By Illinois Review
In a packed room at the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge #7 on Tuesday, Republican chairman U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH and the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on “Victims of Violent Crime in Chicago” as witnesses including Gianno Caldwell, a family member of a murder victim; Lt. John Garrido III, a retired Chicago Police Detective and Carlos Yanez, Jr., a retired Chicago Police Officer who was seriously wounded while on-duty during a traffic stop, testified about the violent crime plaguing the city and the lack of support for the police.
Yanez’ partner, Ella French, was shot and killed during the traffic incident.
“When you let bad guys stay on the street, you shouldnt be surprised when you get more crime; when you defund the police, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get more crime; when you pass legislation that ends cash bail, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get more crime – and when you do all those things, you shouldn’t be surprised that we have, what, a 1,700 police officer shortage in the city. That’s what left wing policies have done,” said House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan.
Gianno Caldwell, who was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, lost his 18-year old brother Christian in 2022. Christian was murdered and his killers are still out on the streets.
Caldwell blamed the policies of Chicago Mayor’s Lori Lightfoot and Brandon Johnson, Gov. JB Pritzker, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and other politicians for failing to address the rise in violent crimes.
“These officials have recklessly ignored the people they were elected to represent. And as a result, bodies – mostly black bodies, are littered throughout the streets of Chicago.”
Caldwell then spoke painfully about the moment in 2022 when he received a call that his “innocent, teenaged baby brother Christian” had been murdered.
Retired Chicago Police Lt. John Garrido III testified about the “adverse effects of politics on law enforcement in Chicago,” and referred to police officers as “pawns in a larger political game forced to enforce laws and policies that may not necessarily serve the best interest of our community and public safety.”
Garrido also spoke about the long term damaging effects of the “defund the police movement,” that resulted in a “police department that is both underfunded and understaffed, compromising our ability to serve and protect.”
Retired Chicago Police Officer Carlos Yanez, Jr. testified about “policies and procedures put into place” by Democratic leaders that lead to officers feeling like “their hands are tied behind their back” – unable to do their jobs and protect the public.
Yanez suffers from long term effects from the shooting, which took the life of his partner, as he explained during the hearing.
“I was shot a total of 5 times, 4 of which were in the head; I lost my right eye, some of my hearing in both ears. I also have tinnitus in my right ear as well as partially paralyzed on the right side of my body.”
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx released a statement prior to the hearing, in which she blamed guns, saying,
“As the nation is on the verge of a Republican sponsored government shutdown, Jim Jordan has chosen to come to Chicago rather than fulfill his obligations to his constituents. Instead of focusing on the victims of mass shootings caused by weak gun protection laws including his own district, he has chosen to spend his time with John Catanzara – the man who in the immediate aftermath of January 6th, proclaimed it to be a peaceful protest.”
Foxx concluded with,
“Jim Jordan is seeking to exploit the deaths of black and brown victims of crime, rather than supporting common sense gun legislation…”
The Illinois State Rifle Association issued a statement immediately following the hearing.
“As Chicago crime statistics continue to dominate national headlines, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx continues to deflect any responsibility – and instead chooses to blame ‘weak gun protection laws’ instead of the violent criminals who to this day, continue to roam the streets of Chicago targeting innocent victims.
Since 2021, nearly 250 attorneys have resigned from Kim Foxx’s office out of frustration because of her failure to hold violent criminals accountable for their crimes. And as a result, victims’ families are suffering, and the criminals are celebrating.
In Illinois, Democrats like Gov. JB Pritzker and Kim Foxx have declared war on the 2nd Amendment and are deliberately targeting law-abiding citizens and their lawful right to bear arms – blaming the guns for the crimes rather than the criminals committing them.”
The ISRA then thanked Rep. Jordan and the committee for holding the hearing as well as members of the Chicago Police Department for their sacrifices.
“We applaud U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee for coming to Chicago and shining a light on the violent crime plaguing the city, and we remain grateful to the brave police officers who put their lives on the line each day under such difficult circumstances.”
