South Cook News

Cook County GOP Chair Aaron Del Mar says Ja’Mal Green’s reaction to his car being stolen is a "wake-up call," noting that it's inconsistent with Green’s own political platform.

Green, a former Chicago mayoral candidate built his political identity on defunding the police and replacing armed officers with unarmed crisis workers, publicly blamed Wind Creek Casino in Homewood for the theft and destruction of his Cadillac Escalade, which he says was stolen from the casino’s valet area.  

“The hypocrisy in Ja’Mal Green’s response is astounding,” Del Mar told South Cook News. “For years, he’s built his brand on attacking police, calling for their defunding, and pushing the dangerous fantasy that social workers and violence interrupters can replace trained law enforcement officers. Yet the moment his Cadillac Escalade is stolen, suddenly he wants full accountability, justice, and likely wishes the police had been there before the thief ever left the lot.” 

Green, who ran for mayor in 2023 on a platform of defunding the police, has threatened legal action after his Cadillac Escalade was stolen from Wind Creek Casino in Homewood. 

In a post on X, Green alleged that casino employees allowed the theft to happen and referred to the the casino's response as a “total insult.”

“Today, I found out that the Wind Creek hotel in Homewood, IL employees was in on having my Cadillac Escalade stolen from their valet. They have a video and know who it is. My truck, valuables, & information was stolen putting me at high risk as they say a gentlemen ‘went into their back room and took keys,’” Green posted on X.  

“My truck was totaled a day later on a high speed chase. The hotel/casino said we’re so sorry we messed up, but file it on your insurance, offered me chump change and said here’s $5,000 of free play if you come back. Total insult. Lawsuit & presser to come.” 

Del Mar didn’t hold back in connecting the dots between Green’s current outrage and his past activism.

“It’s not just ironic—it’s insulting to the public and to the officers he’s spent years vilifying,” Del Mar said. “This incident proves what many of us have been saying all along: real public safety requires real law enforcement. When crime hits home, even the loudest anti-police voices turn to the very system they wanted to dismantle.” 

Green, who received just 2.2% of the vote in the 2023 Chicago mayoral election and only six votes when running as a write-in in 2019, made headlines during his campaign for a sweeping $5 billion public safety plan that would reallocate Chicago Police Department funds to housing and mental health services and create a new emergency response team staffed by unarmed civilians.

“If anything, this should be a wake-up call,” Del Mar said. “Green’s $5 billion plan to gut police response and hand it over to unarmed civilians was reckless when he ran for mayor, and it looks even more ridiculous now. His reaction shows he doesn’t even believe in his own proposals when it affects him personally.”

In 2017, Green was charged with nine felony counts tied to a protest against police brutality, though he ultimately pleaded to a misdemeanor. 

During the 2020 BLM riots, Green defended rioting as a form of protest against “systemic oppression” and frequently condemned media coverage that focused more on looting than on police violence.

His platform also included removing all officers from Chicago Public Schools and replacing them with social workers. 

Green’s campaign unfolded amid rising local violent crime. 

From August 2023 to July 2024, Chicago's violent crime rose 7.2%, with aggravated assaults, batteries and robberies reaching five-year highs.

In 2024, Chicago recorded 28,443 violent crimes, with aggravated assaults hitting a 20-year high and aggravated batteries rising 3.1%—the largest increase among violent crimes.

Del Mar, now in his second stint as Cook County GOP Chair after winning more than 85% of the vote in April, has made rebuilding the local party a top priority. He’s vowed to unify leadership, expand vote-by-mail outreach, recruit stronger Republican candidates and establish a rapid response team to counter Democratic messaging.

Acknowledging the GOP’s decline in a heavily Democratic stronghold, Del Mar calls Cook County "where the battle is" and says the time for passive politics is over.

“All of the bad policies are created in Cook County and spread to the rest of the state,” Del Mar previously told Chicago City Wire.

Del Mar said the public should take note of the disconnect between the rhetoric and actions of those such as Green.

“The public deserves leaders who are consistent, grounded in reality, and serious about protecting our communities—not opportunists who shift their principles when it’s convenient,” Del Mar said.