Trump Selects Joliet's John Lausch As Next U.S. Attorney For Chicago

JOLIET, IL - As anticipated, President Donald Trump selected Joliet native John Lausch, a 48-year-old lawyer and former standout athlete at Joliet Catholic High School, to take over as the president's next U.S. Attorney based in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reported on Thursday night.

In the coming weeks, the U.S. Senate will be asked to approve Trump's nomination of Lausch, which was hardly a shock. News of the possibility had been brewing for days. Nevertheless, that the White House made the announcement official is certain to be welcomed by thousands of Will County residents, notably around Joliet, people who saw Lausch grow up.

These days, Lausch is a partner at the prominent Chicago law firm of Kirkland & Ellis. He has worked there since 2010, focusing on government enforcement defense and internal investigations, his bio notes.

Before that, Lausch served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois for more than a decade. He supervised the office from 2005 to 2010, his bio notes. Lausch has substantial prior experience prosecuting corruption. He has tried more than 20 criminal jury cases involving RICO conspiracies, fraud offenses, extortion, narcotics and firearms cases. And while at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Lausch was an exemplary employee. He received two Department of Justice Director's Awards for Superior Performance, his bio notes.

According to Kirkland & Ellis, Lausch was recognized in 2013 and 2014 as an "Illinois Super Lawyer" by the Super Lawyers magazine.

Here in Joliet, Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow will be ecstatic about the news of Trump's probable appointment. Glasgow brought up Lausch during an unrelated July 25 press conference held inside the Joliet Police Department. The event intended to publicize that morning's arrests of 16 Joliet-area residents who now stand accused of dealing cocaine and selling illegal semi-automatic guns. Many are also accused of being affiliated with the Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords, Glasgow said.

"I'm going to throw in a plug for John Lausch. I'm a little off topic here," Glasgow told the room of journalists last week. "He's been tabbed as a potential candidate for the U.S. Attorney's Office. He headed up the anti-gang and safe neighborhoods task force for (former U.S. Attorney) Patrick Fitzgerald. He's from Joliet, Illinois, went to Joliet Catholic, played football at Harvard."

Around Joliet, Lausch is still fondly remembered as being captain of Joliet Catholic's state champion 1987 football team.

"It would be a huge addition to law enforcement down here if I can get a couple of my attorneys cross-designated with the U.S. Attorney's Office," Glasgow told reporters. "And then I would be able to work even more seamlessly with ATF and the other federal agencies."

Now, it appears, Glasgow may get his wish after all.

Image of John Lausch via Kirkland & Ellis

Image of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow via Joliet Patch Editor John Ferak