senate

Raoul was appointed to the Illinois Senate in 2004 to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama, who was elected to the United States Senate. Representing parts of the South Side and south suburbs, he chaired influential committees including the Judiciary Committee and the Public Health Committee. He sponsored landmark legislation such as the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois, reforms to the Illinois pension system, and the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act.

Attorney General of Illinois

Elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, Raoul oversees one of the largest state legal offices in the nation. His tenure has been marked by high-profile litigation against Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, and other opioid epidemic contributors. He has actively defended the Affordable Care Act, challenged Trump administration policies on immigration and the environment, and enforced the Illinois Human Rights Act. His office also created a Civil Rights Bureau and expanded efforts to combat wage theft and Medicaid fraud.

Political positions and public image

Raoul is considered a progressive Democrat with a focus on pragmatic reform. He is a strong advocate for gun control, having helped draft the Firearm Owners Identification card reforms and the Illinois Gun Dealer Licensing Act. He supports reproductive rights and has sued to protect access to abortion in Illinois. His public image is that of a measured, legally astute official, earning endorsements from groups like the Illinois AFL-CIO and the Cook County Democratic Party.

Personal life

Raoul is married to Lisa Moore, a former television news producer, and they have two adult children. He resides in the Hyde Park neighborhood. A prostate cancer survivor, he has been public about his health journey to promote awareness and early screening. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and remains active in Chicago civic organizations.

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Attorneys General of Illinois Category:Illinois state senators Category:DePaul University alumni Category:Chicago–Kent College of Law alumni Category:Democratic Party state attorneys general in the United States Category:American people of Haitian descent