SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Latest on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s comments on the “failure” of Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to stem gun violence (all times local):
3:25 p.m.
A spokesman for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel dismisses Gov. Bruce Rauner’s complaint about gun violence in Chicago.
The Republican governor said Thursday that the Democratic mayor has “fundamentally failed, failed horribly” on public safety after shootings last weekend injured more than 70 and killed at least 11.
Adam Collins is Emanuel’s spokesman. He says Rauner is to blame for his veto of legislation to crack down on illegal gun sales through state licensing of firearms dealers. Rauner rejected the plan from legislative Democrats as too burdensome on small businesses. Rauner has promised to veto another version of the plan that lawmakers have not yet sent him.
Collins says police “are taking roughly one gun an hour off the streets.”
Police have will have 600 more officers in affected neighborhoods by this weekend.
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2:55 p.m.
Gov. Bruce Rauner says Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has “failed horribly” on public safety after gunfire in the city last weekend injured more than 70 people and killed at least 11.
The Republican said Thursday that Chicago police have not received sufficient personnel, equipment or staffing assistance to be effective.
Rauner says he’s “disappointed” in Democrat Emanuel. Rauner says public safety is an officeholder’s first duty and that Chicago’s leaders “have fundamentally failed, failed horribly.”
A spokesman for Emanuel did not immediately respond. Chicago police added 400 officers to affected neighborhoods with plans for 200 this weekend.
Rauner made his comments after saying for a second day he would not dispatch the National Guard Chicago. He says Illinois State Police help patrol some neighborhoods and have jurisdiction on Chicago-area expressways.
