* 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.”
