Chicago Police Union wants Rep. Rush to draw back his statement that they are sworn enemies of black people
Head of Chicago Police Union demanded that Rep. Robby Rush should draw back his declaration about the union that they are sworn enemies of black people.
President of Chicago fraternal order of police lodge 7 Kevin Graham said that Rep. Rush’s comment was “solely untrue and is in fact a libelous remark which meets the textbook legal definition of defamation.”
Rep. Rush made the comments after April 1 protests by the Chicago police union against the decision by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to drop charges against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.
Smollett has been accused of faking a hate crime against himself. Foxx has denied claims that Smollett, who is back and gay, received special treatment from her office, and she has ignored calls by various critics to resign.
An NPR-affiliated station in Chicago reported that members of white nationalist groups attended the union’s protest, which was also met by counter protests by members of left-wing groups including the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. A union spokesman issued a statement on Facebook the day after the protest, denying any knowledge of those groups
Martin Prieb said in the post that the suggestions, implications or even correlation that the FOP would in any way subordinate itself with racist hate group is a sign of just how unfair, malicious, and extreme the media is in their hatred towards the police.
On Saturday Rep. Rush said “the FOP is the sworn enemy of black people, the sworn enemy of black people”. He also said that the FOP has always taken the position that black people can be shot down in the street by members of the Chicago Police department and suffer no consequences.
He added, “I would certainly hope that the FOP and whatever their disagreements may be, whatever concerns that they may have about my ability or leadership, would at least expect the people of their union to not inject racism or white nationalists into the conversation.”
“The comment shows an amazing indifference to our city, a fundamental misunderstanding of the people who keep us safe and a disturbing mendacity,” wrote Graham, who noted that 25 percent of the police union’s membership is African-American.
“You owe us an apology.”
Rush had no immediate response to the letter.
