CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A coalition of politicians, labor leaders, and clergy are calling on Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara to either resign or lose his job in the wake of comments he made about last week's incursion at the U.S. Capitol Building.
In an interview last week, Catanzara downplayed the violence of the people who overran the Capitol building, and he suggested that they were angry over disproven allegations that last year's Presidential Election was stolen.
“There was no arson, there was no burning of anything, there was no looting, there was very little destruction of property...There’s no fights. There’s no, obviously, violence in this crowd. They pushed past security and made their way to the Senate chamber. Did they destroy anything when they were there? No.”
In fact, five people died in the melee, including a U.S. Capitol Police Officer.
Catanzara's comments drew harsh criticism from the National Fraternal Order of Police.
“The National FOP rejects this gross mischaracterization and sees the incident for what it was — a violent mob of looters and vandals, visiting fear and destruction on one of our nation’s most sacred spaces, who should be held accountable for their actions and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the National FOP said in a statement.
Catanzara later apologized through a statement posted on Facebook.
“As your President, I showed a lapse in judgement [sic] yesterday during an interview. For that I am sorry. I brought negative attention to our Lodge, the FOP family and law enforcement in general. I was in no way condoning the violence in DC yesterday. My statements were poorly worded. I certainly would never justify any attacks on citizens, democracy or law enforcement. After seeing more video and the full aftermath, my comments would have been different.”
Related
Mayor Lori Lightfoot called it a "non-apology apology" and that he offended the democracy.
On Twitter, she also had blasted Catanzara’s initial comments, declaring that what happened at the Capitol was “an insurrection.”
“The comments by John Catanzara, Chicago FOP President, either demonstrate clear delusion or reckless disrespect for the rule of law — or both,” Lightfoot said.
Thirty-five members of the Chicago City Council and the city clerk sponsored a resolution calling on Catanzara to resign as the head of FOP Lodge 7. The resolution further demands that, if Catanzara refuses to step down, the board of directors of FOP Lodge 7 vote to request his resignation.
If neither of those two things happen, the resolution demands that the Chicago Police Department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs investigate John Catanzara’s actions and “their discredit” to the city and CPD.
“We had an attack on our democracy. A domestic terrorist act. It was important for the City Council to voice where it stands on it so that people across the country know that this isn’t something that reflects our values,” said 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez.
“The people of Chicago will be listening to the FOP and watching to see their actions. When we live in a city where see such a gulf between police and communities of color, being silent about this only widens that gulf. The Fraternal Order of Police can do the right thing and say to the people of Chicago, `We don’t stand for it.’ That can bridge, at least some of that gap.”
Related
SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley said Catanzara should resign as the president of the union. Others in a Zoom news conference Monday morning said he should be fired by the police board.
"The stakes for our city and our country are too high in this moment to remain silent," Kelley said.
26th Ward Alderman Roberto Maldonado had a suggestion for what Catanzara could do with his time.
"It is time for this individual to come and join outgoing President Trump and become his caddy," Maldonado said.
40th Ward Alderman Andre Vasquez said Chicago Police Officers deserve better leadership from their union.
"You deserve leadership that both you and residents of Chicago can have faith in, and I urge you as part of your commitment to justice and public safety to seek it," Vasquez said.
Related
At a separate event, Mayor Lightfoot said the comments were a display of character.
"So the fact that he waved that off as nothing says a lot about the character of him," she said.