Aaron Jaffe, former Illinois legislator, judge, and gaming board chairman, dies at 95
Aaron Jaffe — a renowned former Illinois state lawmaker, judge and chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board — passed away last week.
Jaffe died Wednesday, Sept. 10. He was 95 years old.
Jaffe was born in Chicago on May 16, 1930. He grew up on the city's West Side and attended Marshall High School, according to an Illinois court history document. He attended UCLA and the University of Illinois Chicago campus at Navy Pier, and earned his J.D. from DePaul University in 1953, according to the Illinois Digital Archives.
Jaffe moved to Skokie in 1959, and served as Niles Township Democratic committeeman from 1969 to 1973. Meanwhile in 1971, Jaffe was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.
As a state lawmaker, Jaffe worked to ensure that all children had access to a quality education regardless of where they lived. He also led a successful push for a change to Illinois rape laws to reflect the perspectives of the victims, published reports noted.
Jaffe fought throughout his time as an Illinois state lawmaker to "dismantle systemic barriers and create a more just society for all," his published library read.
Jaffe served as an Illinois stat representative until 1985, when he was appointed to Cook County Circuit Court. He was elected to a full term as judge the following year, and served in the Domestic Relations, Law, and Chancery divisions, according to Illinois Court History.
As a judge, Jaffe presided over divorce cases — and in 1998, he made headlines for a decision that handed Roosevelt University control of the Auditorium Theatre following a long battle with a council that had been in charge, as noted in published reports.
"He was known for his thoughtful approach, always prioritizing a deep understanding of the human element in every case," Jaffe's obit wrote.
Jaffe retired from the bench in 2004, and was appointed to head the Illinois Gaming Board by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2005. This came after the previous board decided to award the notorious Emerald Casino a license in Rosemont six years earlier, over objections that some investors had ties to organized crime.
A revocation hearing dragged out for years afterward, but ultimately, Emerald Casino's license was revoked.
Gov. Pat Quinn overhauled the Gaming Board in 2011, but kept Jaffe in place as chairman. Jaffe served in the role until 2015.
Jaffe is survived by his wife of 74 years, Charlotte; adult children Alan, Alisa, and Lowell; grandchildren Rachel, Karl, Ezra, Madeleine, Drew, and Max; and great-grandchildren Charlie and Rosie.