Microphone catches Mayor Lightfoot calling police union leader a 'clown'

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was caught on a microphone insulting a police union leader aloud on Wednesday.

It's no secret that Mayor Lightfoot does not get along with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). 

However, it was still surprising when, during the City Council meeting, she was caught on a microphone insulting the group's second in command.

As Patrick Murray got up to speak, Lightfoot could be heard saying, "oh, back again, this FOP clown."

The mayor later said she should not have made the remarks out loud.

Murray was at the council meeting to support the officers who were fired by the police board last week for their involvement in the Laquan McDonald shooting.

The FOP released a statement saying the remark is, "a misguided and dangerous thing to say to a 30-year veteran police officer, particularly at a time when the city is facing such chronic violent crime."

Last month, Murray accused the mayor of not including the police union on discussions involving public safety and police reform.    

The mayor accused him of trying to block those reforms.