Chicago City Wire

In the wake of escalating crime rates and rising public apprehension over the perceived lack of action from local authorities, Mark Rice, a candidate for the 8th Congressional District, has partnered with community activist Pat Gibbons to address urgent issues confronting the North Park and Irving Park communities. On Dec. 11, Rice and Gibbons held a press conference to condemn increasing crime rates and criticize Democratic politicians, including Alderwoman Samantha Nugent, for their alleged failure to adequately address community concerns.

“Community activist Pat Gibbons was speaking out about the crime surge in the Lawndale neighborhood, so we headed to the Chicago Police Dep. to hear what they are dealing with. People are scared & don’t want drugs or prostitution rings in their backyard,” Rice said in a Facebook post.

The event aimed to address the growing sense of insecurity within the North Park and Irving Park communities, where residents have reported an alarming increase in robberies and shootings. Organizers aimed to bring attention to the urgent need for measures to ensure the safety of the community. 

Gibbons, known for his strong advocacy for community safety, urged Nugent and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to take decisive action in their leadership roles to safeguard citizens of the 39th Ward. He did not shy away from attributing the spike in crime to what he views as incompetence among Chicago’s Democratic politicians.

"We have Democratic politicians that don’t know what the hell they’re doing," Gibbons said during the press conference. "Drugs are pouring into this once-beautiful neighborhood. We also have prostitution houses. We have drug houses. And we reported it to the alderwoman; Miss Nugent was turning a blind eye on it."

Addressing law enforcement challenges during the holiday season, Rice attributed these difficulties to "leftist policies" imposed by current leaders. He emphasized the need for new leadership, accusing existing political figures from the mayor to Congress, including President Joe Biden, of contributing to the city’s problems.

"A lot of it is because of leftist policies that we’ve been foisted here in Chicago with our leadership from the mayor on down and even in Washington, from Joe Biden on down to Congress, where I’m running to try to replace the folks that have really driven us into the ditch, the folks that have really created these problems," Rice stated at the event.

Rice encouraged citizens to vote out current officials and elect new leaders with innovative ideas, which he referred to as "common sense solutions," including making crime illegal again and resolving drug-related problems.

"We can turn it around by voting these people out of office and putting new people in there with new fresh ideas," Rice added.

He contended that the current situation, including an influx of millions of people across the border, lacked sufficient resources to address resulting issues such as crime, prostitution, and drug-related concerns.

Rice's campaign for representation in the 8th Congressional District centers on key areas like economic growth, fiscal discipline, tax relief, immigration reform, and border security, according to his website. An executive in the energy sector with 35 years of residence in Illinois, Rice currently serves as CEO of Energy CX. Under his stewardship, Energy CX has emerged as a nationwide leader in providing energy solutions with a team of 70 professionals.

The present representative for the 8th Congressional District is U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill). The district encompasses northern Cook County, northern DuPage County, and northeast Kane County. A map of the district is available on Krishnamoorthi’s website.