Cook County State's Attorney candidate Bill Conway promises 'public corruption reckoning' in efforts to unseat Kim Foxx

CHICAGO (WLS) -- In his quest to unseat Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, candidate Bill Conway is promising what he calls a "public corruption reckoning" if he's elected.

Conway is taking a page out of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's campaign playbook and using indicted Ald. Ed Burke to attack an opponent.

In his latest TV ad, Conway says Burke hosted a fundraiser for Foxx during her last election. A year after she won, Foxx's office approved a property tax appeal settlement with Burke's law firm for nearly $2 million.

Although, Conway couldn't answer if he had proof it was a quid pro quo on Thursday.

"We all lived in this city for too long and we know deals like this happen all the time," Conway said. "We need to get that appearance of impropriety out of the state's attorney's office and out of the justice system."

Kim Foxx was unavailable for an on-camera interview to respond.

Through a written statement, her campaign spokesperson said Foxx donated the money from Ed Burke to nonprofits.

"Mr. Conway is getting his facts wrong while he's grasping at straws in this race," a spokesperson said. "Not only that, but this is a weak and hypocritical attack from a candidate who has taken at least $1.7 million from his billionaire father's arms dealing empire."

Conway acknowledged his family's wealth.

"My family has resources. I haven't been shy about that, and frankly I wish Foxx would spend less time attacking my family and military service and more time trying to get politics out of that office," Conway said.

Conway's campaign has been mainly bankrolled by his father, who is the co-founder of The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms. The money has allowed Conway to buy lots of airtime.

The 41-year-old already has four campaign ads running. In the first two, Conway introduces himself as a former Cook County prosecutor and a U.S. Naval intelligence officer. In the latest ads, Conway is on the attack.

"His money is a big threat. He has unlimited funds, his father is a billionaire so that could make a big difference in the race," said ABC 7's Political Analyst Laura Washington. "He has the money to stay up on the air all the way through Election Day."

Beside Foxx and Conway, former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti and former prosecutor Donna More are running in the Democratic primary. Both have not raised nearly the amount of money as Foxx and Conway.