Chicago City Wire

Before COVID-19, Robert Cruz was a small business owner who sat on the sidelines but when his construction company was affected by city- and state-imposed restrictions, the married father of one was motivated to become more active in politics.

“Politics in America is changing and the players need to change with it,” Cruz told the Chicago City Wire. “We need more rank-and-file members of society who are going to step up to express what happens here on a daily basis and who are going to represent us as a people moving forward.”

Cruz, a Cook County resident, launched GOP Jamboree, which stages election integrity and anti-lockdown rallies statewide.

Protestors at the Chicago anti-lockdown rally on Thanksgiving Day | submitted

“We’re doing political concerts to infuse a modern American culture into the political environment in order to lessen the divisiveness and highlight the competition part of it and part of that is festivities,” he said.

Cruz, along with Back the Blue events, masterminded the Thanksgiving Day Lightfoot Lockdown, which involved hundreds of city residents walking from Trump Tower to the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennial Park at 11 a.m. to protest restrictions announced by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot last week to curb an increase in coronavirus cases. Ali Alexander, a Black Republican pundit, was among the speakers.

“Where's the compromise?” Cruz said in an interview. “How do we push through to get where we can open up the economy but also protect the people who need the most protection, which is those with pre-existing conditions? Because I fit both. I am a cancer survivor and a small business owner so there has to be a compromise.” 

ABC News reported that the restrictions include staying home except for work, school or to gather essential needs and to avoid socializing with anyone other than household members.

“We're just showing our frustration and the lack of planning by city and state officials,” Cruz said. “For example, we had a 3,000-bed medical facility built in McCormick Place that was torn down. We could have used that now while cases are rising but instead, we dismantle it and start another lockdown.”

McCormick Place was a field hospital that Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker closed in May, according to media reports.

“On the surface, Mayor Lightfoot says it’s for the safety of other people but she's left the liquor stores and dispensaries open,” Cruz said. “People are still standing in line next to each other for these things. Big box stores are still open when small business stores and supply houses are asked to close their doors.”