Democratic Party leaders chose a Will County assistant state’s attorney Saturday to fill the year and a half remaining to state Rep. Emily McAsey’s term representing the 85th District.
John Connor, 47, a Will County prosecutor for 14 years, has been involved in such high-profile cases as the murder trials for Drew Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police officer convicted of killing his second wife, and Christopher Vaughn, an Oswego man who’s serving a life term for killing his wife and three children in Channahon.
Connor, a Lockport resident, said he’s excited for the opportunity and knows he’ll have to hit the ground running when he heads to Springfield Monday for the special session at which legislators could approve a state budget before a June 30 deadline.
“There’s no doubt that it’s daunting,” he said. “I’ll roll my sleeves up and I’ll have to dive in.”
If lawmakers can’t agree on a state budget by Friday, the state will face several financial problems, including a work stoppage by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Connor said he believes his prosecution experience should help him as a lawmaker.
“I’ve argued a lot trying to persuade people in court,” he said. “This will obviously involve a different set of skills.”
Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, who attended Saturday’s meeting at White Oak Library in Lockport, said his office will miss Connor but said the state is “on the edge of a cliff” and “needs people like John.”
Connor also led the county’s crimes against children unit and helped bring 150 cases against people producing or distributing child pornography.
Scott Pyles, chairman of the Will County Democratic Party, and Robert Pieckert, DuPage County Democratic chairman, chose Connor over two other candidates, Lockport Township Trustee Dean Morelli and Lockport Township Collector-elect Karen Johnson. A fourth applicant, Jared Taylor, was disqualified because he never voted in a Democratic primary.
“At the end of the day, it was a very close call between the three candidates,” Pyles said.
The 85th District is located in both Will and DuPage counties and includes includes portions of Lockport, Romeoville and Bolingbrook.
The fact Connor’s father is a former Republican circuit judge could help him cross the aisle in negotiating a budget, he said. “I think he’ll bring that bipartisan spirit,” Pyles said.
Pyles added that he was most impressed by Connor’s ability to discuss the details of current legislative issues being tackled in Springfield, such as pension reform.
McAsey, who was first elected in 2008, resigned June 1 to move to the East Coast, where her physician husband has taken a new job.
Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
