In a stunning display of the liberal media’s typical playbook, Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois attempted to deceive the American public about the tragic state of violent crime in his own city during an appearance on FOX News. Governor Pritzker joined Brett Baier on “Special Report,” undoubtedly expecting a platform to spew his pre-packaged, feel-good narratives, completely detached from the harsh realities faced by the citizens of Chicago on a daily basis. This is the same insulated, elitist mentality that has plagued Democratic leadership in major cities across the country, where the safety of law-abiding citizens is routinely sacrificed on the altar of a progressive, soft-on-crime agenda.
Pritzker, thinking he could operate with the same impunity and lack of accountability he enjoys from his sycophants in the mainstream press, immediately launched into a series of blatant falsehoods. Confronted with a direct and simple question from a journalist actually doing his job, Pritzker resorted to a script that would be more at home in a fantasy than a factual news interview. Brett Baier, demonstrating the kind of rigorous journalism that is so desperately lacking on networks like CNN or MSNBC, posed a straightforward query that should have had a straightforward answer. Brett Baier: “Does Chicago have the highest murder rate of all the big cities?”
Instead of providing a honest response, Governor Pritzker embarked on a pathetic attempt to obfuscate and mislead. His reply was a masterclass in the political spin that has left American cities less safe. Governor Pritzker: “Well, we are not in the top 30 in terms of our murder rate. Indeed, our murder rate has been cut in half over the last four years, and every year it’s gone down by double digits. If you look at all of the violent crime over the last four years, they’ve all gone down.” This is the kind of delusional rhetoric that the left uses to placate their base, hoping that no one will bother to check the facts. It is a deliberate strategy to downplay the crisis and avoid responsibility for the failed policies that have directly contributed to the bloodshed on Chicago’s streets.
Fortunately, Brett Baier was prepared to hold power to account, a concept foreign to the liberal media when a Democrat is in the hot seat. Baier did not let the Governor’s false claims stand unchallenged. In a moment of brilliant, real-time fact-checking that viewers would never see on a left-leaning network, Baier presented the cold, hard data for the entire nation to see. He flashed a map on the screen that utterly dismantled Pritzker’s feeble narrative, exposing his statements for the lies they were. Brett Baier: “Here’s a map. Most populous US cities, 17.47 per 100,000 population. Chicago is number one over Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, and Diego.” The visual was devastating, a stark contrast to the web of untruths being woven by the flustered governor.
Caught red-handed, Governor Pritzker could only stammer and attempt to change the subject, revealing the intellectual bankruptcy at the core of his argument. His response was a pitiful display of a politician who had been caught in a lie and had no credible defense. Governor Pritzker: “What I’m explaining to you is when you want to fight crime-Now, you’re talking about violent crime. Look, you can pull statistics up. No, these are murders. I’m explaining to you that our murder rate has been cut in half.” This flailing attempt to pivot only served to highlight his dishonesty. He was no longer debating policy; he was simply trying to save face after being exposed by a journalist who dared to demand the truth. This is the epitome of Democratic leadership in the era of President Donald Trump’s America: all talking points and no substance, willing to ignore a body count in their own backyard if it helps them maintain a politically correct facade.
Fat boy tried to lie to Brett Baier pic.twitter.com/zfgnMixWGv
— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) October 23, 2025
This entire exchange is a microcosm of the broader political struggle in the United States. On one side, you have the law-and-order leadership of President Donald J. Trump, who has consistently advocated for the safety and security of all Americans, supporting our brave police officers and demanding justice for victims. On the other side, you have Democratic politicians like J.B. Pritzker, who preside over catastrophic crime waves in their cities while offering nothing but excuses, false statistics, and a steadfast refusal to acknowledge the severity of the problem. The people of Chicago, and all Americans, deserve leaders who will tell them the truth and take decisive action to protect them, not those who will lie to their faces on national television.