McLean County Times

Judge Joe McGraw, a candidate for Illinois' 17th Congressional District, has vowed to restore law and order in a recent social media post. McGraw, set to challenge incumbent Democrat Eric Sorenson in the general election, shared an article from the Illinois Review on his Facebook page.

"The most important job of any government is to keep its citizens safe and weak politicians like Eric Sorensen have failed to do that," said Judge Joe Mcgraw, according to Facebook. "That's why I've stepped down from the bench to run for Congress. When I'm in Washington, we will restore law and order."

In his post, McGraw linked to an Illinois Review piece that discussed the connection between the cashless bail system and the death of Crisoforo Osorio Gonzalez, 35. Gonzalez was conducting a vehicle test drive with two customers in February when he was killed. The article highlighted that one of the suspects, Rosie Chavez, was arrested on April 1 and had been out on pretrial release for two other cases at the time of Gonzalez's death.

Screenshot of Judge Joe McGraw's April 11 Facebook post | Judge Joe McGraw Facebook page

The cashless bail system mentioned in the Illinois Review is a consequence of the SAFE-T Act's passage, also known as the "Pretrial Fairness Act." A report from NBC5 Chicago dated September 18, 2023, elucidated how this system would operate within the state. The report stated that individuals accused of violent or sexual offenses or those involving firearms would be detained. Meanwhile, those charged with misdemeanors are released with a court date scheduled for their return. However, those facing serious charges will have their initial appearance scheduled within 48 hours. The report also noted that Illinois is not alone in its efforts to reform the cash bail system; California, New Jersey, New York, and Alaska have made similar attempts.

McGraw is a former prosecutor, private attorney, and retired Circuit Court judge who officially announced his candidacy for the 17th Congressional District in mid-October. He is preparing to contest against incumbent U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), who narrowly won in 2022. According to Pantagraph, McGraw's campaign strongly emphasizes law-and-order principles and leverages his extensive judicial experience to address urban crime and immigration issues. His policy positions include advocating for the construction of a border wall, endorsing comprehensive immigration reform, and supporting state regulation over federal intervention in abortion-related matters.

The 17th Congressional District encompasses Carroll, Fulton, Henry, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, Stephenson, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside and Winnebago counties.