Federal Transit Administrator Marc Molinaro has directed the Chicago Transit Authority to submit a verifiable security enhancement plan by next week, threatening to withhold federal funding amid rising crime, highlighted by a woman’s horrible burning at the hands of a criminal on a Blue Line train.
Reacting, Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson whined about the Trump administration’s ultimatum as unlawful interference, pointing to Illinois’ new $1.5B transit reform bill. Firing back, the president decried the release of repeat offenders.
Issuing a confident rebuke of the sanctuary city officials, Marc Molinaro, the Federal Transit Administrator, explained the situation. “Given high crime rates on CTA property, this incident is not isolated and reflects systemic failures in both leadership and accountability on all levels that cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Building on his previous comments, he made it clear that the current situation is untenable and unacceptable in the highest degree, saying, “I will not accept the brutal assault of an innocent 26-year-old woman as an inevitable cost of providing public transportation.”
Donald Trump summarized the events in an outraged statement where he snapped, “They burned this beautiful woman riding on a train. The man was arrested 72 times — 72 times, think of that. And they let him out again. The liberal judges let him out again.” President Trump also said, slamming the sanctuary city leadership, “The Mayor is incompetent and the Governor is a big fat slob.” Watch him here:
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Issuing a hysterical statement in response to the threats from the Trump Administration, Governor JB Pritzker whined, “But we’ve seen that before from Donald Trump: breaking the law.” Still not done, he whined, “If they read anything, read the newspapers, they would know that action has been taken, is being taken. We want the safest possible and most modern transit system in the entire country, and that’s what we’re prepared to implement.”
Concluding his complaints, the corpulent Democrat doubled down: “There’s no reason why the president of the United States or the Department of Transportation should be sending a threatening letter to the state,” he alleged.
Mayor Brandon Johnson diverted attention to a new $1.5B transit reform bill. “It allows us to actually expand many of the things we’re already doing… Whether it’s determining what the footprint of CPD needs to be — there’s some considerations there. What does a unified security system particularly look like for all of transportation? That’s been discussed,” Johnson postulated.
Pivoting to another excuse, the embattled mayor asked, “How do we make sure that individuals [on the CTA] who are traumatized are receiving services that are trauma-informed. There are steps that we can take around there. And for permanent housing and opportunities for individuals who use the transportation system as housing — there are greater resources that can be added there.”
“We are still moving in the right direction overall as a city, including on our transportation system,” the Chicago official said. “That’s a decision that, I believe, needs to be made collectively… We have to do the things that work. Is there a role for CPD? Of course. Is there a role for security to help support our riders? Absolutely. Are there other ways that we can also address the challenges CTA has, particularly around homelessness and mental health? Absolutely. It requires all of it.”
Wrapping up his comments, Johnson remarked, “But I don’t know if it’s my position at this time to make that absolute declaration without having a more robust conversation… That’s not a decision that I can make in isolation.”