Who is/was your most important mentor and why?
U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin is my most important mentor. Senator Durbin’s values and commitment to ethics in public service parallel my own. Throughout my career, he has provided candid advice, guidance, and important perspectives on professional and political decisions. I appreciate his equanimity and the impactful leadership he provides by example.
What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?
In 2013, in the wake of Sandy Hook, I successfully led my City Council in an effort to pass an ordinancebanning assault weapons and large capacity magazinesduring a brief 10-day window of opportunity provided by the Illinois General Assembly. I worked in partnership with our corporation counsel to draft a strategy that mitigated litigation exposure and encouraged my colleagues in the face of intense challenges to do the right thing for our community. I was able to obtain pro bono legal counsel, who withstood a challenge by the NRA that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and succeeded in defending what is now a model ordinance.
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