West Cook News

Attorney General candidate Thomas DeVore is calling out supporters of current Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Gov. J.B. Pritzker whom he notes “turned violent.”

DeVore had just started giving a press conference outside the Cook County Department of Corrections in South Lawndale. It is the third largest jail system in the United States.

“Pritzker and Raoul Supporters disrupt Press Conference,” DeVore noted on Twitter and linked to a longer statement.

“Our press conference this morning with a coalition of community activists in the South Suburbs was shut down by supporters of Governor Pritzker and Kwame Raul who turned violent,” DeVore said in the statement. "Public safety and discussions about the SAFE-T Act are absolutely critical, and deserve calm rational discussion. That is not what the left wants. We will not be resuming the press conference today, but we will most certainly be continuing this discussion."

“As an attorney I have stood with people from all walks of life against government overreach, corruption and crime," DeVore continued. "I support everyone's right to protest peacefully. But violence in response to political and policy discussion is antithetical to the hope of a vibrant democracy. What happened today was totally unacceptable, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

DeVore was interrupted as he spoke by a masked man who made his way around GOP activists on the scene.

Community activist Paul McKinley kept the activist at bay while DeVore slipped away.

“Today, goons attempted to stop a message of obvious racism that can be seen in the No Bond SAFE-T Act. I am shocked that Kwame Raoul and JB Pritzker would stoop to such lows,” McKinley said. "The actions of these politicians today show their fear of being ousted racists. We attempted to stand up for Black men and Brown people to ensure that they know the harm that this law will cause Black and Brown people and their families."

DeVore noted he would later continue the press conference delivering comments regarding the controversial Safe-T Act.

When the Safe-T Act goes into effect on January 1, 2023, thousands of criminals who are now being imprisoned in state prisons while they await trial on serious crimes will be freed.

Those charged with the most heinous crimes, such as robbery, abduction, arson, second-degree murder, intimidation, aggravated battery, aggravated DUI, aggravated flight, drug-related homicide, and threatening a public officer, will be set free if the Safe-T Act is implemented as planned.