Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday defended sending several insulting text messages to Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, saying she doesn’t “take back one word that I said.”
In a heated text exchange, obtained by WGN, Lightfoot called Catanzara a “cartoon character,” “clown” and “total fraud” after the recently appointed FOP president sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Saturday, pleading for federal help in combating the city’s gun violence.
Lightfoot said she believes her characterization of Catanzara is “100% accurate.” She also accused Catanzara of sending the letters in a “craven political move.”
“In the middle of everything that’s going on, in a craven political move, this man waved his hand to President Trump and invited him to bring federal troops into our city, federal troops into our city, a la Portland,” Lightfoot said during a news conference. “How is that responsible? How does that make sense? What he should be doing is focusing on the things that [are] actually important to his members.”
In the letter, Catanzara didn’t specifically ask for “troops” or mention Portland, but he did call Lightfoot a “complete failure” who is unable to maintain law and order.
Lightfoot said she’s tried to engage with Catanzara in a “constructive way” but hasn’t had much luck.
“He refuses to do so because he’s more interested in trying to make himself a political figure rather than to be a leader,” Lightfoot said. “I don’t take back one word that I said.”
