Repeal the SAFE-T Act: Lock Up Career Criminals

Written by David E. Smith

Illinois’ Soft-on-Crime Policies Are Hurting Innocent People

More and more people are being violently victimized because of the so-called “SAFE-T Act,” rushed through the General Assembly on January 13, 2021, and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on February 22, 2021. This massive overhaul of our criminal-justice system passed entirely along party lines — every Democrat voted for it; not a single Republican supported it.

The horrific attack on 26-year-old Bethany Magee is not an isolated tragedy.… Continue Reading

Bethany Magee’s Critical Condition Was Preventable

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

On November 17th at around 9 pm on Chicago’s L Train, Bethany Magee, a 26 year old woman, was doused in gasoline and set on fire by Lawrence Reed.

The infuriating part of this horrific crime is not only the crime itself, but the looming fact that this atrocity was completely preventable.

Why? Because Lawrence Reed is another “career criminal” with 72 prior arrests. A very long rap sheet.

To understand the nature of just how preventable this incident was, Reed’s criminal context is important.… Continue Reading

Chicago’s Unholy Alliance

Written by David E. Smith

Chicago is a city with a complicated legacy — a place that has inspired political machines, entrepreneurial innovation, faith-filled reform, and yes, devastating corruption. While many think of shady deals made in smoke-filled back rooms, the deeper and more troubling truth is that Chicago has a long history of collaboration between political figures and violent street gangs.

This is not conspiracy theory. It’s documented history.

Gangs as Political Machinery

Beginning in the 1960s, Chicago politicians recognized something that should have been obvious: gangs had numbers.… Continue Reading

The High Cost of Judicial “Compassion”

Written by Daniel Horowitz

When victims’ advocates push for mandatory minimum sentences, the leniency lobby instantly howls about “judicial discretion.” In theory, that’s right: In a just society, judges should have the freedom to weigh every case, tailoring sentences to fit the crimes.

But America doesn’t live in that society. We live in an era when violent crime floods major cities and leftist judges treat predators like misunderstood poets. In this environment, mandatory minimums aren’t cruel — they’re the only remaining safeguard for victims and the public.… Continue Reading

A Not-So-Special Report with Governor Pritzker

Written by David E. Smith

Excuses, Deflection, and Denial

Illinois billionaire Governor JB Pritzker appeared on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier on Thursday, where he blasted the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement in Chicago while downplaying the city’s spiraling crime problem. The two-term Democratic governor also dodged questions about his presidential ambitions, took shots at Trump’s tariff policies, and doubled down on his paranoid claim that U.S. troops could be used to “steal” the next election.… Continue Reading

When Love Grows Cold: The Rise of Political Violence

Written by David E. Smith

The growing political violence in the U.S. is a serious concern that threatens both the stability of our republic and the safety of its citizens. What we’re witnessing today is not merely partisan animosity, but open hostility — a clear sign of our culture’s moral and spiritual decline, which undermines the very foundation of a civilized society.

Just look at the violent mobs that recently targeted ICE offices and federal agents — torching vehicles, smashing windows, and assaulting officers who enforce our nation’s immigration laws.… Continue Reading

The Big Lie: Pritzker’s Reckless Rhetoric

Written by David E. Smith

Governor JB Pritzker has repeatedly resorted to irresponsible and inflammatory language to demonize President Donald J. Trump, federal law enforcement officials, and Republicans in general. For months, he has engaged in extreme partisan bomb-throwing — in press conferences, on social media, and even at Democratic Party events outside Illinois.

Terms like “Nazi,” “jackbooted thugs,” “tyrant,” and “fascists” aren’t just political insults — they’re rhetorical grenades lobbed to manipulate the press and distort public perception.… Continue Reading

When Justice Fails: How Soft-on-Crime Policies Cost Innocent Lives

Written by Daniel Horowitz

Republicans might finally take me seriously after years of warning: America suffers not from mass incarceration, but from mass under-incarceration. The system needs tougher sentences, not softer ones.

The brutal murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, allegedly at the hands of career criminal Decarlos Brown Jr. on a Charlotte commuter train, didn’t reveal anything new. It shocked the nation precisely because it put on camera what has become routine in our cities since the bipartisan “criminal justice reform” wave dismantled Reagan-era tough-on-crime policies.… Continue Reading

The Deadly Cost of Going Soft on Crime

Written by Daniel Horowitz

Republicans might finally take me seriously after years of warning: America suffers not from mass incarceration, but from mass under-incarceration. The system needs tougher sentences, not softer ones.

The brutal murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, allegedly at the hands of career criminal Decarlos Brown Jr. on a Charlotte commuter train, didn’t reveal anything new. It shocked the nation precisely because it put on camera what has become routine in our cities since the bipartisan “criminal justice reform” wave dismantled Reagan-era tough-on-crime policies.… Continue Reading

Will Pritzker Own Up to His Irresponsible Rhetoric?

Written by David E. Smith

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s horrific public execution, Governor JB Pritzker issued condolences to the Kirk family. He then pivoted to the broader issue of political violence, warning that it is “ratcheting up in this country.” Pointing to recent political killings in Minnesota, he insisted, “It’s got to stop, and I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country.” Of course, Pritzker ultimately laid the blame at the feet of President Donald Trump, saying:

I think the president’s rhetoric often foments it.