OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT
MAYOR
October 7, 2020
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith a resolution honoring the life and memory of former Illinois governor James R. Thompson.
Your favorable consideration ofthis resolution will be appreciated.
Very truly yours,
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members of this Body were saddened to learn ofthe death of Illinois' 37th Governor, James R. Thompson, on August 14, 2020 at the age of 84; and
WHEREAS, Illinois' longest-serving governor, leading Illinois from 1977 until 1991, "Big Jim" Thompson left a monumental legacy; and
WHEREAS, Jim Thompson was born on Chicago's West Side in 1936 and went to the University of Illinois' Chicago campus and Washington University in St. Louis, before earning his law degree from Northwestern University. He became a prosecutor in the office ofthe Cook County State's Attorney in 1959 and argued more cases in the Supreme Court of Illinois than any lawyer other than Abraham Lincoln. In 1964, he became a professor of criminal law at Northwestern University School of Law; and
WHEREAS, Thompson moved to the staff of Illinois Attorney General William Scott in 1969 to head the Criminal Division. In 1971, he was named U.S. Attorney for Northern Illinois, serving until mid-1975. He grew the number of attorneys in that office and prosecuted a record number of official and police corruption cases; and
WHEREAS, In July, 1975, Thompson resigned as US Attorney and announced he would be a candidate for governor the following year. He was elected with close to 65 percent ofthe vote, the biggest gubernatorial win in Illinois since 1848. I le focused closely on crime, creating the "Class X" level of felonies carrying longer sentences for violent crimes such as armed robbery and attempted murder; and
WHEREAS, In 1978. because of a change in the 1970 state Constitution, Thompson had to stand for a second term,...
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