Chicago (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The head of the union that represents Chicago police is in the middle of another political drama, this time with three aldermen who used to be firefighters.
There were hot tempers at a recent meeting involving Fraternal Order of Police Union President John Catanzara, and Aldermen Nick Sposato, Anthony Napolitano and Jim Gardiner, who are three former firefighters and whose own union supports State Senator Rob Martwick for re-election.
The FOP is campaigning for Chicago Police Detective Erin Jones in the Democratic primary against Martwick and Catanzara says aldermen who want to say they support police must support police officers running for political office.
“They have to have a come-to-Jesus moment with themselves if they’re going to stick to the Local 2 line or they’re going to support the members of the Chicago Police Department,” Catanzara said in a YouTube video to his members.
Catanzara says Martwick must go because he backed a criminal justice reform bill the police union opposed.
“We recruited someone specifically to go after Bob Martwick because he helped champion 3653 in Springfield with the Black Caucus and ridiculously left-leaning agenda, radical Democrats,” Cantanzara claimed.
“There is no middle ground. And, if you do support Bob Martwick, there will be retribution in the elections next year. You’re just going to have to answer for that support and it erupted from there,” added Catanzara.
Alderman Sposato says he didn’t take too kindly to Catanzara’s behavior. “Things went bad after that when he said there’d be retribution for this and, which basically, I perceived as a threat.”
Catanzara insists no threats were made.
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Alderman Sposato says he doesn’t think Catanzara could find a police officer in his ward who’d want to challenge him.
After the heated exchange, Sposato says he ended the meeting and kicked Catanzara and Jones out.