Six Democratic candidates running to represent Illinois’ 9th Congressional District debated topics ranging from campaign finance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in two televised FOX 32 Chicago debates Wednesday evening.
Three frontrunners — Mayor Daniel Biss, progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh and State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) — participated in the first debate, moderated by the station’s Political Correspondent Paris Schutz.
Another debate featured briefly during and after the program included other candidates polling “above 5%,” according to Schutz, including State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago), Skokie school board member Bushra Amiwala and former FBI hostage negotiator Phil Andrew.
During the first debate, the candidates sparred over reported ties between the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Fine and Biss campaigns, which has become a flashpoint in the race to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston).
Elect Chicago Women, a super PAC reportedly supported by AIPAC, has spent upwards of $2 million boosting Fine’s campaign through televised advertisements and mailers.
“It is an independent expenditure. It’s dark money,” Fine said of ECW. “Our campaign does not coordinate. I have asked publicly for them to reveal who their donors are because we don’t know.”
Schutz asked Biss to respond to allegations that he was “pining for that AIPAC support,” appearing to reference a January Substack post from Biss in which the mayor admitted he had met with local representatives of the pro-Israel lobbying group last year.
Biss explained that although he met with AIPAC representatives, he would never have accepted the group’s support, adding he opposes unconditional aid to Israel. Biss has previously expressed support for the Block the Bombs Act, which would prohibit the U.S. from providing defense articles or services to Israel until the country complies with international human rights laws.
Despite the mayor’s commitment to the legislation, Abughazaleh questioned his meetings with AIPAC and accused Biss and Fine of “bickering over who likes AIPAC more.”
“Frankly, both of you are trying to push policies that, even if you’re supporting the Block the Bombs Act, have a lot of very precarious and dangerous implications,” Abughazaleh said.
She was the only candidate during the first debate to oppose sending defensive weapons to Israel, arguing “weapons are inherently offensive.”
Discussions surrounding ICE also dominated the debate, with the broad consensus being that abolishing the agency is necessary to prevent agents from inflicting more harm on community members.
Viral videos of Biss and Abughazaleh protesting at the ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois were also addressed. Abughazaleh was federally indicted for allegedly conspiring to “interrupt, hinder, or impede” the activities of a federal law enforcement officer in October.
As the moderator pressed Abughazaleh on her indictment, Biss defended his opponent, calling federal officials “liars.”
“What they’re doing basically has nothing to do with immigration,” Biss said. “It’s sort of authoritarian power and control and domination and brutality.”
Fine also affirmed she supports abolishing ICE, pointing to legislation she proposed in Springfield to bar federal immigration officers hired under what she called Trump’s “reign of terror” from working in state and local law enforcement.
The candidates diverged on the importance of public protest by politicians, with Abughazaleh arguing elected officials should move beyond legislative action.
Amiwala, Andrew and Simmons also briefly discussed ICE in both televised segments of their debate.
Simmons cited an instance where he alleges ICE agents smashed a car window and abducted a community member. He said he took action by personally showing up to Broadview and waiting for three hours to return the man’s car key to his wife.
“ICE has shown that it is completely untrustworthy — that it lies, that it kills, that it kidnaps, that it abuses,” Abughazaleh said. “ICE should not be seen as any legitimate law enforcement agency, and I don’t trust a single thing they say.”
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— Fine responds to criticism from rivals over campaign contributions at Pink Poster Club forum
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