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Clearly, Fricilone, who grew up in a hardworking union family in Garfield Ridge, knows that funding, not defunding, is integral to successful policing.
“You can’t elect somebody who is against everything you stand for on a daily basis,” he warned. “We really need to re- imagine. That’s the word, rather than defund.”
If Lodge 7 members really want to make their voices heard and make them mean something, get out to vote for Stephens. As a Republican, he was appointed in 2019 to represent the 20th District, 55 percent of which of which is in the city. But House Speaker Mike Madigan has identified this seat as one he wants to maintain his majority and has poured megabucks into the campaign for Michelle Darbro.
Stephens is the type of elected official who is worth the in- vestment. As mayor of Rosemont, he brought millions into his city and the state through tax revenue generated from building a nine-acre, $50 million entertainment center, Parkway Bank Park, the Stadium at the Ballpark at Rosemont which includes The Dome at the Ballpark at Rosemont and the $250 million, 120-store Fashion Outlets of Chicago.
He has also taken some of the funding that legislators are al- lotted for their districts and directed nearly $200,000 into St. Mi- chael’s House, which provides in-patient addiction treatment and mental healthcare exclusively for police officers. Stephens serves on the state legislature’s suicide prevention task force for first responders and has developed an acute understanding of the profession that started with working as a dispatcher at 17.
“Whether they endorse me or not, I’m not walking away from first responders,” Stephens noted. “We need to take care of them, which is a matter of standing strong on the issues.”
It’s going to be hard not to take notice of the Lodge 7-endorsed
Lodge 7 members need to get out the vote for Brad Stephens, not only for his record of advocating for the police, but to defeat an opponent strongly supported by Illinois Speaker Mike Madigan.
candidates and the way they will be advocating for members. It might have raised a few eyebrows initially when the Lodge endorsed Willie Wilson in his run for U.S. Senate against Dick Durbin. That was, until realizing that Wilson helped the Lodge provide a significant stock of PPE and facilitate monthly meet- ings with community ministers to talk about what the FOP can do to address misconceptions about Chicago Police Officers.
This is what political action is all about. If members are mo- tivated, they can take their own action. One is to participate in the two campaign weekends in October, when the Lodge is ask- ing members to put boots on the ground for the campaigns of endorsed candidates.
The other is to vote.
For Lodge 7-endorsed candidates.
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2020 35