>>> THINGS GOT HEATED BETWEEN CANDIDATES AT OUR WTTW NEWS MAYORAL FORUM.

THE MAYOR'S RACE IS THE FOCUS OF TONIGHT SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

HERE IS OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TIM, AMANDA, HEATHER, PARIS, AND SITTING IN WITH THE BANDS, SPECIAL GUEST JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

>> WELCOME TO THE TABLE.

>> CANDIDATES WERE FIRST TALKING ABOUT CHICAGO'S PRIME PROBLEM.

>> CLEARLY THERE IS PERCEPTION OR MAYBE A REALITY THAT DOWNTOWN IS UNSAFE.

IF YOU TALK TO EVERYONE AND I TALKED TO ALL THE BUSINESS GROUPS THERE, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER 1 ISSUE.

>> THAT IS WHAT I SAID, THAT IS WHAT I MEANT.

>> ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PAIN OF LOSS OF GUN VIOLENCE, THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.

WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY HAVE THAT WE SHOULD TURN OUR -- WE SHOULD NOT TURN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT INTO A GROUP OF VIGILANTES.

>> HEATHER MENTIONED THE PERCEPTION OR THE REALITY OF DOWNTOWN BEING UNSAFE.

IS PERCEPTION REALITY?

>> SURE, WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING AS BIG AN ISSUE AS CRIME AND SAFETY AND GO DOWNTOWN AND GO SHOPPING WITH YOUR FAMILY.

THIS IS THE HIGH WIRE ACT THE MAYOR HAS TO EXECUTE.

SHE HAS TO SAY I AM WORKING ON CRIME AND MY STRATEGIES ARE PAYING OFF BUT THE FACT IS WELL MURDERS MIGHT BE DOWN 14% THEY ARE STILL HIGHER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND OVERALL CRIME IS UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 40%.

THAT MAKES IT TOUGH ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE LIKE PAUL VALLAS RUNNING IN THE RACE AND WILLIE WILSON SORT OF SOUNDING THOSE TOUGH ON CRIME, CRACKDOWN ON CRIMINAL SOUNDBITES.

>> SINCE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CANDIDATES , SPEAKING OF PERCEPTION, CHEWY GARCIA GOING TO THE STATE OF THE UNION VERSUS OUR MAYORAL FORUM, WHAT IS THE PERCEPTION THERE?

>> I GOT A LOT OF TWEETS SUGGESTING THIS WAS A SUGGESTION TO KEEP HIS JOB IN WASHINGTON AND TO NOT GET THE JOB IN CHICAGO.

HE DID ATTEND EIGHT RESET FORUM TODAY SO HE IS CLEARLY STILL IN THE RACE BUT IT IS TOUGH RUNNING FOR ONE OFFICE WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY IN ANOTHER OFFICE AND THIS WAS AN EXAMPLE.

>> HE WAS LATE TO GET GOING ON THE CAMPAIGN AND LATE TO GET ON THE AIRWAYS.

HE WAS SITTING FOR 14 OR 15 VOTES FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, KEVIN McCARTHY THAT TOOK A WEEK.

>> PARIS, WILLIE WILSON , DID HE FINALLY CLARIFY HIS CRIMINAL ISSUE?

>> THE REASON I WANTED TO ASK IT THE WAY I DID WAS BECAUSE ORIGINALLY WHAT IT SEEMED LIKE YOU SAID WAS CRIMINALS SHOULD BE HUNTED DOWN LIKE RABBITS.

SO DO YOU MEAN KNOCKED OFF, OR AN UNARMED TEENAGER FLEEING FROM THE POLICE, YOU CAN'T SHOOT THAT PERSON AND THERE ARE RULES AROUND FOOT PURSUIT AND CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO DRILL DOWN ON WHAT WILLIE WILSON MEANS AND HE PIVOTED TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAGEDY INVOLVING HIS SON WHICH IS HOW HE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION BEFORE.

I DID NOT GET AN ANSWER ON HOW HE FEELS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.

IF IT IS SOMEONE UNARMED RUNNING FROM THE COPS, TO THINK THAT COP CAN CHASE THAT PERSON DOWN AND SHOOT AT THEM?

I DON'T KNOW.

>> ALL WE HAVE IS THE SENTIMENT THAT HE HAS BEEN EXPRESSING FOR SOME TIME WHICH IS POLICE HAVING MORE POWER IT SEEMS IT'S WHAT HE WANTS.

>> CERTAINLY THAT PLAYS WITH A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION BUT GOVERNING IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN CAMPAIGNING.

YOU GET IN THERE AND YOU HAVE A CONSENT DECREE.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES ON THE LINE AND THE SHOOTINGS THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN MEMPHIS.

WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY POLICIES ARE GOING TO BE.

>> AMANDA US TO IF ANYONE IS BREAKING THROUGH ON CRIME?

>> IF I KNEW THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO PREDICT.

I DO THINK THAT YOU CLEARLY HAS SOME FACTS HERE.

YOU DO HAVE THE ALICE AND WILSON AS WELL POSITIONING THEMSELVES AS THE LAW AND ORDER CANDIDATE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THE OTHER CANDIDATES ARE SEEMING TO CONCEDE TO THEM TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.

THERE ARE MORE MIDDLE OF THE LINE CANDIDATES.

WE HAVE LIGHTFOOT PROBABLY IN THAT LANE, SOPHIA KING AND THEN YOU HAVE CREDITS THING TO FUND THE POLICE AND THEY WOULD SAY NO WE WANT TO GIVE MORE RESOURCES TO COMBATING CRIME AND UPLIFTING NEIGHBORHOODS.

JOHNSON IS THE PROGRESSIVE FIGUREHEAD ALONG THOSE LINES.

IN TERMS OF WHO IS BREAKING THROUGH ON CRIME, I THINK IT IS WHAT YOU AS A VOTER CONSIDER HELPFUL TO COMBATING CRIME AND BRINGING DOWN VIOLENCE IN THE CITY.

>> TO THOSE VOTERS YOU WERE IN A COMMUNITY LAST NIGHT, WE WERE OUT.

WHAT ARE FOLKS IN THE KENNEDY SAYING?

HOW DID THEY RESPOND TO THE POLITICIANS RESPONSES?

>> IT WAS INTERESTING.

THEY HAD POM-POMS AT THE VIEWING.

WHEN THEY AGREED WITH SOMETHING THEY WOULD WAIVE GREEN.

AND THEY DIDN'T AGREE THEY WOULD RAISE RED.

WHAT I KEPT SEEING AS THEY KEPT FIELDING BRENDAN JOHNSON AND JAMAAL GREENS IDEAS ON HOW TO COMBAT VIOLENCE.

THAT WAS INTERESTING.

I REALLY WANTED TO HEAR SOLUTIONS TO TARGET THE YOUTH IN TERMS OF ENTERPRISE JOBS, IN TERMS OF TRADE OPPORTUNITIES, YOUTH CENTERS.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT OVER POLICING OR FUNDING THE POLICE, THEY WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THESE COMMUNITIES TO PRIORITIZE THE YOUTH.

>> AND SOLUTIONS THAT DON'T INVOLVE COPS.

>> AND THEN YOU HAVE ALICE WHO HAS ACCEPTED THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE.

THERE ARE A SEGMENT OF VOTERS THAT HATE THAT.

AND OTHERS WHO VERY MUCH EMBRACE THAT AND SAY THIS IS WHO THE POLICE BACK THAT MUST BE IT.

>> HIS FIRST ANSWER TO THE FIRST QUESTION, WHAT WOULD YOU DO ABOUT YOUNG MEN IN AUSTIN WHO HAVE THE HIGH RISK OF GETTING SHOT AND KILLED.

HIS ANSWER WAS NOT POLICE OR COPS.

IT WAS KEEPING THE SCHOOLS OPEN AND HAVING PLACES FOR FOLKS TO GO.

MAYBE AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO BROADEN YOUR MESSAGE BEYOND ONE THAT RESONATES JUST WITH THE FOP.

>> THEY ALSO HAD TO TALK OF COURSE ABOUT THE CONSENT DECREE, CANDIDATES WERE ASKED ABOUT THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT'S LOW COMPLIANCE RATES WITH THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE WHICH MANDATES CHICAGO POLICING REPORTS.

HERE THEY ARE.

>> A CONSENT DECREE THAT IS ONLY FIVE PERCENT COMPLIANT, THAT MEANS WE WERE 95% FAILURE.

IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE OPERATE.

>> I BELIEVE IN THE CONSENT DECREE.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT ALL THESE FOLKS WANT TO THROW BOMBS AT DECEIT, BUT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE AND IMPROVING OUR COMPLIANCE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS COMPLETELY DENIED .

>> THROWING BOMBS FROM THE CHEAP SEATS, THAT IS A GOOD LINE.

>> A COALITION OF TWO DOZEN GROUPS WORKING TO REFORM CPD TOLD LIGHTFOOT IN A LETTER THAT THEY ARE DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE CITY'S LACK OF CONSENT DECREE PROGRESS.

LORI LIGHTFOOT WON ALL OF THE AWARDS IN THE LAST ELECTION AND A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO WITH HER PLATFORMS ON REFORMING POLICING.

>> SHE PRESENTED HERSELF AS SHE DOES EVEN A COUPLE TIMES NOW AS SOMEONE WHO SPENT THE BULK OF HER CAREER FOCUSING ON THESE ISSUES, TRYING TO INSTILL CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING IN CHICAGO AFTER A 2017 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOUND THAT CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS ROUTINELY VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF PRIMARILY BLACK AND LATINO CHICAGOANS.

UNTIL LAST NIGHT WE HAD NOT HEARD MUCH FROM THESE CANDIDATES ON THE CONSENT DECREE WHICH WILL BE IN PLACE AT LEAST UNTIL 2027 AND WILL TIE THE HANDS OF WHOEVER IS ELECTED IN APRIL ASSUMING WE GET TO A RUNOFF.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THESE PAST THREE YEARS THAT LIGHTFOOT HAS BEEN IN OFFICE AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S OWN STATISTICS, NOT VERY MUCH AND I WILL INVITE EVERYONE TO COME BACK TOMORROW MORNING I HAVE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THIS ISSUE.

>> OF COURSE YOU DO.

WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

LET'S GET INTO THE BICKERING WE SAW LAST NIGHT.

TAKE A LOOK OVER THE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION TO NOT FIRE AN OFFICER.

>> OF COURSE WE SHOULD NOT HIRE, SUPPORT, RETAIN ANY OFFICER THAT IS ASSOCIATED .

>> HOLD ON.

PLEASE.

I KNOW YOU WANT TO MAN EXPLAIN UP HERE.

BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> LET A PERSON FINISH.

>> I'M TALKING TO MR. VALLES.

>> SHE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING WHEN I'M TALKING.

LET ME MAKE MY POINT.

>> THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PEOPLE OF CHICAGO DON'T WANT.

PEOPLE UP HERE BICKERING.

THEY WANT TO HEAR OUR SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS.

>> AMANDA, A LOT THERE.

>> DID SOPHIA KING COME OUT LOOKING THE BEST ON THAT ONE?

>> AGAIN, EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

YOU LOOK AT SOMEBODY LIKE LIGHTFOOT WHO BECAME MAYOR BECAUSE SHE WAS ABLE TO REALLY ASSERT HERSELF IN A LOT OF THESE FORUMS AND SHE WAS RELATIVELY UNKNOWN FOUR YEARS AGO.

THERE IS A DEGREE TO WHICH PEOPLE WANT A LEADER WHO STANDS UP AND GETS IN THERE, ESPECIALLY ON ISSUES THAT ARE AS VISCERAL AS YOU TURNED IT EARLIER AS CRIME.

THEN AGAIN, YES WHEN YOU GET TO THE DEGREE WHERE IT IS BICKERING AND SNIPING, SHE PRESENTED HERSELF LOOKING LIKE A GROWN UP AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS AGAIN, IT IS A QUICK LINE THAT PERHAPS , OTHER STATIONS MAY PLAY IT AND CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AND THAT IS WHAT SOMEONE LIKE KING IS GOING TO NEED IF SHE IS GOING TO RISE AND GET TO THAT RUNOFF.

>> HOW DID COMMUNITY MEMBERS RESPOND?

>> THEY WEREN'T HAVING IT.

>> THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE DEFLECTING FROM THE ACTUAL ISSUES.

THEY WANT TO FEEL THE CANDIDATES FEEL THE STRUGGLE THAT THE EVERYDAY CHICAGOAN IS DEALING WITH.

BUT THEY WERE FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER.

AT THE END WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO SOME PEOPLE THERE AND THEY JUST FELT LIKE SOME OF THEIR QUESTIONS WERE NOT ANSWERED.

>> PARIS, A LOT OF FORMS.

THREE WEEKS AGO.

IS THE PRESSURE GETTING TO THEM?

>> IT IS DEFINITELY GETTING TO THEM.

NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FORUMS.

THEY ARE GETTING USED TO EACH OTHER.

BUT THE ATTACK ADS NOW ARE FLYING A LOT HEAVIER.

YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF FRONTRUNNERS, MAYBE AS MANY AS THREE OR FOUR AND THEY ARE NECK AND NECK.

ANY TIME THAT HAPPENS THINGS GET SUPER TENSE AND THE ATTACKS START FLYING AND PEOPLE LOOK FOR THE DIRT ON THESE CANDIDATES AND YOU CAN SEE THE INTENSITY IN THE FACE OF THESE CANDIDATES AS WE ARE THREE WEEKS AWAY.

>> HEATHER, MAN EXPLAIN IN.

>> THAT IS WHEN A MAN, AND PARIS WOULD NEVER DO THIS BUT WHEN THEY EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO A WOMAN THAT OF COURSE SHE KNOWS.

I THOUGHT JOHNSON INTERRUPTS LIGHTFOOT.

JOHNSON SAID AFTERWARDS HE THOUGHT SHE WAS DONE TALKING THOUGH HE FELT FREE TO JUMP IN.

AFTERWARDS HE APOLOGIZED TO HER AND LIGHTFOOT SAID SHE ACCEPTED HIS APOLOGY BUT IT WAS MANNIX PLANING.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW LIGHTFOOT IS ALWAYS PREPARED TO COUNTERPUNCH.

WHETHER IT SERVES OR OR DOES NOT SERVE HER , ESPECIALLY WHEN IT TAKES AWAY FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PREPARED TO WELCOME BACK A MAN WHO HAD TIES TO THE PROUD BOYS, A FAR RIGHT EXTREMIST GROUP IMPLICATED IN THE JANUARY 6