Clarence Bernard "Bernie" Carey Jr. (December 16, 1934 – June 1, 2018) was an American politician who served as Cook County State's Attorney from 1972 through 1980.
[1][2] While he would later be a Republican politician, during his time at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota he chaired the school's chapter of Young Democrats.
Woods opted to run for president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners instead of the seeking a second term.
[2] Hanrahan had also been facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice relating to these killings until being acquitted the day before the general election.
[3] Hanrahan had won the Democratic Party's primary, and thereby its nomination, despite the Cook County Democratic Party, led by Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, refusing to back his bid for reelection and supporting a primary challenger to him.
[1] Carey had pledged that he would investigate allegations of voter fraud, political corruption, kickbacks, and other crimes by the Democratic establishment of Chicago and Cook County.
[2] Ultimately, after eleven years of litigation that arose, a 1985 court decision would end the Chicago Police Department's unlawful surveillance of political dissenters and their organizations.
[1] After Carey's 2018 death, Richard A. Devine, a Democrat who had served as Cook County State's Attorney from 1996 through 2008, remarked, "Bernie was a good guy.
"[2] In 1976, he was reelected over Edward J. Egan, a Democrat who had stepped down from the Illinois Appellate Court in order to run against Carey.
[1] Carey won what was seen as a strong victory, even carrying every single township of suburban Cook County.
[8] Carey was the first Republican to win multiple terms as Cook County state's attorney.
[2] Carey had met Mary Rita, who would become his wife, at a church dance social at St. John Fisher in Evergreen Park, Illinois.