Dupage Policy Journal

A DuPage County Republican lawmaker has been very quick to respond to Gov. J.B. Pritker's comments following a huddle with President Joe Biden earlier this month that the governor is open to federal assistance to stem violence in the state.

Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers in Springfield need to get tougher on crime and violence that is spilling into Chicago suburbs, state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) told The Center Square.

"In my home county of DuPage County, we've seen a rise in all sorts of crimes," Mazzochi said in The Center Square's July 15 news story about Pritzker's news conference in Chicago that day. "We've seen rises in burglary and carjacking and where a local county sheriff has estimated that on any given day, probably 40% of people in his jail have Cook County or Chicago addresses."

That same day, Mazzochi joined House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) and state Rep. Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) "to discuss the corrosive effect indiscriminate and ill-thought out criminal justice reform is having on public safety in Illinois."

On July 14, Pritzker met with Biden as part of a bipartisan gathering of governors and mayors from across the nation. Pritzker managed to discuss with Biden what repayment breaks - if any - that Biden can provide for the $4.2 billion in federal assistance provided to Illinois' Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. They also discussed gun violence in Illinois, particularly in Chicago, according the Chicago Sun Times coverage of that meeting.

The following day, back in Chicago, Pritzker was at a news conference to sign legislation aimed at boosting equitable criminal justice in the state but reporters' questions naturally were about his meeting with the president.

"Too many people in this city and across this state have experienced gun violence and have lost someone that they love or had someone injured or they themselves have been injured," Pritzker said in response to the first reporter's question. "And it is incumbent on elected officials to act to make sure that they not only address it but are addressing it directly."

He said that "the underlying causes" of violent crime must be considered in such a fight "Not just in the city of Chicago but all across the state because Chicago is not alone."

"Rockford, Carbondale, Quincy, Champaign, we have major cities across the state of Illinois that have increased violence, especially during this period of COVID-19," Pritzker continued.

He also said that he and Biden "talked about a number of things" and that he was the one who raised the topic of gun violence in Chicago with Biden "which obviously is something that's on his mind, too." Pritzker said that during his meeting with the president, he wanted to be sure that Biden knew that "the state is fully engaged" in fighting guns coming across state lines and that the state already is working with the U.S. Attorney's office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other federal agencies.

At the same news conference, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx played down questions about whether law enforcement policies in the state are too lenient, that violent criminals are being released too soon, only to be reincarcerated while still wearing their monitoring devices.

"I'm not here for political games," Foxx said. "We're here to work collectively and collaboratively with our state, local and federal officials to address the violent crime."

Mazzochi responded to Foxx's comments by telling The Center Square about a man released from Cook County jail who was wearing his ankle monitor when he tried to rape a girl in DuPage County.

"So, I certainly understand why Kim Foxx doesn't want to have to actually address the real-world consequences of her actions, but they are leading to real-world consequences," Mazzochi said in The Center Square's news story. "They are damaging people, they are hurting people, and it is shameful that she is not willing to at least take another look and reverse course."

Mazzochi has represented Illinios' House District 47 since 2018. She was re-elected in November's General Elections, taking 54% of the vote to defeat Democrat challenger Jennifer Zordani.