Why a Former U.S. Attorney is Running for Secretary of State
Former U.S. Attorney John Milhiser, a former Sangamon County State’s Attorney, is running for Secretary of State.
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Former Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, who served as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois during the Trump administration is running statewide in 2022.
For Attorney General?
No.
He’s in the race for Secretary of State.
From Milhiser’s campaign announcement Tuesday:
“It is a privilege to run for this office and continue to fight to make our state a better place to live. I am running because we can do better in Illinois. We can have good government. We can have safe communities, and we can rebuild trust in our leaders,” says Milhiser. “As the next Secretary of State, I will continue to work to end the culture of corruption that has been fostered for decades in this state. Together we can forge a new future for Illinois unencumbered by the last half century of back room deals that have led our state down the wrong path. We must move forward, not backward, and away from the corruption that has plagued our state for so many years.”
Milhiser is not a politician. He is a public servant, who has dedicated his life to improving his community by leading a state prosecutor’s office, a federal prosecutor’s office, and most recently, a classroom. As Secretary of State, Milhiser’s goal will remain the same, to work each day to make a difference and have a positive impact on the citizens of Illinois.
As United States Attorney, Milhiser successfully prosecuted murderers, violent criminals, child predators, drug dealers, embezzlers, and human traffickers. Most recently, he gained bipartisan praise for leading the prosecution of an elected official on charges of fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion related to his alleged misuse of campaign money for personal expenses. Milhiser has a long history of investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption and other crimes against the public.
Prior to serving as United States Attorney, Milhiser was a prosecutor in the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office for 16 years where he was known as a champion for victims. He prosecuted serious felony cases, including First Degree Murder, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated DUI, and the Attempted Murder of Police Officers.
The statement reads like an Attorney General kickoff announcement.
Sources say Milhiser was recruited by Mike Zolnierowicz, known by politicos as “Mike Z,” who was a Chief of Staff to then-Governor Bruce Rauner and has worked with then-Sen. Mark Kirk and managed Congressman Rodney Davis’ (R-Taylorville) first race in 2012. (Disclosure: I worked under Mike Z in that campaign.)
Mike Z is advising billionaire Ken Griffin through the process of selecting a slate of statewide candidates, which we first told you about last month.
Why Milhiser wanted…or was recruited to…run for Secretary of State instead of Attorney General is unknown at this point. Milhiser’s campaign wouldn’t provide the name of a press contact and said the candidate wouldn’t take time for a phone call with The Illinoize yesterday.
One Republican operative we spoke to last night questioned Milhiser for not seeking the job he's most qualified for.
“It says a lot about a guy who instead of running for the office for which he is most qualified runs for SoS,” the operative said. “He's now totally owned by Mike Z.”
We’re told Griffin’s people didn’t even speak to Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), who is also seeking the SoS office. Brady, meanwhile, announced the endorsements of 39 legislative Republicans and Congressmen Mike Bost, Rodney Davis, and Darin LaHood Tuesday.
Democrats are obviously going to make anyone who takes support or cash from Team Griffin as Rauner 2.0.
From the Democratic Party of Illinois attack yesterday:
“Of course, Rauner and Griffin’s first failed adventure in state government ended when they were overwhelmingly rejected by voters, but we know that won't stop them from picking a slate of candidates to do their bidding — like Milhiser and their rumored gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin. Unfortunately for Milhiser, Irvin, and any others, Illinois voters are smart enough recognize a Rauner-Griffin reboot when they see it.”
Republicans consider Alexi Giannoulias, the frontrunner for Secretary of State right now, a more vulnerable candidate in the fall than current Attorney General Kwame Raoul, which may be behind Milhiser’s push.