Former Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Sept. 8, 2016.

Cook County state’s attorney recused herself this week from Smollett case

Former Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez this week blasted her successor Kim Foxx for not “doing her job” after Foxx recused herself from the investigation into claims made by “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.

With only a few months left in office, does Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez wish she had done anything differently? She joins us in discussion.

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In a surprise move, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez says she wants off the Jason Van Dyke case involving the killing of Laquan McDonald. 

Kim Foxx
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Kim Foxx easily defeated incumbent Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez on Tuesday night with 58 percent of the vote. “I knew from my conversations from people throughout the county that there was discontent, that there was a real consensus of a need for change,” Foxx said.

Check election results and analysis of top local and statewide contests, and find out how many early ballots were cast this year in Chicago.

Kim Foxx, left, Anita Alvarez

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez lost her bid for re-election to Kim Foxx in a race that was widely seen as a referendum on her handling of the police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

A final look at the stakes in Tuesday’s primary election in Illinois. Chicago Public Schools sues its former CEO and SUPES Academy for $65 million. And former Bears head coach Lovie Smith is back in Illinois to coach football. Joel Weisman and his guests discuss these stories and more in this week’s show.

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The Democratic candidates running for Cook County State's Attorney joined us in their final appearance together before Tuesday's primary. The high-profile race comes as faith in the criminal justice system has been shaken not only in Chicago, but also in cities across the nation.

Kim Foxx

WTTW’s 2016 Voters’ Guide to the Primary is an online resource designed to inform voters about the candidates running for Cook County office in the March 15 election. Learn more.

Political and police accountability tops this week's news. Join Joel Weisman and guests for discussion and analysis of the week's top stories.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office prosecutes crimes committed in Cook County, the largest consolidated court district in the U.S.; serves as legal counsel for Cook County government agencies; and serves as legal counsel for all Cook County public officials.

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Chicago's black firefighters and paramedics are calling on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to replace Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago. The group, represented by the African-American Firefighters and Paramedics League, is also asking the U.S. Department of Justice to expand its investigation into the Chicago Police Department to include the Chicago Fire Department.

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The city of Chicago’s Law Department on Thursday released thousands of internal emails exchanged between city officials regarding the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The emails provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration reacted to the shooting that took place on Oct. 20, 2014 and its aftermath.

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The federal civil rights investigation into the Chicago Police Department is now underway. Federal officials will meet with Mayor Rahm Emanuel tomorrow and spent Wednesday with top police officials.

Anita Alvarez
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Few Answers at Marathon City Council Hearing

Embattled State's Attorney Anita Alvarez chose to not attend a marathon City Council committee hearing Tuesday on police misconduct in the wake of the ongoing scandal at the Chicago Police Department.

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The Chicago Police Department is the subject of national scrutiny following the shooting deaths of two African-American males at the hands of on-duty police officers. Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins us for a one-on-one discussion about police reform and calls for his resignation.