As information continues to come from investigators over the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s candidate for the 2024 presidential election, Illinois lawmakers and politicians are weighing in on Saturday’s shooting.
“Violence is never an acceptable way to influence public policy, and political violence is not something to take lightly or to joke about,” Rory Hoskins, Mayor of Forest Park and a delegate at Chicago’s Democratic National Convention in August, told the Review.
“I want to make it clear that political violence is never acceptable. I wish former President Trump a swift recovery. In our democracy, differences should be settled through dialogue and mutual respect, not through acts of violence,” Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, in a post on X, said “political violence is never acceptable.”
“I’m keeping the former president, the bystander who was tragically killed, and all who were injured or whose safety was threatened in my thoughts,” he said.
And Illinois Republican Chairperson Elect Kathy Salvi on X said: “The Republicans of Illinois are united and stand with President Trump. We express our full support for President Trump and his family. We appreciate the prompt response by law enforcement and the Secret Service.”
Other area leaders did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
It is not yet clear how Saturday’s event, which comes amid deep divisions among the nation’s political parties, will affect August’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, authorities said. The region’s delegates include State Rep. LaShawn Ford, Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins and Chicago Alderperson Emma Mitts of the 37th Ward.
It is also not yet clear whether or how Saturday’s attempted assassination will affect polls in November.
The Democratic Party of Illinois issued a statement late Saturday.
“We are shocked and saddened by the events at the rally in PA. Political violence has no place in our society. We pray for the safety of all attendees and condemn violence in the strongest terms. Thank you to the first responders and Secret Service for their swift response.”
The FBI is investigating an attempted assassination on Trump Saturday at a political rally in Pennsylvania. He appeared to be shot in the ear and was determined to be otherwise in good health.
The suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Butler, Pennsylvania was shot and killed by law enforcement agents, authorities said. They said he fired an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, purchased by his father.
Gunfire also killed a 50-year-old Pennsylvania man and wounded two others.
“I think that all of Forest Park was relieved to learn that the former president wasn’t seriously harmed,” Hoskins said, “but we grieve the death of the firefighter killed at the rally. He was exercising his right to freedom of assembly, and now his daughters have lost their dad.”
This is a developing story. Please check back to learn more about what your local legislators and politicians have to say about the attempted assassination and what changes, if any, will be made to the DNC or November’s elections.