Richard Nixon Foundation blasts Chicago's Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson for blaming former president for bloody July 4 weekend shooting spree

The Richard Nixon Foundation slammed Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson after the Democrat placed the blame for crime in his city on the man who served in the White House - 40 years ago. 

Johnson, 48, sparked backlash following the July Fourth holiday weekend - where 19 were killed and over 100 were injured by shootings in Chicago - after he cited Nixon as a 'root cause' of the crimewave. 

'Black death has unfortunately been accepted in this country for a very long time,' he said at a news conference. 'We had a chance 60 years ago to get at the root causes, and people mocked President Johnson. And we ended up with Richard Nixon.' 

In response, Jim Byron, the president and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, told Fox News that Johnson was 'passing the blame, in this case ridiculously and gratuitously.' 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sparked backlash after he blamed former President Richard Nixon as a 'root cause' for a bloodbath in his city over the Fourth of July holiday weekend 

At least 109 people were shot, 19 fatally, as violence took hold of Chicago last weekend 

Byron dismissed Johnson's characterization of the ousted president in his response, and said Nixon was a 'champion of civil rights as Vice President and as President.' 

He said the 'record is clear', and claimed that 'unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about Richard Nixon.

'But perceptions of years ago are now being reconsidered as we see renewed interest in studying and understanding his life and legacy in full.

'What is happening in Chicago is heartbreaking, and I imagine the people of Chicago want leaders who take responsibility and work together to solve problems rather than try and pass the blame, in this case ridiculously and gratuitously.'  

The foundation added that its response to Johnson's press conference garnered a million views on X, as it joined a chorus of conservative voices criticizing the Chicago Mayor's remarks. 

The CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation argued that the former president was a 'champion of civil rights', as he said Johnson was 'passing the blame, in this case ridiculously and gratuitously' 

The foundation's tweet listed several of Nixon's achievements in the civil rights space, including moves to continue desegregating schools, adding civil rights funding and funneling support for black-owned businesses. 

'Mayor Johnson’s reference to President Nixon is gratuitous and the facts are not on his side in his characterization of Richard Nixon and the Nixon administration’s civil rights record,' it added.  

The Chicago Police Department said at least 109 people are known to have been shot - 19 fatally - in a weekend of horrific gun violence across the city over the July Fourth holiday. 

The spree spanned 74 separate incidents, including a horrific family slaying that saw an 8-year-old boy killed along with two relatives, while two other boys, aged 5 and 7, were injured in the same shooting. 

Eight people were also shot in a mass shooting in the city's Little Italy neighborhood. 

Comparably, in 2023, 11 people were killed and 62 were injured over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. 

Officers and bystanders are pictured on a street where a horrific slaying saw an 8-year-old boy killed along with two relatives, while two other boys, aged 5 and 7, were injured in the same shooting

Eight people were also shot in a mass shooting in the city's Little Italy neighborhood, with Chicago officials pledging to bring justice to victims following the weekend bloodbath 

Johnson said he asked for more resources from the federal government to help combat crime, but raised eyebrows as he elaborated that the 'root cause' of the violence began long ago. 

'What we’ve experienced over the weekend is unacceptable and we didn’t get here overnight. And everyone knows that. Let’s tell the full story of what happened,' he said. 

Alongside seemingly blaming Nixon for the crimewave, Johnson, who notably supported the 'Defund the Police' movement, also said his office and the city's police department would clamp down hard on those responsible. 

'This is a choice. The choice to kill. The choice to kill women, the choice to kill children, the choice to kill the elderly. These are choices that the offenders made and they calculated,' Johnson said. 

'We are holding every single individual accountable for the pain and from the torment that they have caused in this city.'