Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot would rather reinvent the wheel than admit she was wrong with her ‘defund the police’ support. So far, all of Lightfoot’s bright ideas have been beyond ridiculous. Her latest plan is no exception.
Lightfoot joined other mayors last summer in their attempts to pander to the left and sought to dismantle her city’s police force. Now that crime is out of control, she’s been forced to come up with new ways to try and fight crime. Her latest plan is a real ringer—Lightfoot wants to sue gangs for committing crimes.
“The plan would allow for the city’s lawyers to file the lawsuits. A judge could order the forfeiture of money or property that is directly or indirectly related to street gang activity.
It also would give a sense of validity to these illegal organizations, but more importantly, it won’t work. Lightfoot says she’s implementing this plan to fight gun violence but it’s not a novel idea. Both Kane and DuPage counties have tried using this method on a federal level for years but on a much smaller scale.
“In federal court, you’re dealing with organized street gangs – in many cases involving individuals that are in their 30s, sometimes even in their 40s – that are moving large amounts of drugs,” said Eric H. Sussman of Reed Smith LLP, a former federal prosecutor.
Sussman said to me these types of gang lawsuits have been successful in his experience in federal court. But he said the gangs that would be targeted in Chicago — “approximately 100 street gang factions,” according to the proposed ordinance filed on Tuesday – are different.
“In state court, most of these 15- and 16-year-olds they can’t even identify aren’t even subject to adult criminal prosecution,” Sussman said.” “Some might blame [Lightfoot’s] policies that hamper police efforts, like her move to require cops to get permission to chase suspects on foot. Others might focus on her penchant to blame guns and not criminals for shootings, as she did in the killing of Officer Ella French.”
Lightfoots ‘big idea’ is really just a huge joke. She needs to admit she was wrong, issue a public apology and add some serious incentives to get officers back on the streets.
