Amid revelations that some SUVs whisking the mayor around the city have received more tickets for speeding and running red lights that have gone unpaid, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was accused of “do as I say, not as I do” hypocrisy. According to Crime Watch Boystown, a website devoted to crime-related issues, over the last 14 months, three speed-camera tickets and one red-light-camera ticket have been issued to vehicles driven by Lightfoot’s security detail. There were two speed-camera warnings, as well. CWB reported that none of the fines had been paid so far.
The website reported that, in addition to those most recent violations, two SUVs no longer used by the mayor’s bodyguards also have unpaid speed-camera and red-light tickets. According to Crime Watch Boystown, one vehicle is now on the list that city crews use to boot and impound vehicles with outstanding tickets.
The mayor’s office noted, in response to the story that referred to the mayor as “Lori Leadfoot,” that Lightfoot has “repeatedly stressed” to her security detail that, “Running red lights is never acceptable.” However, the mayor’s office said that vehicles assigned to transport the mayor and trail behind are also instructed to remain “in formation while en route.”
The statement said that the fines will remain unpaid until the “administrative process” is completed to “determine whether the [accused] party is responsible.” “Individual members of the Mayor’s Detail are responsible for payment of tickets incurred while they are driving,” the mayor’s office said. Mayoral rivals did not wait long to react, as they weren’t waiting for an explanation of the new round of tickets, some of them issued in school safety zones with “school children present.”
A divided City Council recently helped Lightfoot dodge an embarrassing defeat on the volatile issue of how fast motorists can drive before getting a speed-camera ticket.
Mayoral challenger Paul Vallas tweeted: “@chicagosmayor sets rules but doesn’t follow herself, like issuing mask mandate while partying maskless in crowds, having a security team while CPD beats are short officers or lowering speed cam mileage while racking up speed & red-light tickets that go UNPAID.”
Mayoral challenger Willie Wilson said, “being a leader means leading by example.” He demanded that Lightfoot pay for those tickets out of her own pocket. “People have lost faith in her. She’s got one set of rules for the elite and another one for the citizens. That should not be,” Wilson added.
“When I become mayor, we’re gonna get rid of those speed cameras. It sends the wrong message to citizens. At first, she said it was for safety. Now, she’s saying it’s for the budget. It’s totally wrong,” he continued.
For the higher ticketing threshold, Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) led the charge. He called the new round of unpaid tickets issued to a security detail a sign of the “double standard” applied to his political nemesis. “This is do as I say, not as I do. … It’s totally hypocritical that we’re asking the taxpayers to pay to balance the budget, but she can’t even pay her fair share to balance the budget,” said Beale. “That’s what these tickets all about. It’s not about public safety because, apparently, her and her drivers are throwing public safety out the window, as well,” he added.
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