Roger Stone, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, said on Newsmax on Saturday that law enforcement vacancies in Chicago remain unfilled because Democratic politicians refuse to support police officers, worsening the city's crime problems.
The former Trump campaign adviser said Chicago's crime surge is directly tied to political leaders failing to back law enforcement, leaving hundreds of positions vacant.
"Last year, [in Chicago,] there were 225 '911' calls that went completely unanswered, shots fired, cars being broken into, people being attacked," Stone said on "Saturday Report."
"That's because the Chicago Police Department is down 1,600 officers. Those are 1,600 vacant positions that no one will apply for, because they know the politicians will not have their back."
Stone contrasted the situation in Chicago with recent results in Washington, D.C., where carjackings have dropped significantly. He credited President Trump's intervention for the improvement.
"Donald Trump has just demonstrated in D.C. that he understands that the first order of business, the first responsibility of the president of the United States, is to restore order and safety," Stone said. "The people of D.C. ... can now walk safely in their communities and neighborhoods."
Stone criticized Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, saying the governor's policies contribute to law enforcement shortages and rising crime. He said Pritzker's promises of justice ring hollow while police remain understaffed.
"The threat to democracy is the crime in the streets," Stone said. "The threat to democracy are those politicians who won't support our men and women in blue who are trying to preserve order."
Stone argued that if the federal government mobilized National Guard troops in Chicago, as Trump did in Washington, residents would welcome the move even if local officials opposed it.
"The politicians may not like it, but the people would love it," he said.
As far as a Pritzker potentially running for the presidency in 2028, "his chance of being president are exactly zero, ZERO. In a recent national survey, not only was he in single digits, but among African Americans, he was getting 0% of the vote," Stone added.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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