Robert Shaw (Illinois politician)

Biography

Robert Shaw (July 31, 1937 – July 22, 2021) was an American politician. He served as a City of Chicago Alderman in the 9th ward for four terms, first in 1979 through 1983 and again from 1987 until 1998. Shaw also served as commissioner on the Cook County Board of Review from 1998 until 2004. For more than a quarter century, Shaw and his identical twin brother William were dominant political "kingmakers" of Chicago's far South Side and southern suburbs. However, their influence dissipated greatly in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, with Jesse Jackson Jr. largely beating them out to become the new kingmaker in what had been their territory. Both Shaw and his twin brother were controversial figures. After losing reelection to the Cook County Board of Review in 2004, Shaw became a perennial candidate.

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