In Albany Park, a progressive political group is preparing to take legal action against Alderman Raymond Lopez after he publicly spread misinformation attempting to associate them with Elias Rodriguez, the man charged with fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy staff in Washington, D.C.
Lopez, alongside other figures such as former mayoral candidate Ja’Mal Green and former Cook County circuit court clerk Iris Martinez, shared inaccurate posts on social media right after law enforcement searched Rodriguez’s apartment.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Lopez used a photograph from a 2018 candidate training event hosted by United Working Families.
He drew red circles around various individuals, including Alderman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Representative Delia Ramirez, appearing to incorrectly suggest a connection between them and Rodriguez through Chris Poulos, Rodriguez-Sanchez’s former chief of staff and campaign manager.
Lopez’s caption included the phrase, “Birds of a feather,” insinuating collusion among the progressive politicians.
In retaliation, United Working Families published an open letter from their attorney on Facebook demanding an immediate retraction from Lopez.
The letter expressed discontent with Lopez’s lack of fact-checking as an elected official, stating, “As an elected official and someone to whom the public looks to for accurate information, we would expect you to exercise significant caution and perform thorough fact-checking to verify the accuracy of all information you post on your public platform. Yet, in this case, you clearly have the wrong person.”
Poulos himself expressed his concern about being misidentified, stating, “It’s a little bit unsettling.”
Alongside Lopez, Green shared the same photograph and also inaccurately labeled Rodriguez as a community organizer linked to prominent local leaders.
However, Green later deleted his post and did not respond promptly to requests for comments regarding the misinformation.
Rodriguez-Sanchez articulated the potential dangers of such misinformation, stating, “I think that is really irresponsible. This can cause a lot of harm, and this can put people in harm’s way.”
The political group has asked Lopez to remove his post and publicly apologize by a specified deadline, emphasizing the repercussions misinformation can have on individuals’ safety.
As of Friday morning, Lopez’s posts remained active on X, and he did not respond for comment.
Similarly, Martinez contributed to the spread of misinformation by posting on Facebook that claimed the suspect had a sign in support of Rodriguez-Sanchez in his window, which turned out to be false.
The political sign was actually in the window of a neighbor’s unit, revealing further inaccuracies in the claims being shared online.
Initial reports linking political signs to Rodriguez had also circulated before reliable sources corrected the narrative, indicating that the only sign in the suspect’s window was in memory of Wadea al-Fayoume, a Palestinian American victim of a hate crime in 2023.
United Working Families publicly condemned the posts made by Lopez and Martinez, and stated that, despite clarifications from reputable news organizations, these politicians kept their defamatory posts active for hours.
33rd Ward Working Families, another political group, echoed the call for accountability in their statement, condemning the conflation of a civilian with a suspected criminal.
Martinez’s inaccurate post was still visible Friday morning as well, and she has not provided a statement regarding the misinformation.
Amidst this controversy, Rodriguez-Sanchez, Ramirez, and state Senator Graciela Guzmán urged their community to fact-check before sharing information that could inadvertently threaten others.
United Working Families warned Lopez of potential legal action should he fail to retract his statements.
Their letter stated, “In the event that you refuse to carry out these steps to mitigate the damage and thereby allow these false statements to remain in the public domain, we will take the legal steps necessary to protect our clients and their reputations.”
Meanwhile, authorities have charged Rodriguez with first-degree murder and several related offenses following the shooting of two Israeli Embassy workers, identified as 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgrim.
Reports indicate that after the shooting, Rodriguez made statements expressing a motive tied to Palestinian advocacy, shouting phrases like “free Palestine” as he was apprehended by law enforcement.
Rodriguez had reportedly obtained a Firearms Owner’s Identification Card and purchased the firearm believed to be used in the crime in 2020 from Illinois.
Rodriguez-Sanchez, representing the ward where Rodriguez resides, denounced the violence, declaring that such acts undermine efforts toward peace.
She affirmed her commitment to fighting against hate and promoting harmony, stating, “Acts of violence undermine the cause of peace and deepen the wounds we are all working so hard to heal.”
The unfolding situation serves as a reminder of the responsibility public figures carry when disseminating information, especially during charged events where misinformation can lead to serious consequences.
image source from：https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/05/23/political-group-wants-alderman-to-apologize-for-falsely-linking-it-to-dc-shooting-suspect/
