Chicago mayoral candidate Raymond Lopez rips state's SAFE-T Act: 'We can't keep cowering to criminals'
Chicago mayoral candidate Raymond Lopez (D) criticizes Illinois' SAFE-T Act which would eliminate cash bail and prevent crime suspects for certain felonies from being detained before trial.
Chicago mayoral candidate Raymond Lopez (D) ripped Illinois' lax crime policies as outrage ensues over the state's Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act (SAFE-T Act), which was designed to make substantial criminal justice reforms to the Prairie State.
"Some of my Democratic political colleagues are making it harder for us to defend the victims in the city of Chicago and throughout the United States of America. They continuously stand with criminals as opposed to the victims," he told Ainsley Earhardt on Wednesday's "Fox & Friends."
"Here in Chicago, we've had over 3,000 victims of shootings and almost 600 people killed in the city of Chicago this year alone. When you see what is being allowed under the new bail reform, when you see what politicians are saying is no longer a detainable offense, all that will do is embolden criminals to go further and wider in what they're willing to do the people of the city of Chicago."
ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS ACKNOWLEDGE ‘TWEAKS’ TO SAFE-T ACT LANGUAGE COULD BE MADE FOLLOWING PUBLIC OUTCRY
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during a rally at Federal Building Plaza on April 27, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Lopez said the culprit behind the rampant crime is evident to everyone, and soft-on-crime policies are to blame.
"It's very evident to all of us who have at least an ounce of common sense that, if you allow bad behavior, criminals will take full advantage of it," he added.
The SAFE-T Act, signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D-Ill., in 2021, will eliminate cash bail for several felony offenses in the state, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, drug offenses, carjacking, arson and intimidation.
Several of the state's prosecutors – some who are Democrats – have also spoken out against the law, issuing warnings of the havoc the reform could wreak.
Democratic State's Attorney Jim Rowe is among the legal experts pushing back against the SAFE-T Act, arguing the measure would unlawfully amend Illinois' Constitution.
The SAFE-T Act has effectively violated this section of the Illinois Constitution without a referendum vote of the people," he said, according to Champaign-based WCIA news.
"The legislature does not have that power," he added.
Rowe filed a lawsuit to combat the measure, supported by many state Democrats along with Republicans.
State's Attorney James Glasgow stressed his disdain for the law in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
"I never, in my 40 years in this profession, ever thought I'd ever see anything close to this," he said. "The intent of this law is to destroy the criminal justice system in Illinois, and I'm not going to let that happen."
Glasgow, like Rowe, filed a lawsuit to prevent the SAFE-T Act from going into effect in January.
The uproar surrounding the law led Pritzker to agree to consider "tweaks to the legislation" and State Sen. Scott Bennett (D), a former prosecutor, also proposed changes be made.
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"As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance of presuming innocence for individuals before being proven guilty, supporting police and keeping violent criminals out of our neighborhoods," Bennett said.
"Senate Bill 4228 is an effort to improve consistency in the SAFE-T Act and allow law enforcement officials to continue to effectively perform their duties and protect our communities."
Fox News' Andrew Murray, Sophia Slacik and Andre Mark Miller contributed to this report