(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The president of the Chicago police union is calling recent comments by Congressman Bobby Rush — comparing the Fraternal Order of Police to the KKK — “ridiculous.”
Rush, D-Chicago, told Politico the police union and the Klan “are like kissing, hugging and law-breaking cousins.”
John Catanzara, president of the FOP Lodge 7, was responding Tuesday to continued bad blood between Rush and police union over allegations that several officers used the congressman’s burglarized campaign office June 1 as a lounge while rioting and looting was occurring on the South Side. The union says the officers on widely seen surveillance images were resting after working 15-hour shifts and had permission to be there.
Getting back to the KKK comparison Rush was quoted as saying, Catanzara says: “I mean, how inflammatory and ridiculous can somebody get?”
He noted that black businessman Willie Wilson and Congressman Danny Davis, also an African American, were at the union’s office recently to pass out masks and PPE kits.
“Bobby Rush is obviously campaigning already for November,” he said. “Typical nonsense. He’s done nothing for his constituency, so jump on board the anti-police rhetoric.”
Mayor Lightfoot and CPD brass disagree with the union’s narrative, and an internal investigation is underway, with possible disciplinary ramifications. Some black ministers have said if the union can’t prove up their version of what happened, officials should apologize to Rush.
Catanzara indicated that’s not likely to happen.