Chicago Teachers Union & Deathbed Karen Lewis throws whatever weight she has left behind black militant KIM FOXX for Cook County State's Attorney

For the first time in its history, the Chicago Teachers Union has decided to take sides in a Cook County state's attorney's campaign, endorsing Kim Foxx in the March 15 Democratic primary.

The decision is the latest sign of how unusual the contest for top prosecutor has become in the wake of the controversy surrounding the November release of a police dashboard camera video showing the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald by a white Chicago police officer.

Last month, the Cook County Democratic Party reversed course from an earlier decision not to endorse and backed Foxx over two-term incumbent Anita Alvarez and challenger Donna More. The campaign has attracted national media attention, with observers figuring it's something of a bellwether as to how controversial police shootings and the movement for criminal justice reform can shape an election contest for prosecutor.

The CTU endorsement did not come out of the blue. In January, the union's leadership called for the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alvarez, citing the city's efforts to delay release of the video and Alvarez's waiting to charge Officer Jason Van Dyke until just hours before a judge forced the city's hand on the video release.

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