By Steve Pomper
A U.S. House Judiciary Committee congressional road trip led by Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) to discuss Chicago’s criminal mayhem, largely caused by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, had the Chicago Sun-Times reaffirming its membership as a partisan, leftist media source with an article titled: “Democrats blast House Republicans for planned forum on Chicago crime instead of working to avert a government shutdown.” The forum was scheduled for Sept. 26th, at 9:00 a.m. at the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) hall.
Putting Chicago’s politicians and media whining aside, Congress can do several things simultaneously, right? Besides, these opponents of accountability for Chicago’s crime crisis would have found a different excuse if the impending shutdown weren’t available to exploit.
The Sun-Times framed the story like this, partially quoting an X post from Jordan: “Republican members… plan to blame… Chicago’s violent crime on… Foxx and what they [Jordan] say are her ‘pro-crime and anti-victim policies…” . Who else should the committee blame? How about framing it as, they plan to hold her accountable for her non-prosecution of criminals preying on Chicagoans.
Is the Sun-Times inferring Foxx bears no blame when, at the very least, she shares the blame with former mayor looney lefty Lori Lightfoot and current mayor Marxist moron Brandon Johnson? Also, on X, Jordan posted, “30 shot. 3 killed. One weekend.” Which could be any weekend in the Windy City.
I generally oppose the feds meddling in local law enforcement, but when local officials refuse to honor their oaths and won’t allow cops to enforce the law, and DAs refuse to prosecute criminals, Congress may have a place. The better option, of course, would be for voters to elect politicians who represent their best interests. But, absent succeeding with that option, arguably, Congress may have a role, especially with so many Americans savagely murdered in Chicago.
Foxx, of course, contorted herself to blame Jordan for focusing on her pathetic performance in office (unless you look at it from cop-hater George Soros’ perspective, then it’s been spectacular) when, like the Sun-Times, she believes they should be dealing with what she called the “Republican-sponsored government shutdown.”
An unoriginal Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined Foxx’s gaslighting and also plugged the day’s apparent leftist talking points, agreeing the fed shutdown clown show is more important than Chicago’s butchers racking up murder victims.
Radical leftists hate being blamed or taking the blame for anything. Not only are they never at fault, but worse, somehow, it’s your fault—even though they’re in office. Foxx’s allies who refuse to hold her accountable for out-of-control crime in Chicago are exploiting the impending shutdown to blunt what appears to be a good faith attempt by Jordan et. al.
The Sun-Times also reported U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) also regurgitated the day’s talking points: “Mr. Speaker [Kevin McCarthy], Mr. Chairman of the Judiciary Committee [Jim Jordan], it’s not going to work… the discussions at the FOP will do nothing to take away from the ineptitude that you’ve got relative to keeping the government open.” One thing has zero to do with the other.
The panel included people whom Foxx’s perverse policies have directly affected. FOX News reporter Gianno Caldwell whose brother Christian was murdered last June, retired Chicago Police Department (CPD) Lt. John Garrido III, and retired CPD Officer Carlos Yanez Jr. who was critically wounded when his partner Ella French was killed in the line of duty in 2021.
But Foxx shouldn’t feel exclusively targeted by Jordan’s Committee. Last April, Jordan held a “field hearing” aimed at Foxx’s fellow non-prosecutor, New York City’s Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
It’s not unusual for perpetrators of depraved policies and laws to lash out at those attempting to hold them accountable for the devastation they’ve inflicted on New York City, Chicago, and other blue-run American cities.
After the meeting, the Sun-Times continued with its pro-leftist activism, “fact-checking” Caldwell. The Sun-Times wrote, “But Caldwell also used the platform to offer a warning about the state abolishing cash bail last week, falsely claiming that suspects accused of second-degree murder and arson couldn’t be detained under provisions of the controversial SAFE-T Act” .
The so called SAFE-T Act, passed in 2021, which provides anything but safety, was roundly derided by state law enforcement leaders and rank and file cops. In fact, I wrote about an Illinois sheriff who retired specifically because of the legislation.
The Sun-Times seems to be quibbling with Caldwell saying those accused of “second-degree murder and arson couldn’t be detained…” . From my reading of the law, a judge could impose bail for those offenses—but apparently doesn’t have to.
FactCheck.org explains, “The act would still allow a judge to detain a person who is considered a flight risk or who poses a threat to ‘any other person or the community.’ A judge could also detain someone because of the nature of the crime” [emphases mine]. But doesn’t have to.
So, while Caldwell may not have been 100 percent accurate, speaking through tears as he recounted his little brother’s murder, his point still has merit. And so does Jordan’s committee’s efforts to hold Soros-funded non-prosecutors like Kim Foxx accountable for the untold, unconscionable pain and suffering she’s inflicted on the people of Chicago for too long.