Alderman Raymond Lopez accuses Democratic leaders of prioritizing personal political ambitions over the lives of Chicagoans, as debates rage over the use of the National Guard to combat crime.
A political firestorm is brewing in the Windy City, as a prominent Democratic alderman publicly criticized his own party’s leaders for refusing President Donald Trump’s offer of assistance to combat crime. Speaking on “NewsNation Prime,” Alderman Raymond Lopez accused Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson of putting their own political futures ahead of the safety of the city’s residents.
The controversy centers on Trump’s repeated suggestions that he would deploy the National Guard to Chicago to help quell the city’s persistent crime problem. Both Pritzker and Johnson have been vocal opponents of the idea, a stance Lopez believes is motivated by politics, not public safety.
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“I believe… that a lot of this has to do with politics and nothing to do with keeping communities safe,” Lopez told host Keleigh Beeson. “If we are already decreasing our crime stats, why shouldn’t we be pushing to decrease even more? Why shouldn’t we make one less victim of violence in the city of Chicago?”
Lopez argued that the two leaders are refusing federal help—including both the National Guard and additional federal agency support—because they “don’t want to be viewed as capitulating and working with the president.” He suggested Pritzker, who has been floated as a potential presidential candidate, and Johnson, who hopes to be re-elected, believe their “path to victory lies in standing up to Donald Trump.”
“In the meantime, all of the 2.7 million people who make up the 77 communities of the city of Chicago are caught in the political crosshairs and are paying the price on the streets,” Lopez said.
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The alderman also took issue with what he called the “Democratic elite” for “gaslighting” the public by framing the deployment of the National Guard as a threat to democracy. He asserted that the Guard would be there to support police officers, who, according to Lopez, “anxiously await the arrival of” additional help.
President Trump escalated his confrontation with city officials on Truth Social, posting a stark warning that federal authorities were “coming.” “A really DEADLY weekend in Chicago. 6 DEAD, 27 HURT IN CRIME SPREES ALL OVER THE CITY,” he wrote in one post, later adding, “He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming!” This was followed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s announcement on “Face the Nation” that the administration plans to send additional immigration enforcement resources to Chicago this week.
Mayor Johnson signed an executive order on Saturday to create a legal and procedural firewall against the impending federal action. The order prohibits Chicago police from participating in joint operations with federal immigration agents and requires federal officers operating in the city to wear body cameras and clear identification.
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While Chicago’s homicide rate over the past year has decreased compared to the three years prior, it remains elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels. The city has seen 463 homicides in the last 12 months as of August 30, according to ABC7 Chicago. The Labor Day weekend alone left at least 35 people shot and five killed, with violence including a woman shot in an apartment, a man gunned down in East Garfield Park, and a woman fatally shot by five assailants.
Lopez’s fiery comments highlight a growing rift within the Democratic party on how to address crime, with some officials arguing for a more collaborative, and less politically motivated, approach to public safety.
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