Kane County State's Attorney to return to private practice

ST. CHARLES – Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon plans to return to private practice when he finishes his third term in office next year.

"I am not running for any other office," McMahon said during his monthly media briefing on July 9. "When I leave office, my plan is to go into private practice. That's where I was before I became the State's Attorney. That's my plan."

Earlier this month, McMahon announced that he would not seek election to a third term in November 2020. McMahon, a Republican, will have served 10 years as state’s attorney by then, having been appointed in 2010, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2012, both times unopposed.

"I enjoy being a lawyer," McMahon said. "I enjoy working with people and helping them solve challenges. That's what I hope I can do."

In a letter, McMahon stated he met with staff earlier in the day to share his decision not to run again.

“I wanted to serve as state’s attorney because I believe in public service and that as state’s attorney, I could have a positive impact on the lives of people who live and work in Kane County,” McMahon’s letter stated.

“My job as the chief legal and law enforcement officer for the county has been to seek justice. Sometimes, that meant pursuing severe penalties for severe crimes and sometimes it meant offering second chances to good people who made poor choices,” McMahon’s letter stated.

“Justice is not an exact science and what seems heavy-handed to some may seem lenient to others. Regardless, I, along with my dedicated staff of lawyers and administrative professionals, have pursued justice without fear or favor.”

McMahon’s letter recounts highlights and achievements in his office, including his role as a special prosecutor of Jason Van Dyke in Chicago, the officer who was convicted in the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald.

“That case was a test of our justice system,” McMahon wrote. “I am … incredibly proud that I was selected to handle such an important case and incredibly proud of the work that my staff and I put into that prosecution,” McMahon wrote.