Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders Cook County
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations Chicago
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes Cook County
  • Road construction cement truck. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Hastings: $123 million in IDOT projects will improve South Suburban roads through collaboration with local leaders construction
  • Source: Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
    Ratepayers will lose in the rush to approve battery storage electricity legislation in Springfield Business
  • Joyful reunion photo courtesy of Jeffery M. Leving & Assc law firm
    Leving Team Prevented a Father’s Wrongful Separation from His Child Dads' Rights
  • CTF Illinois Orland Park, 18230 Orland Pkwy, Orland Park, IL 60467
    Hastings, Giannoulias announce opening of temporary driver services facility in Orland Park Baby Boomers
  • Emagine Theater Pink popcorn
    Popcorn with a purpose: Emagine Theatres brings back Pink Caramel Corn to support Pink Fund during Breast Cancer Awareness Month Business
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves announce 2025-2026 Training Camp Roster Entertainment
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast on James Comey, ICE Agents, Government shutdown, Gaza Peace Plan, Ukraine and long range missiles, and New York mayoral race Bill Lipinski
  • Five Individuals Charged in Federal Court in Chicago With Assaulting or Resisting Federal Agents Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations Civil Rights
  • The Chicago Wolves rallied to defeat  the Iowa Wild 4-3 in overtime Sunday Feb. 25, 2024 at Allstate Arena. The Wild led the game 3 to 0 going in to the 2nd period, but the Wolves rallied and tied in the 3rd period forcing the 5 minute sudden death overtime.
    Wolves broadcasts return to WPWR-TV for 2025 – 26 season Chicago
  • Orland Park Trustee Jim Dodge
    Secretary of State Drivers Facility Moving to New Orland Park Location Baby Boomers
  • Fighting for Duped Man’s Freedom and Future
    Fighting for Duped Man’s Freedom and Future Dads' Rights
  • OFPD Lt. Zachary Zweizig Lt. Dan Ritchie and Lt. Mark Hogan. Photo courtesy of the OFPD
    Orland Firefighters receive awards for battling flooding during Texas deployment Features

Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals?

Posted on February 16, 2023April 27, 2025 By Ray Hanania 5 Comments on Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals?
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals?

Protecting criminals seems to be the priority of politicians in Cook County and in Illinois, and Springfield. And, why is Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau such a whining little baby. Pekau has spent his entire term in office personally attacking everyone and anyone, including me, and anyone who doesn’t agree with him on issues. Most recently, Pekau is spamming Orland Park residents with his “political email” complaining that “anonymous” people are attacking him. He then goes on to personally attack people he claims (without any proof) are behind criticism of him. Worse, Pekau doesn’t address the anonymous and vicious attacks from his own allies. It’s almost as if Pekau has no issues to discuss and doesn’t want to be held accountable for his decisions as he seeks to tighten his total control of everything in Orland Park. My non-anonymous opinions are in this column!

By Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania

Why do some politicians want to make life easier for criminals rather than making law-abiding citizens safer?

Look at the trends:

Immediately upon taking office, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx changed the felony retail theft law. Under Foxx’s change, criminals can now steal up to $1,000 before they can face Felony charges. Criminals convicted of misdemeanors face weaker penalties than those convicted of felonies.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who cares more about pleasing influential minority groups than protecting law-abiding citizens, exploited the national debate on gun violence to push through an assault weapons ban.

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

 

Recently, Pritzker signed a law that abolishes laws preventing convicted criminals from changing their names. The old law imposed a lifetime ban on people convicted of murder, arson, various sex crimes, and identity theft, and a 10-year waiting period for other lesser felonies.

In other states, laws have been passed to ban solitary confinement for convicted felons who are serving time in prison who violate prison rules.

The big question is, what is being done to protect law-abiding citizens?

We see videos of people breaking into retail stores and grabbing clothing and other products in Cook County, knowing full well that IF they are caught — and that is a big IF — chances are they wll get a slap on their hands.

So, there is a rise in retail theft crimes, thanks to Foxx.

Violence in Chicago has increased in part because criminals believe that the chances of being punished have been diminished by politicians who have made their concerns the focus over the concerns of the victims. In many cases, Mayor Lori Lightfoot will not prosecute people who vandalize buildings or attack individuals.

Police are under siege in Chicago because of incidents that get magnified nationally.

Ray Hanania's columns appear every week in the Southwest News Newspaper Group including the Regional News Newspapers
Ray Hanania’s columns appear every week in the Southwest News Newspaper Group including the Regional News Newspapers

If a police officer pulls your car over and tells you to put your hands on the wheel, or to get out of the car, do what they tell you to do and you won’t end up like Tyre Nichols who refused orders from police and tried to escape. Unfortunately, the police acted excessively in responding to his violation of the law — it is a crime to refuse to follow the directions of police — and Nichols died fro the encounter several days later. George Floyd is another one who wa son drugs and was resisting arrest, and unfortunately, police responded too forcefully to apprehend him.

Had Floyd and Nichols did what they were told, they would be alive today.

Finally, the law banning assault weapons is incomplete. It takes assault weapons away from law-abiding citizens who follow the laws, but it does nothing to the criminals who don’t follow the laws.

The right thing to do would be for Pritzker to couple the assault weapons ban with a law toughening penalties for criminals convicted. Why won’t he do that?

But Pritzker won’t do that because he doesn’t care about the safety of law-abiding criminals as much as he cares about his political image and his alliances with failed Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and failed Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

VOTE YES ON ORLAND PARK REFERENDUM

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau is a real comedian. He pushed through a referendum on the local Orland Park ballot asking, “Shall the Village of Orland Park retain the Managerial form of Government?” The question is deceiving because it is a negative-driven question. He should ask, “Shall the Village of Orland Park eliminate the Managerial form of Government?”

Pekau falsely claims he wants to get rid of the managerial form of government because Village Managers are not elected and should not have the power to make decisions.

The truth is that in Orland Park, the Village Manager makes recommendations but the Village Board, which Pekau controls tightly, can block the Village Manager’s decisions. In reality, the Orland Park Village Manager doesn’t do anything unless the board and Pekau want him to do it.

In other words, despite Pekau’s false claims, Pekau and the board can block any action taken by a Village Manager. The Village Manager is interviewed and hired and the contract is approved all by the village board. The previous village manager was fired by the Village Board.

Pekau wants more power. He eliminated all the committees, creating one that he controls. Eliminating the Managerial form of Government increases Pekau’s power and would increase the salary. It gives him total power over every aspect of the village, without transparency.

The mayor is clearly trying to take over every independent government board and agency in the village.

Village Managers are hired and managed and controlled by the Village Board, which in Orland Park is a Pekau rubber stamp.

Anything they do MUST be approved by the Village Board, in which Pekau also votes.

The lame response from his minions, who personally attack anyone who questions the Mayor’s actions, is to assert that the village manager is not elected by the people. Neither are the rest of the people who work for Orland Park.

And as for criticizing Pekau, he is employed by you and me, the taxpayers of Orland Park (where I live). He works for us, even though he doesn’t like to admit it and he doesn’t want to be accountable to anyone.

Don’t give Pekau that power. Vote Yes to retain the Managerial form of Government.

 

(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. A political analyst and CEO of Urban Strategies Group, Hanania’s opinion columns on mainstream issues are published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers. His Middle East columns are published in the Arab News. For more information on Ray Hanania visit www.Hanania.com or email him at [email protected].)

 

SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Subscribe to Ray's columns

Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

* indicates required field.

 

Select Email Format


Ray Hanania on Politics podcast logo
Ray Hanania on Politics podcast logo

PS … Follow Ray Hanania on Twitter at Twitter.com/rayhanania. Fight back against #SocialMediaBigBrother

Ted Bojanowski

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders - October 6, 2025
  • Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations - October 5, 2025
  • The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes - October 3, 2025
NPV: 27
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Crime, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Police, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes Tags:2023 election, April 4, caring about criminals, crime in Chicago, Crime in Cook County, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, ignoring law abiding citizens, Keith Pekau, Orland Park, personal attacks, politics in Orland Park, protecting criminals, spamming orland park residents, vicious namecalling from Pekau, village manager, Vote YES

Post navigation

Previous Post: Ziyad Brothers reports that the appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers
Next Post: EXCLUSIVE: Pekau has already decided to move ahead and eliminate the Village Manager form of government

Related Posts

  • Arab American Democratic Club hosts a gathering of elected officials and journalists looking at the recent elections, celebrating Ramadan and Arab American Heritage month (April.
    Journalists and elected officials celebrate Arab American Heritage Month Business
  • Mariyana Spyropoulos
    Jesse Jackson Sr. Endorses Mariyana Spyropoulos for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk  Chicago
  • 125 years keeping Lyons safe News
  • Mount Carmel wins Class 7A News
  • Lyons offers free concerts News
  • St. Francis routs R-B News

More Related Articles

The author with a young Navajo girl who guides tourists at the Dinosaur Tracks a Moenkopi outside Tuba City in Arizona. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania Native Americans deserve better Blogger
Voting sticker from Chicagoland election. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania. Vote. Election Governor vetos bill that would restrict interstate voting checks breaking news
Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia 4th District Illinois García, Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley, Tlaib, and Jones applaud FDIC’s review of Bank Merger Practices, condemn Chair McWilliams’ illegal attempt to void board decision Chicago
Dental exam in a pandemic Opinion
Chris Kennedy Democratic Machine revives in election as big names are pushed under Blogger
Motorist Jesus Solis charged in death of motorcycle driver in accident July 2, 2017 in Bridgeview. Photo courtesy of the Bridgeview Police Department Bridgeview driver charged in motorcyclist’s death Crime

Comments (5) on “Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals?”

  1. Pingback: Why so much emphasis in Illinois on protecting criminals? And, Orland Park's political shenanigans - Ray Hanania's The Daily Hookah
  2. Pingback: The Driver's Side" – News From The Motorist's Perspective | theexpiredmeter.com
  3. Pingback: February 17, 2023 - Merrifield Gazette
  4. Pingback: February 17, 2023 - Columbus Weekly News
  5. Pingback: February 17, 2023 - DC Daily Story

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays
    August 27, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language
    August 8, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders
    October 6, 2025
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations
    October 5, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes
    October 3, 2025
  • Road construction cement truck. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Hastings: $123 million in IDOT projects will improve South Suburban roads through collaboration with local leaders
    October 3, 2025
  • Source: Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
    Ratepayers will lose in the rush to approve battery storage electricity legislation in Springfield
    October 2, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme