* Background is here if you need it…
Lodge 7 members,
As your President, I showed a lapse in judgement yesterday during an interview. For that I am sorry. I brought negative attention to our Lodge, the FOP family and law enforcement in general.
I was in no way condoning the violence in DC yesterday. My statements were poorly worded. I certainly would never justify any attacks on law enforcement. After seeing more video and the full aftermath, my comments would have been different.
I ask that you consider the totality of my comments yesterday. What is almost totally overlooked was the fact I said the President needs to accept responsibility for yesterday’s events and that he should formally concede the race to put everything to bed once and for all.
Lastly, I commit to doing better each day. I will never be too big to admit when I am wrong. Stay safe and healthy.
John J. Catanzara Jr.
President
FOP Lodge 7 Chicago
*** UPDATE *** Ouch…
- NIU Grad - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:24 am:
I have a feeling if the president said “fight on” yesterday instead of a concession, this statement would not have come out.
- yeah... - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:24 am:
Can’t imagine why he’s suddenly feeling contrite. Could it possibly be the capitol police officer who died at the hands of the mob he was defending?
- sulla - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:26 am:
Translation: “I totally would not be backtracking here had it not come to light this morning that a capitol police officer was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher by a lawless group I lauded less than 24 hours ago.”
- PublicServant - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:26 am:
Resign.
- Sayitaintso - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:30 am:
You are sorry because you were honest the first go around, with a smug look to boot. When the flak starts coming your way, you’re ‘sorry’ - for miscalculation of the mood of the group(s) you were trying to impress and astound.
- blue line - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:30 am:
so shut your mouth and don make public statements until you have all the facts. when you make baseless statements, you’re simply showing your true beliefs on the matter. in this case, without knowing that capitol police officers were injured, one fatally, by this mob of insurrectionists, your statements justifying the mob action simply shows that are inclined to support the mob! this dude needs to go. he and his ilk had four years to come out of the shadows. now that we know who they are, we need to remove them from positions of power and reinforce true american ideals of equal rights for all to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:30 am:
I am sorry for saying the quiet part out loud and it getting noticed.
Got it.
- Honeybear - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:31 am:
Apology not accepted
Resign and find some integrity.
You cheered an insurrection that resulted in an officer dying.
Talk about the very definition of hypocrite
- K3 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:31 am:
“Sorry for saying what I actually believe”
- Smalls - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:31 am:
A lot of people need to learn that actions have consequences.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:32 am:
He should resign. He spoke in support of an action that lead to the murder of a police officer.
- Publius - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:33 am:
Do the right thing and resign.
- Former Downstater - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:36 am:
“more video and the full aftermath” So, first images of people breaking through doors and windows and chasing police officers wasn’t enough? Seems that police officers stop and question people on the street for far less every day.
- Amalia - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:42 am:
Nope. you’ve been on this (crazy) Trump ideas pushing train for a while. you really don’t have the support of your membership. you really did not apologize. Resign.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:45 am:
=== I certainly would never justify any attacks on law enforcement.===
Musta forgot about all the insurrection of the country part too?
This apology makes no sense, even in the solely pointed context to phrasing.
- Springfieldish - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:48 am:
So now we get the ‘ew’ wave of apologies. We’re all gonna need showers after this.
And isn’t this the part of the story when the Death-eaters cover their tattoos and wait for the re-emergence of you-know-who?
- Will Caskey - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:48 am:
His comments were not notably different from his predecessor’s. Occham’s Razor indicates that the majority of his consituents agree with his original interview.
- Anon E Moose - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:50 am:
5 people died
- illinifan - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:50 am:
I love the CEO from Chicago who was part of this insurrection. He noted he had never been in trouble before in his life and never did anything like this. Actions have consequences and you don’t get a one time pass to really screw up. I know he probably told his children this when they were growing up.
- crow04 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:51 am:
This man is a perfect walking advertisement for the defund the police movement. The fact that cops chose him to represent them is very telling
- Quizzical - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:51 am:
He’ll be more sorry when Lightfoot tells the press that $15 an hour with pension phase-out is the best she could offer to the unreasonable negotiator who represents the police union. “Go research his statements, he’s a nut job and we can’t reach a better deal.”
- JoanP - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:55 am:
He’s sorry he brought “negative attention” to the FOP? He does that every time he opens his mouth.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:56 am:
Every day he continues to serves in his role is a statement that he accurately represents the membership of his Lodge.
This is a problem they should consider addressing sooner than later.
- WestBurbs - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:58 am:
Quizzical makes an excellent point that the Mayor will use this as ammo. Sadly, I’m not surprised by the wrong thinking - frankly, the evil - of people like Catanzara and Miller (and Trump, Hawley, and the gang) but I remain baffled by how incredibly stupid they are in saying/doing things that hurt, not help their goals. I suppose I should be happy that they are evil idiots, not evil geniuses.
- Boone's is Back - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:00 am:
Has this clown done anything other than apologize during his tenure?
- James the Intolerant - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:04 am:
Just like Mary Miller, not accepted.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:09 am:
“I certainly would never justify any attacks on law enforcement.”
But officials elected to represent the citizens of the United States?
They can all go to hell.
– MrJM
- Chris - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:32 am:
“I will never be too big to admit when I am wrong.”
Taking him at his word—he never said that he was wrong—directly or indirectly—so he isn’t admitting anything, which makes this not an apology, just a deflection (aka spin).
- City Guy - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:43 am:
He needs to resign. Every police officer needs to understand that he completely discredits the majority of good police who believe in law and order. This was an assault on our democracy because his candidate was a sore loser. It likely resulted in the theft of national security secrets during the insurrection. It hurt the U.S. standing around the world for the foreseeable future. It resulted not just in one dead police officer but numerous injured police. There were pipe bombs, semi-automatic weapons, and molotov cocktails found around the Capitol and DC. We were lucky that the attack on our capitol could have resulted in significantly more death and destruction. This wasn’t the looting of a Foot Locker store. This was an attempted coup to overturn the results of a fair and honest election.
Shame on him and shame on the Chicago Police for letting him represent them.
- Stormsw7706 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:58 am:
Great wording by this leader. No mention of the attack on our democracy. With people like him in charge, no wonder Chicago continues to fork over billions in damages to victims of his department. I have no problems with copy but have huge problems with hypocrites and loudmouths. Get rid of this guy. No downside
- Occasionally Moderated - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:03 pm:
I’m a member of a downstate fraternal order of police lodge.
I was disgusted by Catanzara’s comments.
It is not the first time.
He should not be in any leadership position of any kind.
Cpd, get your act together. Pretty tired of the victim routine.
- allknowingmasterofraccoodom - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:10 pm:
The fact that cops elected this guy tells you all you need to know about cops. Resign. Get a real leader in there if you want to be taken seriously.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:21 pm:
He’s sorry alright…sorry he got caught.
Resign…today.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:28 pm:
A Chicago cop shot his mouth off without knowing all the facts?
He clearly mistook his mouth for his gun.
– MrJM
- thisjustinagain - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
I’m pro-law-enforcement, but this guy (jerks thumb toward Bigmouth) is a disgrace to his oath of office as an officer of the law, and the fellow officers he allegedly represents.
- Dry Blanket - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
Interesting that his *default* position, without having seen additional video and aftermath, was to praise the Trumpist mob. Says a lot about his inclinations and those of the organization he represents.
- DC - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:58 pm:
Maybe if the police reform bill becomes law they can call it the Cantanzara Act. He’s helping pass it, might as well give him the credit he deserves.
- JoanP - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:58 pm:
MrJM -
That is, as OW likes to say, top shelf.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 1:12 pm:
Resign. The domestic terrorists you were quick to support are recruiting - you’ll fit right in. Sanity not required…
- Crash - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 1:19 pm:
Sone day we will have to build a Hall of Fame of Terrible Apologies. This one would certainly be a focal point.
The guy has embraced or at least condoned violence for as long as he’s been in the public. The apology is laughable. We all know his approach. This is completely contrary to how he views things.
- walker - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 1:28 pm:
No dice We know who you are
- Commisar Gritty - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 3:23 pm:
Resign
- Commisar Gritty - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 3:26 pm:
-MrJM
*slow clap*
- Amalia - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 4:05 pm:
National FOP calls you out, you gotta go.
- Left Leaner - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 5:41 pm:
What’s most concerning is that John Catanzara said publicly what a lot of Chicago police say privately. His election as president of the Chicago FOP definitely wasn’t rigged…and didn’t come as much of a surprise to some of us up here.
He can resign, but a much bigger problem within the CPD still exists.
- Stormsw7706 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 7:06 pm:
This guy is a person who definitely should not be at the table when criminal justice reforms are discussed. He represents the reason that criminal justice reforms should be discussed. Good cops should be incensed that he is a representative for their profession.