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CHICAGO LODGE 7
Official Magazine
President’s Report
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE CHICAGO LODGE #7
EXECUTIVE BOARD
JOHN CATANZARA JR.
President
Michael Mette
First Vice President
Daniel D. Gorman
Second Vice President
Fernando Flores
Third Vice President
Rob Noceda
Recording Secretary
Jim Jakstavich
Financial Secretary
Dennis McGuire
Treasurer
Sergeants-at-Arms
Nenad Markovich Frank Quinn III Daniel Sheehan
Trustees
Harold Brown John Capparelli Pablo Claudio Frank J. DiMaria David DiSanti Mark P. Donahue Patrick Duckhorn Tim Fitzpatrick Dan Goetz Ken Hauser Tom Lonergan Brock Merck Steve Olsen Monica Ortiz Dan Quaid Ron Shogren Daniel G. Trevino
Field Representative
Andrew Cantore
We’re ready for action – political and more
I wish everybody a happy, healthy and safe new year as we embark on a 2022 filled with great challenges but great dedication to take on the City and the De- partment in our continuing efforts to stop the madness and improve working conditions for all officers.
The new year compels us to keep moving forward with even more commitment and fervor. We were able to close out 2021 with an event for our members who continue to endure the no-pay status and stand up for our rights. More about that as you continue reading.
I want to take a moment to honor our brothers Jose “Joey” Huerta and Jim Svec who we lost to complications due to COVID in December. Because of what the De- partment is putting you through, all members – all Chicago Police Officers – must be
extra-vigilant in maintaining their commitment to doing everything necessary to protect them- selves and their families.
After we work through the no-pay situation and the pending mediation and potential in- terest arbitration over the matter, our focus is going to absolutely turn to the political theater in this state. The cover of this issue illustrates that we have conceived a great plan for political action, with a powerful political action fund that will make Lodge 7 an even more powerful presence in the City and state government and legislation. You can read about more details in the story beginning on page 29.
We have made a very clear, conscious decision and statement to our members that we are going to be a bigger player in politics than ever before. We’re not going to be beholden to one certain person, whether downstate in Springfield or even here in Chicago. We are going to make candidates and elected officials call us and see what they can do for us.
I think that’s the message we must send right now. We’re starting to look in earnest for candi- dates, so this month we will start getting petitions circulated for the summer primaries and the November elections. And that will be the precursor to the City elections in 2023, where we’re really looking to make our statement.
We’re going to get people’s attention in ’22. Then, we’re going to make a statement in ’23.
Brock Merck and Mike Cosentino have been working on ramping up the effort. They’ve been rock stars chairing the PAC committee, and I’m really excited to see what we do in 2022. Brock has great vision about where we can go with this, and Mike understands the process better than just about anybody. They have already begun the work of looking for candidates who can best represent our views and our voice.
And then starting this February, I will be dedicating time toward my campaign for mayor. I’ll start working on the public platform and finding people for key positions working for my organization and fundraising.
It’s easy to say that no Lodge president has ever dared go down this path. But I’m not trying to make history, because that never happens. But it’s monumental in the sense that whether it’s an FOP president, an FOP member or even a police officer in general, somebody has to right this ship that is so upside down right now.
I just think the time is optimal. I don’t want to say right, because right means it’s absolutely time. It’s definitely optimal to have a different perspective for somebody running for that po- sition who just keeps things simple and black and white, and not a race component-like this mayor does with everything.
Again, she’s been a coward thus far. She has refused to commit to running for reelection while she’s out fundraising for her reelection. So to me, she’s just looking to take people’s money and go hide in the corner to look for someone else to run down the road, because she’s been an absolute dismal failure as a mayor. And it’s only getting worse every day. So to think that she’d
JOHN CATANZARA JR.
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2022 5