* Click here for background if you need it. Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and community leaders will hold a 3 pm press conference emphasizing “there is no emergency that requires President Trump to send military deployments to Chicago.” Click here to watch.
* Senate President Don Harmon…
“If Trump is dead set on spending millions of taxpayer dollars deploying the National Guard and uprooting their families, I understand that budget cuts have created a need for crossing guards in the city to keep children safe. That could be a great public service. I would encourage the president to contact CPS leadership for logistics, or perhaps he could call the CTU President, as I’m sure she’d be happy to tell him where to go.”
* The Cook County Sheriff’s Office…
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has not been contacted by anyone regarding any plans with the deployment of the National Guard. We have longstanding relationships with Federal partners, and we have not been informed of any strategic plan involving the National Guard in Chicago.
* House Speaker Chris Welch…
“Safe communities are built on trust between local law enforcement and our neighborhoods, so there is no situation in Chicago—or in any other community for that matter—that can be improved by Donald Trump’s unprecedented federalur overreach. The real crisis the president should be focused on is the cost of living crisis that is stretching families to the breaking point because of this administration’s erratic policies and misplaced priorities.”
* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…
“Everyone wants safer communities. If you really want to help Chicago get crime under control Mr President, how about restoring C.V.I. grants, passing common-sense gun safety laws and stopping the cutting of funding for city/state resources that would allow us to hire more police, law enforcement and “de-escalation” officials.
The National Guard was not established nor trained for crime fighting. Let’s make all our cities safer by pursuing policies that really work, not just pretending we’re doing something as a way to divert attention from all the failures of your administration.”
* Chicago Federation of Labor, Equality Illinois, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Personal PAC and Sierra Club Illinois…
“Trump’s scare tactics are nothing new and our communities see right through them. As he well knows, our crime numbers have hit a 30-year low in this city, all while he fails to deliver on a single promise that would actually improve the lives of working people. He’s doubling down on a racist gambit to create chaos in cities to distract from his tanking poll numbers and disastrous policy agenda.
“We won’t be cowed. We won’t back down from fighting against his attacks on our fundamental rights, and we are committed to working together to ensure Illinois stays on course to protect our communities and our future.”
* Gov. JB Pritzker…
“The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention.
“The safety of the people of Illinois is always my top priority. There is no emergency that warrants the President of the United States federalizing the Illinois National Guard, deploying the National Guard from other states, or sending active activity duty military within our own borders.
“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he is causing working families.
“We will continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect the people of Illinois.”
* Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton…
* Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson…
“We take President Trump’s statements seriously, but to be clear the City has not received any formal communication from the Trump administration regarding additional federal law enforcement or military deployments to Chicago. Certainly, we have grave concerns about the impact of any unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to the City of Chicago. The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound. Unlawfully deploying the National Guard to Chicago has the potential to inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement when we know that trust between police and residents is foundational to building safer communities. An unlawful deployment would be unsustainable and would threaten to undermine the historic progress we have made. In the past year alone, we have reduced homicides by more than 30%, robberies by 35%, and shootings by almost 40%. We need to continue to invest in what is working.
“We know that our communities are safest when we fully invest in housing, community safety, and education. The National Guard will not alleviate the housing crisis. It will not put food in the stomachs of the 1 in 4 children that go to bed hungry every night in Chicago. The National Guard will not fully-fund our public schools or provide mental healthcare or substance abuse treatment to Chicagoans in need. The National Guard is no substitute for dedicated local law enforcement and community violence interrupters who know and serve our communities every day. There are many things the federal government could do to help us reduce crime and violence in Chicago, but sending in the military is not one of them.”
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
“Throughout my tenure, I have successfully collaborated with federal law enforcement partners, such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service and Homeland Security – Investigations, to investigate and prosecute crime in Illinois, as have other local and state law enforcement partners around the state of Illinois. I appreciate the federal government’s contribution of their expertise, technology and manpower toward those efforts. In fact, violent crimes have decreased in the city of Chicago over the last year. But instead of dedicating more resources to that work, the president is focused on turning our military on American citizens in his ongoing attempts to move our nation toward authoritarianism. His actions are not just un-American. They are unwise strategically. Our cities are not made safer by deploying the nation’s service members for civilian law enforcement duties when they do not have the appropriate training.
“To be clear: We have made no such request for the type of federal intervention we have seen in Los Angeles or Washington D.C. There is no emergency in the state of Illinois.
“In fact, even as the president publicly laments the rampant crime he claims is taking over our cities, his Justice Department is threatening to withhold critical Victims of Crimes Act funding. If the president was serious about supporting victims of crime, my office would not have had to file suit this week to stop him from placing unlawful immigration conditions on completely unrelated funding that supports critical services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, child abuse and other violent crimes.”
* US Sen. Tammy Duckworth…
U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement today amid reports that the Trump Administration is planning another inappropriate deployment of American troops into American cities, this time to Chicago, without coordinating with state or local officials and despite the state not requesting any deployment:
“It comes as no surprise Donald Trump is once again attacking Chicago, but that doesn’t change that Trump’s continuing pattern of politicizing and misusing our nation’s military for his own partisan gain and to crush dissent is deeply disturbing, is un-American and has no place in any of our cities.
“We know this isn’t about ‘law and order’ because Trump is once again refusing to coordinate with state and local officials. And if he really cared about ‘health and safety,’ he wouldn’t have cut millions of dollars in gun violence prevention funding just weeks ago. This is just another attempt to distract the American people from the price increases his own policies are causing and the various personal scandals he wants to change the subject from.
“Forcing the military, uninvited, into Chicago to intimidate Americans in their own communities does not make our nation stronger, it simply distracts the military from executing its core mission of keeping Americans safe from real adversaries who wish us harm.
“It’s yet another unwarranted, unwanted and unjust move straight out of the authoritarian’s playbook that will only undermine our military’s readiness and ultimately weaken our national security.”
* US Sen. Dick Durbin…
“What President Trump is doing in DC is purely political theater. His actions are creating chaos and sowing fear rather than making our nation’s capital safer, and now he says Chicago will be his next target. Chicago is a beautiful, vibrant city with people from all walks of life, which I see firsthand all the time. While there is more work to do, violent crime in the city has significantly declined in recent years. These unprecedented threats and manufactured emergencies from President Trump are nothing more than a power grab to distract from his disastrous policies like ripping 17 million people off their health care and raising costs for Americans. We should be focusing on proven bipartisan solutions to continue to reduce violent crime rather than using our brave men and women in uniform for political purposes.”
* US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi…
“President Trump’s illegal attempt to militarize Chicago will do nothing but spark chaos and create spectacle. There is no emergency in Illinois that warrants federalizing our National Guard or deploying active-duty troops into our communities—just as there was no justification in Washington or Los Angeles. Donald Trump’s flagrant abuses of power must end. Our brave servicemen and women are not pawns in his political games.
That’s why I introduced legislation to block any president from unilaterally deploying the military into states without a governor’s request. If the President is serious about making Chicago safer, we’re ready to work with his Administration—but not on half-baked stunts that trample the Constitution and spread chaos. I stand with Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson in rejecting this reckless overreach and defending the rule of law.”
* US Rep. Robin Kelly…
“President Trump, let me be absolutely clear: you are not welcomed in Chicago. Do not send the National Guard into our city. And you have no authority to claim what Black women want. Black women have lost sons and daughters, spouses, fathers and mothers to gun violence – and experienced the horrific trauma of gun violence and domestic violence themselves – yet you have done nothing to save Black lives. In fact, bringing the National Guard into Chicago threatens Black communities that have already been overpoliced and under-invested in for generations.
“President Trump believes he can make an easy target out of Chicago – but he’s never understood our city. Crime has gone down to pre-pandemic levels due to community violence intervention organizations that have provided opportunities and safer pathways for young adults. If the President truly cared about law and order, he would keep the National Guard away – out of DC, too – pass gun safety laws, and release already-allocated funds to CVI organizations. We all know, though, that he’s too scared of the gun lobby to do anything.”
According to the Chicago Mayor’s Office Violence Reduction Dashboard, crime has decreased this year compared to 2024, including a 45% reduction in multi-victim shooting incidents, 35% reduction in fatal shooting homicides, and 49% reduction in car hijackings.
* Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot…
* NYT…
Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, said on CNN on Sunday that Mr. Trump’s threat was more a reflection of the president’s animus toward its Democratic leadership and desire to crackdown on immigration than a considered strategy to take on crime.
“When you look at what he did in D.C., he’s not going to actually deal with crime,” Mr. Emanuel said. “This is an attempt to deal with cities that are welcoming cities, known as sanctuary cities, and deal with immigration.” […]
In Chicago, Mr. Emanuel said that prosecutors should pursue penalties for gun crimes and that law enforcement should work to combat carjackings, a category of crime that he said has not fallen as sharply as others. But city leaders are treading the right path already, he said, and do not need the kind of assistance the federal government is offering.
“We have a strategy for fighting crime: more police on the beat and getting kids, gangs and guns off the street,” he said. “And that’s what has to be done.”
* NBC Chicago…
The chair of the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee spoke to NBC Chicago about the need to reduce crime in the city but said Trump’s National Guard threats are misguided.
“We still see an unacceptably high number of robberies, carjackings, burglaries, break-ins. We have work to do, but we need help that makes sense,” Alderman Brian Hopkins said. “The federal National Guard isn’t going to make a difference in carjacking in Chicago. If he really wanted to help, we’re short 2,000 police officers. Unfortunately, that is not what Trump is talking about.”
…Adding… Darren Bailey…
Former State Senator Darren Bailey released the following statement blasting Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for opposing National Guard deployment to restore order in Chicago:
“If Brandon Johnson and JB Pritzker try to block the National Guard from coming into Chicago, they should be thrown in jail. They are siding with criminals and putting politics ahead of the safety of families. Enough is enough. Chicago is bleeding, and these two are too busy playing politics.
Families are burying their children, businesses are shuttering, and entire neighborhoods live in fear. For Pritzker and Johnson to say there’s no emergency is disgraceful. They’re not just failing Chicago—they’re enabling the chaos.
Chicago is a world class city. The City and our state do not need weak politicians making excuses. We need leaders with a backbone who will fight for law and order. Pritzker and Johnson have failed. It’s time to put families first and restore this city to greatness.”
…Adding… Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke…
“The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office works with local, state, and federal law enforcement officers every day to get illegal guns and violent criminals off our streets. We prosecute crimes in collaboration with our law enforcement partners when they are properly presented with appropriate jurisdiction and sufficient evidence. Federal intervention in our public safety efforts will never result in a deviation from our core mission of following the law and representing all victims of crime in Cook County.”
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* Some background is here if you need it. Today…
Full quote…
And after we do this, we’ll go to another location, and we’ll make it safe also. We’re going to make our country very safe. We’re going to make our cities very, very safe. Chicago is a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent. And we’ll straighten that one out, probably next that will be our next one after this, and it won’t even be tough. And the people in Chicago, Mr. Vice President, are screaming for us to come in. They’re wearing red hats, just like this one, but they’re wearing red hats. African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please, President Trump, come to Chicago. Please.’ I did great with the Black vote, as you know, and they want something to happen, so I think Chicago will be our next.
He says a lot of things, but there you go.
* Let’s move on to a CBS Chicago report last week…
But while speaking to the media, the president turned his attention to Chicago, crime and cash bail.
“Every place in the country you have no cash bail is a disaster,” Mr. Trump said. “That’s what started it in New York and they won’t change it, they don’t want to change it. That’s what started it in Chicago.”
He blamed “bad” politicians, but continued, “That’s where it started, no cash bail. I mean, somebody murders somebody and they’re out on no cash bail before the day is out.” […]
Under the current system in Illinois without cash bail, a judge determines whether to release someone after that person has committed a crime — as opposed to setting a price for the defendant’s pretrial release.
Murder is a detainable offense here.
* Also, the federal court system commonly relies on no cash bail. For some reason, that’s rarely mentioned in news articles about the SAFE-T Act or included in stories that talk about pre-trial release of federal defendants. Sun-Times this week…
A judge on Wednesday ordered the release of the man who allegedly caused last month’s lockdown and hourslong standoff at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, finding that the man had reached “a breaking point” but does not pose the kind of safety risk that requires detention.
U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland acknowledged that the case of 38-year-old Mario Santoyo might be getting “some heightened attention” in the building “because it happened in our home and in our courthouse that we love.”
But looking at the situation “clear-eyed,” she said, “I don’t think that the defendant poses the kind of risk to the community that I’m normally faced with when I’m facing the decision to detain somebody.” […]
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Chmura argued for Santoyo’s detention. Not only did Santoyo allegedly prompt the Dirksen lockdown, but the prosecutor said Santoyo tried to hurt himself later at a hospital and reacted violently when authorities tried to intervene.
More…
In court Tuesday, a judge ruled that Santoyo will be released into the custody of his sister, with an ankle monitor.
He’s also being ordered to stay away from any federal buildings, except for court appearances. And he will receive psychiatric assistance.
…Adding… Congressional candidate Willie Preston…
Illinois State Sen. Willie Preston, candidate for the Second Congressional District and Chair of the Illinois Senate Black Legislative Caucus, issued the following statement responding to Donald Trump’s Oval Office comment Friday afternoon that “Chicago will be our next” in the deployment of National Guard troops to American cities.
“If President Trump makes good on his threat to deploy National Guard troops to our city to perform the functions Constitutionally reserved to state and local law enforcement, it would be an unlawful act of terror against our people.
“We can see this rancid use of power against cities like Chicago for what it is, something as old as this nation, the racism we are forced to fight every generation.
“I urge the president to reconsider. And if he doesn’t, I will join all of Chicago in resistance.”
…Adding… Sen. Robert Peters…
Following is a statement from State Sen. Robert Peters, candidate for Congress in Illinois‘ 2nd District, in response to Donald Trump’s threats to send the military into Chicago:
“This is another example of the president spewing racist, nonsensical garbage to distract from his failure to improve the lives of the people of this nation. Chicago does not want or need Trump to send anyone into our city to create chaos and inflame tensions. What we do need is a president who will actually address the issues facing Illinoisans, like lowering costs, expanding access to health care, and growing our economy.
“Instead, Trump is focused on stunts, using people as pawns to keep the press occupied while his approval ratings sink and the Epstein files stay shelved.”
…Adding… Press release…
A coalition of leading advocacy organizations in Illinois, including the Chicago Federation of Labor, Equality Illinois, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Personal PAC and Sierra Club Illinois, issued the following statement on Friday in response to President Trump’s rhetoric about sending troops into Chicago:
“Trump’s scare tactics are nothing new and our communities see right through them. As he well knows, our crime numbers have hit a 30-year low in this city, all while he fails to deliver on a single promise that would actually improve the lives of working people. He’s doubling down on a racist gambit to create chaos in cities to distract from his tanking poll numbers and disastrous policy agenda.
“We won’t be cowed. We won’t back down from fighting against his attacks on our fundamental rights, and we are committed to working together to ensure Illinois stays on course to protect our communities and our future.”
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…
Today, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement responding to President Trump’s remarks about targeting Chicago:
“As Donald Trump attempts to create chaos that distracts from his problems, we will call it out for what it is. Trump and Republicans are trying to distract from the pain they are causing working families–from tariffs raising the prices of everyday goods to stripping away healthcare and food from millions of Americans.
“After using Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. as his testing ground for authoritarian overreach, Trump is now openly flirting with the idea of taking over other states and cities. Trump’s goal is to incite fear in our communities and destabilize existing public safety efforts — all to create a justification to further abuse his power. He is playing a game and creating a spectacle for the press to play along with.
“We don’t play those games in Illinois. Our commitment to law and order is delivering real results. Crime rates are improving. Homicides are down by more than 30% in Chicago in the last year alone. Our progress in lowering crime has been made possible with community violence intervention programs that the Trump Administration is defunding.
“Our state and local law enforcement partners know our neighborhoods and our streets because they live here too. They are not asking for this and we will continue to listen and coordinate with them, as we always do. The safety of the people of Illinois is my highest priority, so we will follow the law and stand up for the sovereignty of our state.”
* AG Raoul…
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following statement in response to comments President Trump made today threatening to deploy federal law enforcement to perform civilian law enforcement duties in the city of Chicago.
“Throughout my tenure, I have successfully collaborated with federal law enforcement partners, such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service and Homeland Security – Investigations, to investigate and prosecute crime in Illinois, as have other local and state law enforcement partners around the state of Illinois. I appreciate the federal government’s contribution of their expertise, technology and manpower toward those efforts. In fact, violent crimes have decreased in the city of Chicago over the last year. But instead of dedicating more resources to that work, the president is focused on turning our military on American citizens in his ongoing attempts to move our nation toward authoritarianism. His actions are not just un-American. They are unwise strategically. Our cities are not made safer by deploying the nation’s service members for civilian law enforcement duties when they do not have the appropriate training.
“To be clear: We have made no such request for the type of federal intervention we have seen in Los Angeles or Washington D.C. There is no emergency in the state of Illinois.
“In fact, even as the president publicly laments the rampant crime he claims is taking over our cities, his Justice Department is threatening to withhold critical Victims of Crimes Act funding. If the president was serious about supporting victims of crime, my office would not have had to file suit this week to stop him from placing unlawful immigration conditions on completely unrelated funding that supports critical services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, child abuse and other violent crimes.”
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* Forest Park mayor Rory Hoskins joins the race for US Rep. Danny Davis’ seat…
* I think this is the 17th candidate to jump into the 9th Congressional District Democratic primary…
* WICS…
Ryan D. Tebrugge, a business owner and public servant with 13 years of experience, has announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Illinois’ 15th Congressional District. […]
Tebrugge, a former correctional officer and educator, aims to bring “honest leadership and practical solutions” to Congress. He stressed the importance of building bridges rather than barriers and working across the aisle for bipartisan solutions. […]
Tebrugge criticized Representative Miller for her lack of engagement with district residents, stating, “Ms. Miller may be a respected mother, grandmother, community member, and farmer, but she is not doing her job as a Representative. She often fails to get involved with her constituents.” […]
Key pillars of Tebrugge’s campaign include focusing on people over politics, fiscal conservatism, secure data protection and privacy, affordable high-speed internet access, and exploring sustainable energy options.
* The 21st Show’s Brian Mackey spoke with US Rep. Robin Kelly on her bid for Senate. Interview highlights from IPM Newsroom…
On winning back young voters who drifted towards Republicans in 2024:
“People have to feel that we care about them and that we’re listening to them, and that they have a voice, and that there is economic opportunity … and we we just have to, you know, keep communicating in every way that we can. We learned that lesson in November … I just spoke to a young person that goes to [The University of Illinois], and he told me, ‘I don’t even have cable, and a lot of my friends get their news from other friends, and what other friends post or TikTok or Instagram,’ so we have to be in all those spaces.
On the impact of President Trump’s crackdown on immigrants without legal status:
“President Trump and his cronies have pushed so much fear, so much, you know, ‘it’s just about America, forget everybody else.’ And they’re coming to get your jobs, you know, [he] make comments. ‘He’s coming to get, like, your black jobs,’ you know, and things like that. So I think that he’s pushed division and people that follow him, you know, agree with that.”
On supporting universal healthcare:
“There’s no reason in the richest country in the history of the world that everyone doesn’t have quality health care. And if other countries can do it, we need to figure it out.”
On whether the U.S. has an interest in a free Ukraine:
“What’s going to stop [Putin] from going to the other countries? And of course, some of those other countries are NATO countries. So, you know, we have a decision: do we pay with money, or do we pay with our military? Do we … pay with blood?”
* Yesterday, US Rep. Kelly said she’ll sign onto US Rep. Delia Ramirez’s “Block the Bombs” Act. Press release…
Congresswoman Robin Kelly, a candidate for U.S. Senate, today issued the following statement confirming that she will sign the Block the Bombs Act, which will prevent the unchecked transfer of offensive weapons to Israel:
“As Israel prepares the first stages of its military offensive on Gaza City and calls up 60,000 army reservists to fight a war that will only cause further death and destruction on both sides, we have to act. Tomorrow, I will sign on to the “Block the Bombs” bill, which will prevent the unchecked transfer of offensive weapons to Israel.
I will always support the Iron Dome and defensive weapon systems that have saved countless lives. This bill affirms a secure Israel, which I continue to support, but I cannot stand by silently as children starve to death. We need to achieve a two-state solution where all Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace and with dignity.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has turned a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, allowing starvation and famine to spread. President Trump must act urgently to save lives and stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We’ve reached a critical point where Congress needs to act.
As Senator, I will support essential security aid to Israel. But in this moment, we cannot allow the transfer of the deadliest offensive weapons without taking definitive action to prevent the loss of civilian life.”
* Raja Krishnamoorthi is on the second leg of his state-wide tour. WNIJ…
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, IL-8, stopped by the Rockford Public Library’s East Branch as part of his summer listening tour.
The Democrat declared his bid for a U.S. Senate seat in May, a few weeks after current Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced his retirement. […]
“My number one priority,” he said, “is addressing those economic pain points that people feel every day in their lives, regardless of whether they’re working, poor, middle class or growing a business. They feel it in a way that they have never felt it before.” […]
During the stop, he said he hopes to pass legislation to unmask ICE agents, ban mid-decade redistricting, and re-establish the rules of presidential pardons.
…Adding… Daily Herald…
The Republican challenging U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood for her seat in Congress supported President Donald Trump’s call to end mail-in voting this week by calling the centuries-old practice “a scam” that is “ripe for fraud.”
“If you can’t find your polling place on Election day or at an early voting site, perhaps you shouldn’t be voting,” Oswego’s James Marter wrote Monday in a lengthy Facebook post. […]
When asked to clarify some of his remarks, Marter stressed he supports services that would bring people to voting booths and establishing polling places at assisted living communities.
He opposed any type of mail-in voting that wouldn’t be witnessed by election authorities, even for military personnel or people with disabilities.
“The key to me is voter verification,” Marter said.
* Daily Herald reporter Russell Lissau asked Marter on the app formerly known as Twitter for clarification on mail in voting for active-duty military…
..Adding… Evanston Mayor and 9th CD candidate Daniel Biss…
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