Election Profile: DeKalb County State’s Attorney
October 11, 2012
DeKalb County State’s Attorney Election Profile
Clay Campbell
Background:
- Republican, Incumbent
- Has practiced criminal law in DeKalb County for 20 years
- Graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Southern Illinois University
- Graduated with a J.D. from NIU in 1991
- Has prosecuted in DeKalb County since 2010
Campbell states his goals and priorities are:
- To ensure safety of NIU and area around campus
- To be dedicated to working with local law enforcement
- To be more creative with how crimes are prosecuted
- To work on serious drug and crime issues
- To devote more time and effort to the most serious criminals
Richard Schmack
Background:
- Democrat
- Has practiced as an attorney for 32 years
- Graduated with a J.D. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1980
- Graduated with Bachelor’s Degree Magna Cum Laude in Political Science and History from North Central College
- Served as assistant state’s attorney under DeKalb County State’s Attorney Philip L. DiMarzio
Schmack said his goals and priorities are:
- To restore the operation of the office to a professional operation
- To do the job right
- To prosecute crime, not look for other things to do
- To return to the state’s attorney position being involved with the drug court instead of assistants
- To not make any promises that can’t be delivered
