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Rahm’s message to USA nominee

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Illinois

* Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants the new US Attorney nominee to focus on gangs and crime…

“I congratulate Zachary Fardon on his nomination by President Obama for U.S. Attorney for Northern Illinois. I look forward to working with him on the important matters facing our city, including our ongoing efforts to reduce violence, combat gangs and gang crimes, and take illegal guns off of our streets,” Emanuel said. “Zachary Fardon has had a distinguished career fighting for justice, and I am confident that as U.S. Attorney he can have a positive impact on the lives of Chicago and Illinois residents, and help us improve the safety of our communities.”

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:22 pm

Comments

Just start calling the gangs Al-Quada and the Taliban, and the federales will throw billions at shutting them down.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:26 pm
Focus on gangs and crime…instead of corrupt polliticians and crime?

@ Wordslinger - that wouldn’t help. After every gang shooting, blame would be placed on an insensitve video and no one would pay any attention to the gangs

Comment by titan Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:33 pm
Titan, much blood and treasure has been expended in the last nearly 12 years, not to mention erosions of liberty. Your talking point is pretty weak.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:41 pm
Yeah, stop with the political corruption stuff already…

Comment by OneMan Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:44 pm
@Wordslinger - and you’re suggesting ineffectively wasting more blood and treasure (albeit on another topic) is a good idea?

Comment by titan Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:47 pm
Rahm: focus where I tell you to focus, not on the stuff I don’t want you to pay attention to. Don’t investigate political corruption: what a waste of time.

Sigh.

Comment by Melissa Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:53 pm
Federal resources fighting gangs and guns are sorely needed right now. The Mayor is 100% right on this one and the only folks who disagree with that are the Dick Simpson/Chicago Tribune Ed board crowd that live in fantasy land.

Comment by Tom B. Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:58 pm
And so spaketh the mayor and so shall the USA embrace such charge as his most important duty. Many scribes will follow the lead, and ask the USA at every turn what he has done on gangs and guns

Nice of rahm to try and define the guys term before it starts. Lets not forget terrorism (waterfront walkways are reminiscent of mumbai), public corruption, drugs, human trafficking , etc.

It is a target rich environment, but the costs, effects, and ripples vary

Comment by Langhorne Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:00 pm
Problem with Rahm’s request is the current shortage of police officers working the streets. He promised to hire more police and give them a more community presence to reduce gang crime. Last report I saw showed 2,000 vacancies unfilled. How is the federal prosecutor supposed to prosecute when an undermanned police department can’t get out there and investigate and arrest?

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:03 pm
it takes a lot of arrogance for a mayor to lecture a us attorney on what his job should be. this doesn’t happen anywhere else.

Comment by shore Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:11 pm
Rahm wants the Feds to help reduce Chicago’s violent crimes. Is he saying he can’t?

Comment by Wensicia Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:11 pm
Titan, where do you get that?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:14 pm
His bio http://www.lw.com/people/zachary-fardon suggests that he is more experienced in fighting corruption than gang crime.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:18 pm
@wordslinger - its not the US.A’s job to put cops on the streets. That would be Rahmmie’s job. Maybe he can turn the 50 newly empty schools into neighborhood police stations!

Comment by Reader Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:20 pm
Federal resources fighting gangs and guns are sorely needed right now.

I would suggest Chicago focus on getting more cops on the street and less on cameras. I would suggest the Cook County States Attorney’s office stop being so quick to accept a plea or just not charge someone.

Comment by OneMan Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:22 pm
–@wordslinger - its not the US.A’s job to put cops on the streets. –

I’m pretty sure that there are federal drug trafficking laws, gun laws, RICO laws, etc.

There’s also something in the Constitution about “establish justice,” “ensure domestic tranquility,” and “secure the blessings of liberty.”

C’mon. The feds have been fighting organized crime of all stripes since Al Capone.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:26 pm
One of the reasons for Chicago’s high violence rate is the fact the US Attorney’s Office for Northern District HAS been effectively targeting the gangs. They’ve had major cases in the last 5-7 years against most of big gangs (GDs, Vice Lords, Four Corner Hustlers and others) and broken up the leadership. The result, unfortunately, has been a splintering of gangs into smaller, less controlled, groups that are fighting for turf.

Comment by Anon Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:31 pm
This is all much of nothing. Rahm has nothing to fear from a new USA. Zachary Fardon isn’t going to step on anyone’s toes: he’s part of the revolving door. After Fardon goes to some big law firm: the people handing out the money in Northern Illinois-will still be handing out the money.

Comment by Steve Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:14 pm
What are we paying taxes to the Chicago PD and Cook County States Attorney for?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:07 pm
If fighting street crime is beyond Mayor Emanuel’s capability, he should be replaced.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:09 pm
Rahm… you left “corruption” out.

How did such a thing slip your mind?

Comment by Keep Calm and Carry On Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:21 pm
Here’s a thought, how about using the massive investigative resources of the office to shed some light into how thousands of illegal handguns are flowing through Chicago’s south and west side on a daily basis. I’m not talking about chasing down 18 year old gangbangers. But someone is making a lot of money making illegal guns as readily avialable as ice cream on the streets. They are probably moving money and materials across state lines many times over. CPD doesn’t have the resources to do full scale across the board investigations like this would require. That would actually be using the office to address the single biggest problem in Chicago. It would sure beat rolling up the occasional black legislator on petty charges.

Comment by L.S. Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:39 pm
Emanuel wants Fardon to commit out loud during the confirmation hearing to continue USA / local cooperation on street gangs. What’s with the piling on over this? Sens Durbin and Kirk have agreed on Fardon; Fardon will be confirmed. Emanuel says a few kind words to get their relationship off in the right way.

Comment by Ivory-billed Woodpecker Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:40 pm
Turning the IDOC into R & R for gang members is not helping. …

Comment by IDOC Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:55 pm
certainly Rahm wants no heat on him. but, I don’t think he is wrong. the Northern District in Indiana believes they do a much tighter job of gangs and drugs prosecutions than does the Northern Dist. in Illinois. more of those kinds of cases, where the jails and prisons do not fill up in the County systems, and longer sentences equals more bad people away from our streets. I’m all for that.

finally, we are down to just the Fardon part of Fardon Lightfoot. he’s not only smart, he’s politically savvy.

Comment by Amalia Friday, May 24, 13 @ 4:00 pm