In the large field of eight Democratic candidates running for Illinois attorney general, Sharon Fairley has now received the endorsement of both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune.
The Sun-Times says Fairley has "an independence of mind and spirit that could make her a particularly effective attorney general."
Fairley, a first-time candidate, had been running the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel after the Laquan McDonald shooting. When Lisa Madigan made the surprising announcement this fall that she would not seek re-election, Fairley left that COPA post to run for AG.
The pool of Democratic candidates also includes ex-gubernatorial candidate and state Rep. Scott Drury, former assistant U.S. attorney and MSNBC political commentator Renato Mariotti, 33rd Ward Democratic committeeman and former Cook County public defender Aaron Goldstein, Highland Park Mayor and former 10th District congressional candidate Nancy Rotering, Chicago Park District President and former chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education Jesse Ruiz, state Sen. Kwame Raoul and former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn.
This week, all of the candidates -- Democrats and Republicans running for the attorney general job -- will hold a debate at the Union League Club.
NBC 5 Political Editor Carol Marin will moderate the debate.
