A Chicago City Council committee unanimously voted Tuesday to remove a street sign honoring Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s downtown skyscraper as a response to the divisive billionaire's incendiary rhetoric and comments about the city's violence.
The full City Council will vote on the sign’s removal next week. Another honorary Trump Plaza street sign mysteriously disappeared earlier this month.
“When you hit Chicago, Chicago hits back,” Ald. Anthony Beale said. “We will get that sign down in an expedited manner.”
Earlier this month, Ald. Brendan Reilly proposed the measure to remove the honorary Trump Plaza signs after the Republican presidential made inflammatory comments about Chicago violence on the national debate stage. Trump has made an example of Chicago’s violence at each of the presidential debates.
Both Reilly and Mayor Rahm Emanuel have received campaign contributions from Trump in the past. Reilly received $500 from Trump Hotel & Casino Resorts Holdings in 2008 and $5,000 from Trump in 2010. Additionally, Emanuel received $50,000 from the real estate magnate in 2010. Trump Tower was completed in 2009.
Nevertheless, Reilly has promised to return any campaign contributions he received from Trump. However, he said he wouldn’t return the money until after the November election, so Trump can’t use it for his own campaign.
“Based on what Mr. Trump now represents, I don’t want his money,” Reilly said.
