Candidate interview: Alexi Giannoulias looking to reclaim statewide office
By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
Illinois voters might know Alexi Giannoulias as the state’s treasurer from 2007 to 2011, or they might know him as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate who lost to Republican Mark Kirk in 2010.
He’s now looking to get back into public life as he runs for secretary of state, an office is best known for its public-facing driver services facilities. The office also oversees state libraries, securities enforcement, and the state archives among other tasks. It has about 4,000 employees and a $600 million all-funds budget.
Now was the time to pursue an elected statewide office, Giannoulias said in a Zoom interview with Capitol News Illinois this week, because he’s considering it from his family’s perspective.
“When I think about the political process, when I think about the hatred and vitriol, when I think about the generational damage that’s been done to our country, when I think about this assault on voting rights, you know, now that I’ve got two little girls at home with one on the way, I am starting to think more and more about what kind of world we’re going to leave them,” he said.
He said his plan for the secretary of state office will be “centered on modernization.”
“Everything that we’re going to do is gonna be based on making life simpler for Illinoisans across the state,” he said. “People are paying too high of what we call a time tax. Just to use simple government services, people are waiting hours in line, they’re stuck on the phone.”
He’s proposed an appointment-based “skip the line” feature at driver services facilities, as well as creating a mobile app, increasing online capabilities and implementing electronic IDs in some capacity.
He also proposed hiring “advocates” to be on hand in driver services offices for individuals who need help navigating the system.
“We want to make sure we have hands-on assistance for these folks, but especially for our seniors,” he said, adding that they would also help those facing language barriers.
Since leaving the treasurer’s office in 2011, Giannoulias has held other public service roles, such as serving in an unpaid capacity on the Illinois Board of Higher Education and as chair of the Illinois Community College Board. He also taught a political science course at Northwestern University and served on the Chicago Public Library board of directors.
From 2011 to 2018, he held a job in wealth management at the Chicago office of Bank of New York Mellon, and in 2019 he announced the formation of his own private investment company, Annoula Ventures.
Annoula Ventures, he said, was “just a private vehicle where I invest in companies,” but he said he wouldn’t continue involvement if he is elected secretary of state. His LinkedIn page described Annoula ventures as investing in small companies in the areas of real estate, hospitality, insurance and early-stage tech.
“Having a different perspective, and bringing that to Springfield, I think, is enormously valuable,” he said. “So being state treasurer, being the only one who’s held a constitutional office is an important perspective, provides valuable experience.
“Coming from the private sector and understanding how to run a business, understanding how to make payroll, making sure that, you know, you understand the challenges of running a day-to-day business is a perspective that I feel more people in government should have.”
Giannoulias counts labor unions, such as the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Service Employees International Union, as the “backbone” of his campaign. He also has endorsements from a long list of state lawmakers and six sitting members of Congress.
Those endorsements have helped make him the fundraising frontrunner against Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, Chicago Alderman David Moore and a longshot candidate Sidney Moore.
Valencia has the endorsement of the state’s top Democrats, including Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. She’s also endorsed by outgoing secretary Jesse White, who has held the office since 1999.
The campaign between Valencia and Giannoulias has been contentious, with Giannoulias hitting Valencia on her husband’s lobbying ties. Her husband, Reyahd Kazmi, lobbies the city of Chicago and is also registered with the secretary of state to lobby Illinois lawmakers and the governor.
Valencia, meanwhile, has repeated allegations about Giannoulias’ family’s now-defunct Chicago financial institution which dogged him during his Senate campaign.
Namely, those are that Giannoulias was a loan officer at his family’s Broadway Bank when it gave out questionable loans to convicted felons and organized crime figures, as reported by the Chicago Tribune during his Senate campaign.
Giannoulias has described Broadway Bank’s trouble as resulting from the Great Recession, which ultimately led to its dissolution. The Chicago Tribune reported that Giannoulias said he was proud of the community bank’s efforts and its collapse marked “a very difficult time.”
Despite the frequent attacks between the two fundraising frontrunners, both Giannoulias and Valencia told Capitol News Illinois this week they would endorse each other in the general election should the other gain the nomination.
The secretary of state’s office also oversees lobbying registration in Illinois, and Giannoulias said he’d look to work with lawmakers to strengthen that oversight authority. That includes giving state inspectors general greater investigatory and subpoena power, prohibiting elected officials of any office from lobbying any other elected body, and creating a broader lobbying database.
“People have lost trust in their elected officials,” he said. “They’ve lost trust in government. And the scandal and corruption, the pay-to-play, people are sick and tired of it. And I think now’s an ideal time for people to step up and try and be leaders and help move our state forward.”
The full conversation with Giannoulias is available on the Capitol News Illinois Capitol Cast podcast, which you can find on most podcast apps or by clicking here.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government that is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
Billions of cicadas get ready to raise a racket
Spread the loveBy Kelly White If you haven’t heard the buzz yet, you will soon. With 2024 marking a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, billions of the red-eyed buggers will soon be making an appearance. Periodical cicada broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time.…
‘A man of honor, a beacon of kindness’
Spread the love. Chicago weeps for Officer Luis Huesca . By Tim Hadac People across the Southwest Side shed tears earlier this week, as throngs of police officers and other filled the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel at 77th and Western for a funeral Mass for CPD Officer Luis M. Huesca. Officer Huesca was…
Archer Manor Little League starts its 2024 season
Spread the love. Sunny skies and mild temperatures greeted the boys and girls, moms and dads, umpires and coaches, and everyone else participating in Archer Manor Little League’s Opening Day parade and ceremonies at Archer Park. Since 1952, AMLL has provided athletic opportunities for thousands of boys and girls in Archer Heights, West Elsdon, Central…
Dread over car drifters on streets
Spread the love. Reckless drivers take over SW Side intersections . By Tim Hadac At the April meeting of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, a police officer admitted that the drag racing/drifting phenomenon seen and heard in the Midway area in recent years “probably will increase, but we hope not.” The admission was triggered by…
Don’t raise pilots’ retirement age, García says
Spread the love. From staff reports U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th), senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently led a letter joined by 121 Members of Congress urging House Democratic leadership to reject any changes to the pilot retirement age in a final version of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill.…
CTA launches ‘chat’ feature on website
Spread the love. From staff reports Artificial Intelligence has made another step forward at the Chicago Transit Authority. CTA officials recently launched the “Chat with CTA” chatbot, a new virtual automated service featured on transitchicago.com. The communication tool allows riders to report issues, provide feedback and receive answers in real-time. Additionally, it provides the CTA with customer…
New effort to aid kids with disabilities
Spread the love. From staff reports A new grant program aimed at providing financial assistance to families of children with disabilities was launched recently by Mayor Brandon Johnson, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities and Ada S. McKinley Community Services. Children with disabilities is a population disproportionately affected by the pandemic,…
Dart warns of Sheriff’s Office imposters
Spread the love. From staff reports Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart recently alerted the public of an uptick in telephone and email phishing scams in which scammers identify themselves as a Sheriff’s Office employee in an attempt to defraud victims. Scammers are using the actual names and respective titles of Sheriff’s Office employees to…
It’s ‘Batter up!’ time in West Lawn
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . It must be May because baseball season is here. I recently reported on the West Lawn Little League, whose 2024 season is now underway. Another West Lawn youth athletic association is Midway Baseball Softball Association. Their teams…
Neighbors
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…