>>> PRETTY STARTLING ADMISSION FROM A CHICAGO POLICE DEPUTY CHIEF AT A HEATED HEARING ABOUT AN OFFICER WITH ADMITTED TIES TO THE ANTIGOVERNMENT OATH KEEPERS.

AND THERE'S LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT IN THE RACE FOR MAYOR.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD.

ALL THAT AND MORE IN THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

JOINING US NOW ARE OUR GOOD FRIENDS, AMANDA VINICKY AND HEATHER SUPPOSE, MY VERY GOOD FRIENDS.

SO FIRST TONIGHT, THE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WITH CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT LEADERS OVER KEEPING AN OFFICER WITH TIES TO TWO RIGHT-WING GROUPS, THE OATH KEEPERS AND THE PROUD BOYS.

>> IT SOMEONE TODAY SAID I AM A MEMBER OF THE OATH KEEPERS, I AM A SWORN MEMBER OF THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COULD, COULD THERE TENURE BE TERMINATED?

>> THEIR POSITION IN CPD COULD BE TERMINATED.

>> NO, SIR.

>> KNOW?

>> UNIVERSAL ANGER HEAR FROM CITY COUNCIL PUZZLES WHY THE DEPARTMENT CANNOT GET RID OF THESE OFFICERS WHO HAVE ADMITTED THESE TIES.

>> WELL, THERE'S NO EXPLICIT POLICY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T BE A MEMBER OF CERTAIN GROUPS.

THE OATH KEEPERS AND THE PROUD BOYS AMONG THEM.

NOW, WE HEARD TODAY THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DEVELOPING SUCH POLICY, BUT IT IS STILL IN DRAFT FORM, HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL JUDGE OR THE TEAM OVERSEEING THE CONSENT DECREE, SO IT'S VERY MUCH IN WORKS.

BUT IF YOU ASK INSPECTOR GENERAL DEBORAH WITZBURG, SHE WOULD SAY YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN FIRE AN OFFICER FOR BEING A MEMBER OF THE OATH KEEPERS, BECAUSE IT BRINGS DISREPUTE AND SCANDAL ON THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS AGAINST THE POLICY.

SO THERE WAS REALLY SORT OF JUST BAFFLEMENT ON THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY ABOUT WHY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS SO RELUCTANT TO FIRE ONE OFFICER WHO ADMITTED THAT HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE OATH KEEPERS, AND ANOTHER OFFICER WHO ADMITTED THAT HE HAD TIES TO THE PROUD BOYS AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE LIED ABOUT IT.

>> RIGHT.

THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THERE.

AMANDA , ANOTHER STORY YOU COVERED THIS WEEK, MAYORAL, FORMER MAYORAL RIVAL SUSANA MENDOZA ACCUSE KAREN MAYOR LIGHTFOOT OF HER BROTHER .

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.

>> UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, PENSION BENEFITS AREN'T DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS OR PERSONAL FEELING ABOUT ANYONE OR THEIR BROTHER.

AND FRANKLY, THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE.

NOW, IF THE LAW NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, THEN SPRINGFIELD SHOULD ACT.

>> SO WHAT THE MAYOR'S SAYING HERE, AMANDA, IS SHE HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE PENSION BOARD, DON'T BLAME HER, AND SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE CONTROL.

DOES THAT MEAN THIS IS KIND OF OPEN AND SHUT?

>> I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS COMES A WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION, SO ALTHOUGH MENDOZA HAS DENIED THAT THE TIMING HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MAYOR'S RACE, IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE A POLITICAL HIT, AND IT IS SUCH, I THINK, FOR THE MAYOR, WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT SAY, HEY, WAIT A SECOND, YOU'RE LOOKING AT CRIME IN THE CITY, FEELING BAD FOR THESE POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE BARELY REALLY DISABLED AND HURT, MANDALAS BROTHER IN PARTICULAR.

SO BY THE WAY, OF COURSE IS NOT DONE, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT, IN GENERAL, INFLUENCE, IT CAUSES US TO LOOK MORE AT PENSION BOARD DECISIONS.

THIS, AS WELL AS OTHERS, ARE GOING TO BE COURT ACTION.

SO NO, THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT DONE.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT HERE.

>> EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SURE.

>> A LATE BREAKING STORY, AND YOU'RE COVERING THIS, ACTUALLY.

THAT'S IN REGARDS TO THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION SHOVELING MONEY TO THEIR PREFERRED CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE.

OF COURSE, THAT IS THE CTU ORGANIZER BRANDON JOHNSON, AND THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE MONEY THAT CTU IS GIVING HIM, AND WHETHER IT'S LEGAL.

>> WE FIRST BROUGHT UP THIS MORNING THAT THIS $15,000 LOAN, IF IT'S A LOAN, WOULD ACTUALLY FALL OUTSIDE STATE LAW.

IT WOULD NOT BE ILLEGAL.

SO AS WE REPORTED, CTU LEADERS ARE REVISING THAT, SAYING IT'S NO LONGER A LOAN.

WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS AGGREGATE DEWS DONATION .

BUT THIS IS MAKING M EVEN MORE ANGRY, HEATHER.

THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING, THIS IS OUR MONEY, WE DIDN'T APPROVE THIS, AND WE DON'T THINK THIS IS NEVER GOING TO COME BACK TO US.

BIT OF AN UNFORCED ERROR HEREBY CTU?

>> THERE ARE ONLY SIX DAYS TO GO.

CRAZY STUFF IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

BUT ANYTIME THIS CLOSE TO AN ELECTION YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CANDIDATE AND YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HIS DECISIONS, OR YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HIS OPPONENTS BAD DECISIONS, THAT'S AN ERROR.

>> AND OF COURSE THIS MONEY WAS SENT TO THEIR PAST, WHICH IS SUPPORTED JOHNSON AT A SLATE OF CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES.

>> YEAH, I THINK HEATHER IS RIGHT.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU DON'T WANT ANY SORT OF UNFORCED ERROR OR DETRACTION FROM A CANDIDATE, BUT ALSO, I DO THINK THAT IT RAISES THE TIES BETWEEN JOHNSON AND THE CTU, AND FOR HIM, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING, BUT FOR THOSE WHO MAYBE AREN'T THAT AWARE, AND ARE UPSET WITH THAT TRAJECTORY, THIS RAISES THAT, AGAIN.

AND SO IT COULD BE DETRIMENTAL.

>> SPEAKING OF TIES, WHAT ABOUT THE TWICE BETWEEN THE HAVERTY AND PAUL VALLAS?

THE F.O.P.

HELP SPONSOR THIS EVENT, WHERE FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS.

HE GOES THERE, AND THE GUY THAT KIND OF PUT THIS TOGETHER WAS BEHIND IT.

JOHN CAN THERE IS NOT THERE.

HOW COME?

>> KANTNER HAS SAID HE WASN'T THE ORGANIZER, AND IN FACT THIS WAS A THREE CITY TOUR ON RON DESANTIS'S PART.

THERE'S REALLY BEEN ORGANIZED BY DESANTIS.

BUT REGARDLESS -- EXACTLY.

BUT STILL, YOU CANNOT BE WITH -- AGAIN, THAT FOR ALL OF THE F.O.P.

AND VALLAS HAS SAID THAT THEY RANK AND FILE WHO ARE BEHIND HAD THAT, IS IT ALSO HURTING HIM TO HAVE THAT ENDORSEMENT AND THOSE TIES , AMONG OTHER CLAIMS THAT HE IS, YOU KNOW, TOO RIGHT-LEANING, TOO REPUBLICAN?

CAN THERE WAS NOT ACTUALLY AT THE EVENT.

>> AND IT MIGHT BE WHY VALLAS CAME OUT RIGHT AWAY, AND SAID I DON'T LIKE THIS EVENT HAPPENING.

I REPUDIATE IT.

I DON'T LIKE WHAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS STANDS FOR.

MAYBE A SURPRISE SOME OF HIS SUPPORTERS AND DETRACTORS.

SPEAKING OF VALLAS, HEATHER, MAYOR LIGHTFOOT SAYS THAT WHEN VALLAS TELLS WE NEED TO, QUOTE, TAKE OUR CITY BACK, IT'S A DOG WHISTLE.

EXPLAINED THAT FOR A SPIRIT >> THE OLD CLICHE IN CHICAGO POLITICS IS THAT THE ONLY ISSUE IS RAISED, AND WE'LL REALLY SEE THAT COMING TO THE FOREFRONT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AT THE SAME TIME, MAYOR LIGHTFOOT IS ALSO FACING ALLEGATIONS THAT SHE IS ALSO PLAYING THE RACE CARD, BECAUSE SHE TOLD BLACK VOTERS ON THE SOUTH AND THE WEST SIDE THAT SHE'S THE ONLY BLACK CANDIDATE THAT HAS A SHOT TO WIN, SO THAT UNLESS THEY WANT PAUL VALLAS OR JESUS "CHUY" GARCIA TO THE MAYOR, THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR HER, WHICH IS CLEARLY SAYING THAT THE ONE LATINO CANDIDATE IN THE RACE WON'T PROPERLY REPRESENT BLACK CHICAGO , WHICH IS REALLY, I THINK, SORT OF MADE PEOPLE SORT OF SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE.

>> THIS REALLY, LIKE, ECHOES A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WAS SAID DURING THE HAROLD WASHINGTON CAMPAIGN.

BOTH CAMPAIGNS, WHICH WE WEREN'T REALLY -- WE WERE BORED, BUT WE WEREN'T AROUND TO COVER.

BUT WE CAN STILL READ ABOUT.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE TIME FOR US TONIGHT.

THANKS SO