As liberal cities contend with not merely concerning crime rates but also fighting with the Trump administration’s efforts to combat it, Republican figures in red states are speaking out. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who is running for governor of Ohio as a Republican, took note of a recently trending media appearance from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on MSNBC, drawing a contrast with the bright blue city and state.
“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough repeatedly asked the Democrat mayor about reducing crime in his city, including not just accepting federal police, but also receiving more federal funding for more police officers on the street.
Throughout the back and forth, Johnson repeatedly dodges Scarborough’s questions, instead bringing up alternatives that Scarborough already pointed out “were good and important programs.”
Even as Scarbrough asked the question in other ways, Johnson still tried to avoid answering by talking about other options to make cities “safer,” such as “affordable housing.” The co-host grew increasingly impatient as he had to ask his question repeatedly and in different ways if “the streets of Chicago would be safer if you got all those other extraordinary programs put back into place… if that’s complemented by having 5,000 more cops in the streets of Chicago?”
After Johnson accused Scarborough of bringing up an “antiquated approach,” the co-host raised his voice, asking if the mayor was hearing what he was saying.
“I just need a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ and then this will be the last time I ask. If you get all those other social programs… with great success, would an additional 5,000 cops in the streets of Chicago help, complement those programs to make Chicago safer?” Scarborough asked.
Johnson countered that his city was “working hard to make sure that our police department is fully supported,” then dismissed the 5,000 officers figure as “an arbitrary number” and wasn’t “the answer.”
The mayor also claimed that “we have asked law enforcement to do too much,” insisting again on other programs while dismissing the idea of “police officers alone.” He then launched into unrelated attacks against the Trump administration on unemployment, Medicaid, and education.
Ramaswamy urged every American, specifically every Ohioan, to watch the “extraordinary clip.”
“States like Illinois refuse to address violent crime. We’ll get it right in Ohio’s cities,” Ramaswamy promised.
Ramaswamy has made addressing crime a key component of his campaign, especially in light of last month’s viral mob attack in Cincinnati. Just over a week later, he held a town hall at a local restaurant to take questions from concerned citizens about this issue and others.
The Daily Signal reached out to the mayor’s office for a response, as well as to the Ramaswamy campaign for any further comment.
It’s not merely nearby states like Ohio commenting on Illinois and Chicago, but the Windy City’s own residents. Homicides remain high and Chicago resident Jedidiah Brown told NewsNation that people live in “fear” about being “hurt” or “kidnapped.”
Illinois as a whole has also made headlines, in part in thanks to The Daily Signal’s Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell, who asked President Donald Trump about the state’s governor during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
In response to a question about Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., encouraging “nonviolent resistance” should Trump send the National Guard in, the president responded that “this guy doesn’t know what resistance is, or nonviolent resistance is” and referred to him as “a bad politician” as well as “an incompetent man.”
“He should have never been put in a position like that,” Trump added.
The Trump administration has also requested state National Guard forces to assist in Washington, D.C., with Ohio being among those heeding the call.
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