Chicago Fraternal Order of Police prez: Union will hold aldermen 'accountable' over vaccine mandate

CHICAGO - Chicago Fraternal Order of Police union president John Catanzara was on social media again Saturday, sharing his complaints about the legal battle over Chicago's vaccine mandate and what he sees as a lack of support from Chicago politicians.

On Friday, a judge granted a temporary restraining order that prohibits Catanzara from speaking about Chicago's vaccine mandate, which required all city employees to enter their vaccination status into an online portal by midnight on Friday, Oct. 15.

The requirement has been vehemently opposed by Catanzara, who claims city employees cannot be forced to share their medical information. 

On Saturday, Catanzara bemoaned the lack of support for his side from Chicago's City Council.

"There was only six aldermen who stood up for us prior to this deadline. Two others kinda half assed jumped into the fray and lukewarm when they gave support that the mandate was not the way to go. That still leaves a lot of other aldermen; 42 other aldermen did not say a word. Remember them aldermen," he said. "We need to go for every single one of them and get them out. We cannot accept excuses any more from these aldermen. They had the ability to go after the mayor and stop this deadline from even becoming a reality. They are going to be held accountable in 2023 I can assure you of that."

Catanzara also implied in his video Saturday that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is a lesbian, is somehow in kahoots with the judge assigned to the case, who he said is the president of Chicago's Lesbian and Gay Bar Association. 

"The city's temporary restraining order however was given to Judge [Cecilia] Horan," Catanzara said. "She is the president of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association. That association has hosted a speaking platform for the mayor. Clear as day advertised. And as the president she obviously has a relationship with the mayor."

Horan is the past president of that organization, not the current president.

"It's pretty disheartening that we didn't know that. If we had know that information, we would have absolutely objected to her hearing the restraining order. I am not saying that she did not hold a fair hearing necessarily," he said Saturday.

There will be a hearing on the temporary restraining order on Monday, October 25.