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Pfleger says Republicans on Audit Commission conducting “witch hunt”

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* As I mentioned earlier today, you could almost feel the backlash building. From a press release…

Pastor Pfleger’s Response to Outrageous Ignorance about Violence by GOP Legislators

The Legislative Audit Commission should be ashamed of themselves for their investigation into the N.R.I. Program! At the time when people were being shot daily on the streets of Chicago, when even 6 Chicago Police Officers were killed, they continue to attack a program that created jobs and opportunities during such a violent time in the city.

The members of this legislative commission either have no idea or don’t care about the violence epidemic that swept Chicago in 2010. To them, the violence in Chicago is something that they read about in the paper or hear about in the news. The commission wants to say Governor Quinn used the program for political gain rather than helping to stop the violence plaguing our city. The sad truth is that the commission itself is the one using the program for political gain, as it is nothing less than a witch hunt creating an illusion of corruption.

Where were these critics when the violence was causing bloodshed in our streets? We were in a state of emergency trying to save lives in our communities. What were they doing? They were playing politics with peoples’ lives. They were voting against common sense gun safety legislation. They were voting against summer jobs programs for our children and young people. It is a point that should not go unnoticed that these very legislators that sit on this commission are all endorsed or supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA). And their records demonstrate that they vote time and time again against even the most common sense public safety practices. These critics aren’t the solution to gun violence, they are the problem.

In the Pursuit of Justice…

Rev. Michael L. Pfleger
Senior Pastor, The Faith Community of Saint Sabina

…Adding… Every Republican on the committee has gone out of his way to say they are very concerned about the city’s violence problem. So, in a way, that’s an unfair hit.

Also, the apparently coordinated use of the “witch hunt” phrase undercuts his argument as well.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 1:55 pm

Comments

Lots of “witch hunt” language flying around. And the good Reverend would be well-advised to be careful toeing the line between issue advocacy and partisan political advocacy. It’s well known what Cardinal George thought of some of Father Pfleger’s antics, we’ll see what his successor thinks.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 1:59 pm
- well-advised to be careful -

Yeah, he’s always been afraid of upsetting the superiors.

Rauner put all his eggs in this basket, and it looks like it’s about to be thrown back at him, hard.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:02 pm
Father, you may not be helping here. There is a strong pattern of having to issue communiques directed squarely at Pat’s base. This is another one.
“Where were these critics when the violence was causing bloodshed in our streets?”

With due respect Father, this has not ceased, but a lot of money is missing and no one knows where it went. Someone wound up with it after it was sent into the community. Aren’t those individuals and those who enabled them more culpable?

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:04 pm
I don’t think the “witch hunt” language is coordinated. It’s a clear response to the GOP’s Who? Who! Who?

Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:04 pm
Every Republican on the committee has gone out of his way to say they are very concerned about the city’s violence problem.

So what? name one, just one bill they supported that would address those communities concerns.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:04 pm
Now I am really confused. Which isn’t hard. Am I wrong? But our today’s witch hunters part of the GA that appropriated funds to help quell the violence? I thought this commission was to address the audit findings that money was not accounted for? Where is the outrage for that? This “outrage” at the commission asking about the failed program is telling….

Comment by Walter Mitty Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:04 pm
My Party has bungled this from Jump Street.

This is the result of poor optics taking over realities…and winning the day.

I tried, many tried….to warn them to let it “be”, blame it on the federal investigation, embrace the warmth of the ambiguity.

They didn’t, bad result, even if unearned.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:05 pm
Father “FAKER” is one of the reasons I left the church. A big phoney hypocrite.

Comment by COMMON SENSE Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:08 pm
IMHO, he jumped at least a foot over the line with that little screed. He’s truly had a Teflon cassock for many years-be interesting to see what Archbishop Cusick does.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:08 pm
“Also, the apparently coordinated use of the ‘witch hunt’ phrase undercuts his argument as well.”

Perhaps, but “witch hunt” isn’t exactly a novel coinage. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/witch-hunt

(Personally, I’m pleasantly surprised that the good reverend didn’t call it “a high-tech lynching”.)

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:08 pm
Rev. Pfleger has inserted himself into so many controversies and political issues that any real impact or contribution to understanding that he might make in the broader community has been severely muted.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:09 pm
== the Quinn administration acknowledged a new grand jury subpoena of emails and other records from a former top Quinn aide ==

Federal grand jury must be in on that ==witch hunt== as well.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:09 pm
As an aside, I was curious after his long tenure in his parish and the 2011 controversy with Cardinal George’s attempt to remove him, what Father Pfleger’s age was and if he was nearing mandatory retirement, which I understand in Chicago is 70 for priests. He is apparently 65 and has about 4.5 years before he reaches 70, and likely another confrontation with the Archdiocese.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:13 pm
Let’s operate under the premise (which I disagree with) that a backlash is building. The whole crux of this is the NRI money was being doled out haphazardly, to politically connected groups, and not being spent effectively. If this was the case, why would one be mad at the people investigating? I don’t think it gives enough credit to the folks that an effective violence prevention program administered responsibly could have actually helped. Hey, instead of helping us, politicians wanted to make it look like they were helping us. That’s how I would see it.

This is not a witchhunt, but it doesn’t look like anything was illegally done. NRI falls in to the “how the sausages are made” gray area. Everyone wants to reduce violence, but hey, let’s get the program rolling so it’ll look good for the governor’s re-election campaign.

Comment by Lunchbox Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:13 pm
The same Michael Pfleger shows up at an anti-gun rally at Chuck’s Guns in Riverdale last month with not one, but three armed bodyguards.

http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=13626

Even Michael Pfleger understands that the only thing that stops a bad guy with evil in his heart is a good guy with a gun. It’s just common sense.

So why is he so adamant in making sure his flock is disarmed while he’s got his own armed security? Isn’t that a little hypocritical?

John

Comment by John Boch Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:15 pm
Another question of which I do not know the answer would be did any groups or organizations affiliated with Father Pfleger receive any NRI funds? If so, it would go to his motives to speak out other than just general outrage as to the issue in general. Again I am not making an accusation, just asking a question.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:15 pm
Hey - A Guy… -,

Rauner wears the jacket as much as anyone…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:17 pm
He is the worst. He is a naked partisan shill whose advocacy is shielded by the church bureaucracy who can or won’t do anything about him.

He may just cause a backlash of his own because tons of suburban Catholics are horrified by his shenanigans.

Comment by LincolnLounger Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:17 pm
== Every Republican on the committee has gone out of his way to say they are very concerned about the city’s violence problem. ==

Talk is cheap. Every Republican on the committee votes with the NRA. None supports the kind of institutional change that might reduce the root causes. Sure, they are for charter schools and maybe vouchers, but none would vote for statewide admission to public schools regardless of where parents live.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:21 pm
== Every Republican on the committee has gone out of his way to say they are very concerned about the city’s violence problem. ==

Just like Every Republican in Texas has gone out of their way saying they ONLY care about the health of women….while they attempt to legislate legal abortion out of the state through ever ardous requirements that in no way are medically necessary. “Suprise” the only health care centers that are affected by the legislation are those providing abortion services.

Just because you announce you support something doesn’t mean in your heart that it’s what your after.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:29 pm
A priest uses the term witch hunt? Oof!

Between the deleted comments and the coordinated responses, is a lot of interesting testimony that Democrats want to keep buried.

I will now self ban myself.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:32 pm
Yeah, Ironic, let’s go down that road here because it’s inter-related somehow. Uh, NOT.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:33 pm
When and a big “IF” I read press releases from other AA community real “leaders” blasting the GOP, calling out Rauner as the band leader and calling for their communities to GOTV for Quinn…then and only then will I believe that the backlash has begun.

Comment by 2 Cents... Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:34 pm
===He is the worst. He is a naked partisan shill..===

Up until that point Lincolnlounger, It thought you were talking about Jason Barickman. The poor Senator is finding out that Chicago isn’t Bloomington or Springfield.

Comment by Nonplussed Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:35 pm
Besides the Witch hunt language copying Quinn’s own release i found it interesting that he points out they are supported or endorsed by the NRA when PQ’s own release puts they’re ratings front and center.

Comment by Mason born Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:36 pm
I first heard this phrase from Pfleger, then Sen. Raoul and the Quinnsters jumped on it.

Enough already!

Comment by walker Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:36 pm
@ A Guy,

Topics are not related, nor was I attempting to relate them.

The point is that ’saying’ you support something means little, if your actions result in no action, or worse make it worse. The GOP is crowing about how they ‘care’ about the violence but their actions (through inaction or actual no votes on prevention efforts) prove otherwise.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:41 pm
The national GOP has mastered the whole talking point/catchphrase thing and used it effectively for years, so I am laughing at all the folks in this thread who are all of sudden taken aback but Quinn’s allies all using the phrase “witch hunt.”

Comment by wndycty Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:43 pm
I feel so much better that these GOP members of the commission are concerned about violence in Chicago.

Now can they name one way they’ve tried to do something about it?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:47 pm
I encourage folks to follow John Boch’s link, look at his “evidence” and consider his comments in light of that.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:49 pm
Thank you Reverend Phlegler for being honest and without fear. Honesty does not characterize the GOP members actions and statements in these hearings as they seek a purely political advantage. We all know it, and I thank the Reverend for saying it.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:51 pm
Yawn! Not exactly a shocker from the predictable priest. Go do something you promised in your vows.

Comment by chicago guy Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:57 pm
I suppose being a man of the church, he should have called it an inquiry by the Pharisees.

Comment by Jack Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 3:55 pm
–With due respect Father, this has not ceased, but a lot of money is missing and no one knows where it went. –

A Guy, you just made that up. The audit doesn’t say that at all. You obviously haven’t read the audit.

Doesn’t stop you from pontificating, though.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 10:14 pm