* Yesterday’s press release…
Criminals continue to feel empowered in J.B. Pritzker’s Illinois as brazen acts are committed repeatedly, and in some instances, on the Governor’s front lawn. In just one week, the Chicago Transit Authority saw five violent incidents that included stabbings and beatings on platforms in the Loop, and in one case a CTA employee was pushed onto the tracks. The CTA’s union president said that the “violence has gotten out of control.”
Carjackings continue to be an epidemic. An 18-year-old man who carjacked a rideshare driver downtown this weekend was the same individual who carjacked another driver in front of J.B. Pritzker’s front lawn in the Gold Coast last year.
Just last week we learned that a four-time convicted felon for gun possession and narcotics charges was paroled by the Illinois Department of Corrections and didn’t last six months before being arrested for carjacking, robbery, and heroin delivery. The Illinois Department of Corrections failed to revoke his parole and he was eventually released on electronic monitoring. Just nine days after being released, he was arrested again for drug dealing. He is now being held without bail.
“The simple truth is that criminals run rampant throughout Chicago and Illinois because they know J.B. Pritzker and Kim Foxx will not hold them accountable for their actions,” said Irvin for Illinois campaign spokesperson Eleni Demertzis. “We need leaders who will prioritize the safety of our citizens over criminals.”
Prisoner releases are gonna be the gift that keeps on giving for the GOP this year…
* And today…
The Irvin for Illinois campaign is announcing a new list of 20 endorsements for Richard Irvin and Avery Bourne from law enforcement leaders across the state. The support from these influential leaders in our law enforcement community shows Irvin has a strong record in supporting police and giving them the resources they need to keep communities safe.
“I am thrilled to have the support of even more law enforcement leaders from across Illinois who will help me take our state back from out of control crime,” said Mayor of Aurora and gubernatorial candidate, Richard Irvin. “Working with law enforcement is essential to creating safe communities, and earning these endorsements today is one step closer to achieving that for Illinois.”
Sangamon County Sheriff, Jack Campbell, is backing Richard Irvin because he is the only candidate that can truly take Illinois back from sky high crime by working with law enforcement, not signing dangerous anti-police policies into law.
“Our great state of Illinois has been made less safe by politicians who backed false narratives, rather than enforcing the rule of law,” said Campbell. “They didn’t bother asking law enforcement for our input on the disastrous crime bill. Richard Irvin is the candidate who will listen to us and seek our counsel. I have gotten to know Mayor Irvin and he is the real deal. I believe he is the best chance to return safety and security to the forefront of Illinois politics.”
Brian VanVickle, Ogle County Sheriff and Past-President of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, spoke to Richard Irvin’s proven record as Mayor of Aurora, working with police and against Pritzker’s damaging crime policy.
“From Northern to Southern Illinois, Governor Pritzker’s crime bill has made all of our communities less safe,” said VanVickle. “In his time as Mayor, Richard Irvin has shown a blueprint for how he will govern, that he will work with local Sheriffs’ offices and empower law enforcement with the resources needed to keep our communities safe. Mayor Irvin is the best chance that we have to defeat Pritzker in November and reverse his dangerous pro-crime policies.”
Click here for the list.
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:34 am:
=== individual who carjacked another driver in front of J.B. Pritzker’s front lawn in the Gold Coast last year. ===
Dude was probably in a panic after not finding an available washroom.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:34 am:
Representative Slaughter and a lot of the folks on his side of the aisle are absolutely fed up with the stench of racism from Richard Irvin
- OneMan - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:35 am:
It’s gonna be inflation and crime. Don’t know if it is going to work, but it is going to be inflation and crime.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:38 am:
“J.B. Pritzker and Kim Foxx”
The dynamic duo of the Dem’s “Criminal Justice Reform” movement. Irvin would be wise to continue this narrative.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:43 am:
== Representative Slaughter and a lot of the folks on his side of the aisle are absolutely fed up with the stench of racism from Richard Irvin==
It’s really funny watching you use an African American as a human shield while trying to deny racism.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:44 am:
A reminder to AFSCME and labor voters who think this is your guy. You thought the same about Rauner and Irvin will do the same as Rauner and drop what you think he got elected to do and come after your contracts and push the anti labor agenda quickly after taking office.
To our friends at AFSCME, how did that stunt you pulled on Governor’s Day on PQ work out for you? Think before you vote.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:46 am:
In this primary, it is critical to be that “crime fighter” and ensure that GOP voters know that “they” are the only candidate that can fight crime.
After June I’ll be surprised to see where crime *could* be in any “narrative” the GOP nominee wants the voters to know.
It caters to old, angry, white… it allows white women as a voting group in the GOP to vote their fears and choose a candidate that could quell that fear and angst too in this primary.
Jesse Sullivan, Richard Irvin, they are up on the Tee-Vee touting crime and using that fear, with a hint of racial underpinnings, “you know”, kind of nods.
This helps Irvin these endorsements
- Leap Day William - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:50 am:
== Representative Slaughter and a lot of the folks on his side of the aisle are absolutely fed up with the stench of racism from Richard Irvin ==
It’s cute how you think there’s no racism in what he’s saying. Someone clearly isn’t familiar with the concept of people kicking away the ladder once they climb up.
- Almost the Weekend - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:52 am:
Can’t wait for Kim Foxx to prosecute these cases to the full extent of the law.
This is fair game for Irvin. Durkin playing wuth fire with mailers like this. You don’t need to use a dog whistle to show that crime is a serious problem right now in Cook County and the burbs.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:52 am:
===…use an African American as a human shield while trying to deny racism.===
“… who look like me and think like us”
Irvin, himself, is using the racist thinking in a way to have those thinkers “embrace” him (Irvin) to “own the libs”… - Lucky Pierre -‘s programming, in this instance, is working perfectly.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:53 am:
Who knew that only only old angry and white people are concerned about crime, the #1 issue in this election.
Advocating for enhanced penalties for repeat violent offenders terrorizing Illinois with impunity is not considered racism by anyone with sanity
- Friendly Bob Adams - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:54 am:
I was on the fence for this election, but now that the crucial endorsement has arrived from the Ogle County sherriff….
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:58 am:
==a new list of 20 endorsements==
Was he digging around in retirement communities to round out this list?
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:02 am:
If I follow the TV ads in my area, Irvin’s major campaign is focused on crime. Anecdotal stuff helps push a point. Are there long term stats comparing arrests vs no arrests for early release programs? Then specifically, are there stats on what happened to the people Irvin helped get criminal cases dismissed as a defense attorney? They all model citizens today?
- Springfieldish - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:04 am:
It would be interesting to learn who reached out to these Sheriffs, criminal defense attorney Irvin or oligarch Griffin.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:04 am:
===To our friends at AFSCME, how did that stunt you pulled on Governor’s Day on PQ work out for you===
God forbid that anyone assume that a Democratic candidate running state wide in Illinois would be competent enough to win re-election after having a few targeted labor protests because of how badly that governor was breaching the contract he had negotiated.
Do you really think an AFSCME protest is enough to swing an election by 4 points? Especially at a State Fair event that’s only political significance is as a relic from when patronage was the only factor that mattered in getting a job?
Pat Quinn ran an incompetent and ineffective campaign and was consistently unable to deliver an effective message. Pat Quinn learned absolutely nothing from when he barely won in 2010.
Blaming a specific union or even labor broadly is just an excuse to avoid acknowledging the pitfalls and failures of his administration and how he campaigned. But if you do really think that AFSCME can swing 4 points in a general election maybe that’s something that someone running for state wide office should factor into their over all electoral strategy and in how they govern the state rather than blaming them because no amount of help could drag an incompetent oaf of a politician over the line for a 2nd time.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:07 am:
Anon @ 9:43 was me.
==Irvin, himself, is using the racist thinking in a way to have those thinkers “embrace” him (Irvin) to “own the libs”… - Lucky Pierre -‘s programming, in this instance, is working perfectly. ==
He’s like Stephen Colbert’s old bit abut his “black friend”. Except in this case, Irvin isn’t LP’s friend, he’s just a guy who realized he could get a cool $50M for saying things LP wants to hear.
He’s not LP’s friend, but LP is his mark.
- H-W - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:13 am:
= In just one week, the Chicago Transit Authority saw five violent incidents =
On the positive side, I bet there was one week when the CTA did not see any violent incidents.
= last week we learned that a four-time convicted felon [and committed a crime] =
On the positive side, I bet there are thousands more former felons who have not committed crimes.
= Criminals run loose in Chicago and Illinois because of the governor =
No, that’s just plain stupid reasoning. Crime occurs for a lot of reasons, but criminals do not check to see who is in the Governorship first.
I could go on, but the Willy Horton statement is blatant race-baiting, and because it is coming from a person seeking power, it is racism.
- pc - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:46 am:
Just to clarify, Davis was not paroled. He served his sentence of incarceration, after which he would have a 1-3 year term of supervision. In other words, this was not any type of early release.
- Buford - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:47 am:
“Brian VanVickle, Ogle County Sheriff and Past-President of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association…” Maybe VanVickle can tell us how Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker was “invited” by retired judge Robbin Stuckert to be on the Pretrial Practices Implementation Task Force of the Illinois Supreme Court? Just who exactly is promoting Booker? How did Booker end up in a picture with Senator Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos? Irvin should be careful what Sheriffs he associates with.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:49 am:
The soft bigotry of low expectations is certainly on full display.
How dare an African American side with the Republican Party and dare to think for himself and oppose the obviously failing criminal justice reforms by Illinois Democrats.
The Willie Horton reference was from the Beachwood Reporter twitter feed. What office are they seeking?
- DougChicago - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:53 am:
Crime, inflation, crime, crime, crime
and add in a little critical race theory and mandatory masking in schools
It might not work for the GOP, but at least they have a playbook that does not involve bond ratings.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:57 am:
=== The soft bigotry of low expectations is certainly on full display.===
Oh. You must be talking about that Irvin ad;
“… who look like me and think like us”
=== How dare an African American side with the Republican Party and dare to think for himself and oppose the obviously failing criminal justice reforms by Illinois Democrats.===
That’s not Irvin in selling his ads, Irvin is selling vote for a person of color to own the libs.
You know this, and while it’s comical to think you thinking about this, you are also included, here, overshadowing the endorsements to “prove a point to own the libs”… and it’s like you don’t even realize you’re doing it.
Like I said, the programming is working perfectly, look at the words you wrote.
- Ryan - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 10:58 am:
If they’re ‘former’ or ‘retried,’ I don’t consider them a leader.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:12 am:
The libs are doing a fantastic job owning themselves
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:18 am:
==The soft bigotry of low expectations is certainly on full display.==
Thanks, Cosby.
==How dare an African American side with the Republican Party and dare to think for himself==
Are you arguing with the voices in your head again? Irvin can think whatever he wants, even if it completely contradicts the things he said right before some guy offered him $50M to run for governor. And we can call him on that, and we can call *you* on pointing to him every time someone mentions that Republican crime policies are racist. “See, we found one guy who, after getting $30M, says they’re not, so they must not be.”
==obviously failing criminal justice reforms==
So let’s talk about what’s “obviously failing”, huh? Ya’ll are all in on repealing the SAFE-T Act, especially eliminating cash bail. But that hasn’t taken effect yet. Cash bail is still in place, and has been for the entire time during this crime surge.
So, it’s obviously doing nothing to prevent crime. And yet, it’s the only crime policy you’ll accept.
You’re addicted to the failed status quo,and your only defense of it is “Well, we paid a black guy to say it’s not racist to keep supporting a policy that isn’t working.”
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:19 am:
==And yet, it’s the only crime policy you’ll accept. ==
Although TBF, a few months ago you said the answer to crime was pro-growth policies. But then Ken Griffin told all ya’ll “free thinkers” what you were supposed to think.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:29 am:
“empower law enforcement with the resources needed to keep our communities safe”
Pritzker is getting ready to increase funding for public safety and sign an anti-carjacking bill. Irvin recites the empty words fed to him by Raunerites, who purposely starved Illinois finances and cut violence prevention funding.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:30 am:
===The libs are doing a fantastic job owning themselves===
It’s like you use Ad-Libs.
C’mon.
To the post,
I can see an ad similar to Sullivan’s, but it will have a broader scope to the endorsements, and building, I’m guessing.
It seems that all agree it’s “crime” (understandably so), now it’s “who has the credentials to make it better”
Sullivan has his marker, now it’ll be Irvin’s turn
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:33 am:
== The libs are doing a fantastic job owning themselves==
The Cons hold no statewide offices and are super minorities in the legislature.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 11:45 am:
The Governor is going to sign an anti carjacking bill that will create more bureaucracy but not enhance any penalties for the actual carjackers.
- Downstate - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:14 pm:
“It caters to old, angry, white…”
My niece that lives in Chicago and is forced to use an app to warn of shootings in her neighborhood would tend to disagree with you.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:16 pm:
=== My niece===
Is she white? Does this make her angry?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:19 pm:
=== It caters to old, angry, white…===
If you dunno who the GOP base is… and what the crime issue is suppose to do, you likely can’t be helped to understand why Irvin makes a point to say…
“… who look like me and think like us”
… and what that is actually trying to do.
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:21 pm:
So Richard (Here’s my business card) Irvin and Jesse (TED Talk) Sullivan are crime fighting experts.
Show me a plan that works.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:53 pm:
IF Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell was correct 3 years ago, then the “surge” in crime has nothing to do with SAFE-T. IF he was wrong then, why should we listen to him now?
https://www.wjbc.com/2019/05/31/sangamon-county-sheriff-mark-my-words-crime-will-go-up-if-marijuana-passes/
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:58 pm:
Funny how all of the cons are buying the Irvin tough on crime shtick when crime rose in aurora under his watch as an active criminal defender.
Cognitive dissonance at its best.
- Here we go again - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:37 pm:
Unfortunately, national and Illinois Dems spent a year in denial that crime was an issue and now it’s baked in across the USA.
As usual, we’re on defense not offense. Do any of the Democrat’s overpaid consultants pay for their malpractice?
- Downstate - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:49 pm:
“Unfortunately, national and Illinois Dems spent a year in denial that crime was an issue and now it’s baked in across the USA.”
I wish we had a “like” button on here. This would get my up vote.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:56 pm:
===This would get my up vote.===
Had Dems addressed “crime” to your liking would the Dems get your vote?
If not, then you are likely the Irvin-type voter he’s counting on to “own the libs”… you may not realize that, but…
July might bring other things into focus, that are still not very helpful to Dems… interest rates, inflation are two…
- Louis G Atsaves - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:08 pm:
“Pritzker is FINALLY getting ready to increase funding for public safety and sign an anti-carjacking bill.”
There. Fixed it for you. And it only took him and his cohorts in the Legislature three years to take those few tiny steps forward towards making the residents of Illinois safer. Three years.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:27 pm:
=== There. Fixed it for you. And it only took him and his cohorts in the Legislature three years to take those few tiny steps forward towards making the residents of Illinois safer. Three years.===
Your family’s patron refused a budget for a whole General Assembly, signed only ONE budget in FOUR years and *you* are complaining about funding?
Are you willfully ignorant or blissfully unaware?
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:03 pm:
= Pritzker is FINALLY getting ready to increase funding for public safety and sign an anti-carjacking bill.”=
Oh Louis, lol. Your hypocrisy is still intact and on display. Care to remember how many state police positions were left vacant during the Rauner years? You seemed fully behind the deaf to defunding of the police back then. Why the change?
- AlfonsoGonz - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:14 pm:
Are we supposed to believe folks like Lucky Pierre actually don’t see the difference between “concerned about crime” and “blacks are scary,” nor see the lengths the GOP goes to show which they believe will stir up their base?
- Dlotto - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:16 pm:
then there is this: https://www.thirdway.org/report/the-red-state-murder-problem
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:25 pm:
OW’s right here, Louis. You and Lucky aren’t the guys to be making funding arguments.
- Downstate - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:34 pm:
“Is she white?”
Yikes. Should that matter?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:38 pm:
=== Should that matter?===
You were the one with the beef about “old, angry, white”
Seemed pertinent, otherwise *your* beef is illogical
- Downstate - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 4:56 pm:
“You were the one with the beef about “old, angry, white””
OW,
You were making the point that Republican messaging was targeted to “old, angry, whites’.
I was pointing out that crime is a concern across all demographics, including my young Chicago niece.
Not sure why her skin color is important. You didn’t ask if she was angry.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 5:02 pm:
===was targeted to “old, angry, whites’.===
It is. “So?”
===Not sure why her skin color is important. You didn’t ask if she was angry.===
Narrator: she’s white.
Also?
=== and is forced to use an app to warn of shootings in her neighborhood would tend to disagree with you.===
The app makes her… happy?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 5:04 pm:
Does your niece vote in Republican primaries?
That seems pertinent too, lol