(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas is blasting the police union that has endorsed him for its plans to host Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, at a gathering of law enforcement members on Monday.
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 reportedly has organized a gathering in west suburban Elmhurst where DeSantis will address union members.
Vallas, a law-and-order candidate whose Democratic credentials have been challenged in the Chicago mayoral race, on Friday said he is disappointed in the FOP for inviting “a right-wing extremist like Ron DeSantis” to the region.
“DeSantis’ record of trying to erase the LGBTQ community, banning books on Black history and much more is not in line with my values, the values of our community, or the values of the rank and file police officers who I believe have no interest in getting swept up in culture wars and national Republican Party politics,” Vallas said in written statement.
FOP President John Catanzara insisted the union is not sponsoring DeSantis' appearance. Rather, the union is helping promote the speech, which will support members of law enforcement, he said.
“This isn’t a left-side-of-the aisle or right-side-of-the-aisle issue at all,” he said on social media.
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