Lisa Madigan |
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Lisa Madigan (Democrat) was elected to her second term as Attorney General on November 7, 2006 earning the largest vote total of any statewide candidate. As the lawyer for the people of Illinois, Madigan has led efforts to restore integrity to gaming, safeguard children from threats over the internet, better protect women and children from sex offenders, and stop the spread of methamphetamine. Madigan leads a statewide law enforcement task force focused on investigating and prosecuting online child exploitation. She also created a statewide law enforcement team to improve the state’s sex offender registry and enforce registry laws. She proposed successful legislation to strengthen laws that protect communities from sex offenders and to protect nursing home residents from abuse. Madigan has created training programs for prosecutors and police to improve Illinois’ response to methamphetamine production and use. She also has worked successfully to curb access to the ingredients needed to make this dangerous drug. Madigan’s efforts to protect consumers, especially seniors, include educating consumers on emerging scams, mediating consumer complaints, and filing lawsuits to stop fraudulent practices and recover losses on behalf of consumers. With identity theft emerging as one of the fastest growing frauds, Madigan created an identity theft hotline to help consumers respond and protect their credit. Madigan’s interest in making government more open and accessible has led to several innovations, including offering many office documents in multiple languages and creating a Spanish-language telephone hotline. Madigan also created a team of Public Access Counselors to take an active role in ensuring that public bodies conduct their business openly and that the public has access to governmental information. Before her election as Attorney General, Madigan served in the Illinois Senate and worked as a litigator for a Chicago law firm. Prior to becoming an attorney, she worked as a teacher and community advocate, developing after-school programs to help kids stay away from drugs and gangs. Madigan also volunteered as a high school teacher in South Africa during apartheid. Madigan earned her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and her J.D. from Loyola University Law School. She and her husband, Pat Byrnes, have one daughter. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL The Attorney General is the lawyer for the state and the people of Illinois. Working with her staff, the Attorney General acts as an advocate to protect consumers, safeguard children and communities, preserve the environment, uphold Illinois’ open government laws and defend the rights of Illinois’ most vulnerable residents. The Attorney General’s office monitors charities, provides assistance to victims of violent crime, and works with the General Assembly to pass legislation. The office also assists local state’s attorneys in the prosecution of crimes and provides legal representation to elected state officials and the departments and agencies of Illinois government. |
