Richard Nixon Foundation blasts Chicago's Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson for blaming former president for bloody July 4 weekend shooting spree

The Richard Nixon Foundation slammed Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson aft nan Democrat placed nan blasted for crime successful his metropolis connected nan man who served successful nan White House - 40 years ago. 

Johnson, 48, sparked backlash pursuing nan July Fourth vacation weekend - wherever 19 were killed and complete 100 were injured by shootings successful Chicago - aft he cited Nixon arsenic a 'root cause' of nan crimewave. 

'Black decease has unluckily been accepted successful this state for a very agelong time,' he said astatine a news conference. 'We had a chance 60 years agone to get astatine nan guidelines causes, and group mocked President Johnson. And we ended up pinch Richard Nixon.' 

In response, Jim Byron, nan president and CEO of nan Richard Nixon Foundation, told Fox News that Johnson was 'passing nan blame, in this lawsuit ridiculously and gratuitously.' 

Byron dismissed Johnson's characterization of nan ousted president successful his response, and said Nixon was a 'champion of civilian authorities arsenic Vice President and arsenic President.' 

He said nan 'record is clear', and claimed that 'unfortunately, location are galore misconceptions astir Richard Nixon.

'But perceptions of years agone are now being reconsidered arsenic we spot renewed liking successful studying and knowing his life and bequest successful full.

'What is happening successful Chicago is heartbreaking, and I ideate nan group of Chicago want leaders who return work and activity together to lick problems alternatively than effort and walk nan blame, successful this lawsuit ridiculously and gratuitously.'  

The instauration added that its consequence to Johnson's property convention garnered a million views connected X, arsenic it joined a chorus of blimpish voices criticizing nan Chicago Mayor's remarks. 

The foundation's tweet listed respective of Nixon's achievements successful nan civilian authorities space, including moves to proceed desegregating schools, adding civilian authorities backing and funneling support for black-owned businesses. 

'Mayor Johnson’s reference to President Nixon is gratuitous and nan facts are not connected his broadside successful his characterization of Richard Nixon and nan Nixon administration’s civilian authorities record,' it added.  

The Chicago Police Department said astatine slightest 109 group are known to person been changeable - 19 fatally - successful a play of horrific weapon unit crossed nan metropolis complete nan July Fourth holiday. 

The spree spanned 74 abstracted incidents, including a horrific family slaying that saw an 8-year-old boy killed on pinch 2 relatives, while 2 different boys, aged 5 and 7, were injured successful nan aforesaid shooting. 

Eight group were besides changeable successful a wide shooting successful nan city's Little Italy neighborhood. 

Comparably, successful 2023, 11 group were killed and 62 were injured complete nan Fourth of July vacation weekend. 

Johnson said he asked for much resources from nan national authorities to thief combat crime, but raised eyebrows arsenic he elaborated that nan 'root cause' of nan unit began agelong ago. 

'What we’ve knowledgeable complete nan play is unacceptable and we didn’t get present overnight. And everyone knows that. Let’s show nan afloat communicative of what happened,' he said. 

Alongside seemingly blaming Nixon for nan crimewave, Johnson, who notably supported nan 'Defund nan Police' movement, besides said his agency and nan city's constabulary section would clamp down difficult connected those responsible. 

'This is simply a choice. The prime to kill. The prime to termination women, nan prime to termination children, nan prime to termination nan elderly. These are choices that nan offenders made and they calculated,' Johnson said. 

'We are holding each azygous individual accountable for nan symptom and from nan torment that they person caused successful this city.'