>> CHARGES IN THE KILLING OF AN
EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BRING A RARE NEWS
CONFERENCE AND THE POLITICS OF
NAMING A NEW SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE IN TONIGHT'S SPOTLIGHT
POLITICS.
HERE WITH THAT AND MORE ARE
AMANDA VINICKY AND HEATHER
CHERONE.
TODAY WE KNOW MAYOR LIGHTFOOT
APPEARED WITH SUPERINTENDENT
DAVID BROWN AND COOK COUNTY
STATE'S ATTORNEY KIM FOXX TO
ANNOUNCE CHARGES IN THE FATAL
SHOOTING OF AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD IN
LITTLE VILLAGE HERE IS WHAT THEY
SAID WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RARE
JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY.
>> THE TRAGEDIES WE HAVE SEEN
DURING THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR
AND LAST AND HISTORICALLY
REQUIRES US TO COME TOGETHER.
>> IT IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
FOR US TO HAVE A PUBLIC SHOWING
OF WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE
SCENES.
>> I THINK YOU WILL SEE MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO
DEMONSTRATE A UNITY OF PURPOSE.
>> HEATHER DOES THIS INDICATE A
DEEP FREEZE THAWING BETWEEN THE
C.P.D., THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
THE STATE'S ATTORNEY?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT
BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY IN
EVERYBODY'S BEST INTEREST TO
PLAY NICE IN FRONT OF THE
CAMERAS TODAY TO SHOW A UNIFIED
FRONT IN THE WAKE OF THIS
HORRIFIC DEATH OF THE 8-YEAR-OLD
MELISSA ORTEGA.
BUT I THINK THE ANIMOSITY
BETWEEN KIM FOXX AND MAYOR
LIGHTFOOT HAS BEEN OVERSTATED.
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT LIGHTFOOT
ENDORSED FOXX FOR REELECTION AND
SHE HAS HAD HER CRITICISM OF KIM
FOXX BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER
IS THEY ARE BOTH DEMOCRATS ARE
ON THE SAME TEAM AND BOTH
SUCCESSES DEPEND ON EACH OTHER
AND I THINK SOMETIMES IT IS AN
EASY WAY TO SORT OF SHORTHAND
TENGION BETWEEN THE OFFICES WITH
DIFFERENT GOALS AND DIFFERENT
NEEDS AND POWERS WHEN IT COMES
TO CRIME IN CHICAGO AND COOK
COUNTY.
A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE.
>> AMANDA DOES THE MAYOR STAND
TO BENEFIT FROM BETTER RELATIONS
WITH KIM FOXX ESPECIALLY
REGARDING TACKLING CHICAGO'S
VIOLENCE PROBLEM?
>> WELL, YES, IF IT COMES TO
ACTUALLY TACKLING THE PROBLEM.
IF THERE IS RESOLUTION.
IF CRIME GOES DOWN.
IF THIS LEADS TO SOMETHING THEN,
YES THAT WOULD, OF COURSE, TAKE
ASIDE POLITICS FOR A HEART BEAT
THAT WOULD BE THE BEST TORE ALL
OF CHICAGO.
OF COURSE THAT IS THE GOAL THAT
EVERYBODY WANTS.
POLITICALLY, YEAH, IT WOULD LOOK
GOOD TO GET ALONG.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IT
IS EASY POLITICALLY TO HAVE
SOMEBODY TO POINT THE FINGER AT.
SOMETIMES THERE'S OVERBLOWN
TENSIONS AND SOME IS VERY MUCH
REAL.
YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE AND IT
ISN'T HAPPENING WHEN IT COMES TO
CRIME.
YES, I THINK THE LONG AND SHORT
OF IT IS IF THEY CAN SHOW THEY
ARE WORKING TOGETHER TA THAT
WOULD MAKE HER LOOK BETTER
GEARING UP FOR REELECTION.
>> HEATHER YOU COVERED THE CITY
COUNCIL MEETING WHERE ANTHONY
BEALE TRIED TO GET A LAWYER TO
HELP CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
EXPLAIN WHY THIS WAS
CONTENTIOUS?
>> IT'S COMPLICATED BUT BEALE
AND 29 OTHER ALDERPEOPLE WANT
THEIR OWN LAWYER SO THAT WHEN
MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT OR THE
CITY'S CORPORATION COUNSEL RULES
AGAINST SOMETHING THAT A
MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL WANTS
THEY CAN PUSHBACK.
RIGHT NOW, IF THE MAYOR RULES
SOMETHING ON THE COUNCIL FLOOR
OUT OF ORDER AND THE CORPORATION
OFFICE AGREES WITH HER SOMETIMES
THE CITY COUNCIL IS OUT OF LUCK
AND THEY ARE FRUSTRATED ABOUT
THAT.
AND I THINK TODAY WAS THE GREAT
EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF THAT SORT
OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE TO
PREVENT SOMETHING FROM HAPPENING
THAT THE MAYOR DOESN'T WANT TO
HAPPEN.
SHE SAYS SHE IS IN FAVOR OF THE
CITY COUNCIL HAVING THEIR OWN
LAWYER.
SHE JUST WANTS THEM TO DO IT IN
A RATIONAL, THOUGHT OUT,
COMPREHENSIVE SORT OF WAY.
BECAUSE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR
DID NOT SAY HOW MUCH THIS WOULD
COST.
SOME ALDERMEN WERE RELUCTANT TO
VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT
WANT TO PUT THE CITY ON THE HOOK
FOR POTENTIALLY MORE THAN
100,000 FOR A FULL-TIME STAFF
PERSON.
THIS IS A DEBATE THAT IS GOING
TO COME UP.
BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE
[INAUDIBLE]
>> ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER.
>> SPEAKING OF CONTENTIOUS
ISSUES THE BATTLE OF THE WARD
MAP CONTINUES.
WHAT IS THE LATEST?
>> WELL, IT APPEARS THAT
DELEGATES FROM THE BLACK CAUCUS
AND LATINO CAUCUS WILL MEET
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ON FRIDAY.
AND MAYBE THEY WILL MAKE MORE
PROGRESS THAN THEY MADE IN ALL
FOUR OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
BECAUSE THE GRAND TOTAL OF
PROGRESS IN THOSE MEETINGS WAS
ZIP.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
EVENTUALLY IF 41 ALDERMEN DO NOT
AGREE ON A MAP IT WILL GO TO
VOTERS IN JUNE WITH THE JUNE
PRIMARY TO DECIDE WHAT CHICAGO'S
WARD MAP SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND
THAT WILL DETERMINE THE BALANCE
OF POWER FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
>> AMANDA WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD
THIS ENDS UP WITH THE VOTERS?
>> WELL, I WOULD LOVE WHO
WOULDN'T WHAT REPORTER WOULDN'T
LOVE TO BE AT THAT MEETING AND
THAT IS OFTEN WHERE WE SEE THESE
THINGS BATTLED OUT.
IT IS A MATTER OF MATH.
I'M NOT SURE GIVEN THE PROMISES
THE LATINO AND THE BLACK CAUSES
MADE HOW YOU CAN FIND A
RESOLUTION BUT IT IS IN THEIR
INTEREST TO DO SO THEY DO HAVE
SOMETIME.
I BELIEVE THE DEADLINE TO DO
THIS IS SOMETIME IN MAY.
SO WE ARE RIGHT NOW ARE FREEZING
OUR PANTIES OFF MAYBE BY THE
TIME THE FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING
THEY WOULD HAVE WORKED IT OUT.
>> ARNE DUNCAN LOOKING FOR A
CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR CRITICIZING
THE C.P.D. AND MAYOR LIGHTFOOT.
IF HE RUNS HOW MUCH TROUBLE
COULD IT BE FOR LIGHTFOOT?
>> OF COURSE IT DEPENDS WHO ELSE
MAY ENTER THE CHICAGO TEACHERS'
UNION VICE-PRESIDENT STACY DAVIS
GATES, HAS NOT SAID NO AND HER
NAME IS OFTEN MENTIONED.
ARNE DUNCAN THE FACT HE HAS COME
OUT AND SAID, YEAH, I'M THINKING
ABOUT IT, THAT IS A PRETTY BIG
SIGN THAT HE IS GOING TO
DECLARE.
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN BUT THAT IS
BIG.
AND IT COULD BE AN ISSUE FOR HER
GIVEN THAT SHE PREVIOUSLY JUST
THE ENTIRE DYNAMIC CHANGED.
SHE WAS UNKNOWN THEN AND COBBLED
TOGETHER A MAJORITY THAT CAME
FROM A LOT OF CORNERS.
YOU KNOCK THOSE OFF AND SHE
DOESN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT AS WELL
FROM PROGRESSIVES.
RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE GOTTEN UPSET
AND THE C.T.U. FRONT IT COULD
SPELL TROUBLE FOR HER.
AND THEN AGAIN, ARNE DUNCAN
DOESN'T HAVE AN ORGANIZATION.
HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE FOOT
SOLDIERS HE MAY GET MONEY BUT
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU NEED AS
WELL.
PEOPLE TO KNOCK ON DOORS AND GET
PETITIONS SIGNED.
>> HEATHER WE MENTIONED THIS
EARLIER HE SLAMMED HER GANG
ASSETS SEIZURE PLAN IS THAT
GOING ANYWHERE IN CITY COUNCIL?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
AND I AM WAITING TO SEE WHETHER
THE CITY COUNCIL'S PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE SCHEDULES A VOTE
SOMETIME IN THE NEXT THREE
WEEKS.
THE CITY COUNCIL MEETS AGAIN AT
THE END OF FEBRUARY AND THEY
COULD TAKE A VOTE ON THE MEASURE
AT THAT TIME.
HE REALLY ECHOED CRITICISM FROM
PEOPLE LIKE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC
DEFENDER MITCHELL WHO SAID THIS
ORDINANCE IS NOT GOING TO DO
ANYTHING EXCEPT TARGET PEOPLE
WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE
IN GANGS.
AND MAYBE SHARE A CAR OR A HOME
AND THAT THEY WILL FIND
THEMSELVES IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF
THIS.
BUT HEARD DAVID BROWN AT THAT
NEWS CONFERENCE SAYING THAT THIS
WAS A TOOL THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT NEEDED TO DISMANTLE
THE GANGS INVOLVED IN KILLING
MELISSA ORTEGA.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY
POWERFUL ARGUMENT FOR ALDERMEN
STARING DOWN REELECTION IN ABOUT
A YEAR AND WHO WANT TO AT LEAST
BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE MAYBE
CRIME IS STILL BAD, BUT WE DID
EVERYTHING WE COULD THINK OF TO
ADDRESS IT.
AND THAT IS WHY THERE IS GOING
TO BE A BIG PUSH TO GET THIS
THROUGH BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO
BE SEEN AS NOT DOING EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO PREVENT ANOTHER
CHILD BEING KILLED BY A GANG IN
CHICAGO.
>> SUCH A TRAGIC STORY MELISSA
ORTEGA THAT WE'RE HEARING AND
REPORTING THIS WEEK.
SO IN NATIONAL NEWS, A LITTLE
BIT OF NATIONAL POLITICS U.S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ETHICS
PANEL REVIEWING ALLEGATIONS
AGAINST MARIE NEWMAN SHE OFFERED
A POLITICAL RIVAL A JOB TO STAY
OUT OF THE ELECTION IN 2020.
DID NEWMAN BREAK THE LAW?
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
>> SHE SAYS SHE DIDN'T.
THE HOUSE ETHICS PANEL SAYS WELL
MAYBE THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT YOU
DID AND THIS ALL INVOLVES HER
BEFORE THE 2020 ELECTION WORKING
WITH A POTENTIAL FUTURE RIVAL
AND COMING TO AN AGREEMENT WHERE
PERHAPS SHE WOULD GIVE HIM A JOB
AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
AND YOU CANNOT DO THAT.
CAN YOU NOT OFFER THINGS LIKE
THAT IT'S AGAINST THE LAW.
BUT WHAT IS INTERESTING, IS THAT
MARIE NEWMAN IS CAUGHT IN AN
INTRADEMOCRATTIC PARTY SQUABBLE
AND FACES SEAN CASTEN SHE WAS
ALREADY SORT OF FACING AN UPHILL
BATTLE AS ANY DEMOCRAT
REDISTRICTED IS.
THIS IS ANOTHER SORT OF PIECE
THAT SHE IS GOING TO HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT.
AND THERE WERE LOTS OF QUESTIONS
AND IT WILL GIVE SEAN CASTEN AN
OPENING.
SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO
THAT.
LET'S MOVE ALONG HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SOME OF ILLINOIS' WEALTHIEST
RESIDENTS THEY ARE PONYING UP
THE CASH FOR RICHARD IRVIN'S RUN
INCLUDING A TELEVISION AD
CAMPAIGN THAT LAUNCHED THIS
WEEK.
AMANDA, THIS CAMPAIGN AD
STRETCHING THE TRUTH?
>> SO THE ISSUE IN THE CAMPAIGN
AD IS THAT RICHARD IRVIN SAID HE
CALLED IN THE NATIONAL GUARD
THAT CHICAGO DIDN'T DO ANYTHING
WHEN THERE WAS UNREST AND
LOOTING WE COVERED IT IN AURORA
AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO.
WHEN THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN
ACTIVATE THE NATIONAL GUARD IS
THE GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS.
GRANTED THAT MAY WELL HAVE COME
AT THE REQUEST OF A MAYOR FOR
EXAMPLE SOMEBODY LIKE RICHARD
IRVIN.
IT IS CERTAINLY STRETCHING THE
TRUTH THERE.
THAT IS WHAT THE CAMPAIGN ADS
DO.
THE DIFFICULTY RIGHT NOW IS THAT
REPORTERS HAVE NOT HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM DIRECTLY.
HE IS UP ON AIR, COMMERCIALS HAD
A LENGTHY BIOINTRODUCTION THAT
CAME OUT DIGITALLY BUT HAS NOT
HELD ANY SORT OF PRESS
CONFERENCE OR ONE-ON-ONE
INTERVIEWS WITH JOURNALISTS THAT
WILL BE COVERING THE RACE WHO
WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS SUCH AS
THAT.
>> HEATHER YOU HAVE DONE
REPORTING ON THIS AS WELL.
NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE SEEN
ADS STRETCH THE TRUTH?
>> SURE.
RICHARD IRVIN IS CLEARLY
ADDRESSING PEOPLE WHO ARE
WORRIED ABOUT CRIME AND THIS
PLAYS INTO HIS SORT OF TOUGH ON
CRIME APPROACH.
THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT I THINK
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT POWERS A MAYOR
AND A GOVERNOR HAS ESPECIALLY AS
SOMETHING SO FRAUGHT WITH
CHICAGO AND THE NATIONAL GUARD.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO
MENTION HIS RHETORIC ECHOS KEN
GRIFFIN.
I'LL RICHEST PERSON THE OWNER OF
CITADEL HEDGE FUNDS AND WAS
CRITICAL THE WAY GOVERNOR J.B.
PRITZKER'S RESPONDED TO THE
SURGE IN CRIME.
THAT IS PART OF THIS AS WELL.
AND WE ARE ALL WAITING TO SEE
WHAT KEN GRIFFIN DOES I KNOW WE
WOULD LIKE TO ASK RICHARD IRVIN
WHETHER HE WOULD ACCEPT KEN
GRIFFIN'S MONEY.
SO YOU KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE ALL EAGER
TO GET ANSWERED.