Tribune Opinion quotes of the week ending July 6

The news doesn’t sleep, even during holiday weeks. This week started with a bombshell Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity and continued debate over whether Joe Biden is the best Democratic candidate for president. Locally, an alderman sounded the alarm over future climate change-related migration Chicago may face, and federal fraud charges were dropped against a former suburban school official. 

Read last week’s quotes of the week here

“No one is pushing me out. I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end, and we’re going to win.”

— President Joe Biden 

Biden spoke on an all-hands call with campaign staffers on Wednesday, July 3. The president also met with lawmakers and Democratic governors, as reported by NBC

“Indeed, the majority holds that the President, unlike anyone else in our country, is comparatively free to engage in criminal acts in furtherance of his official duties.”

— Chief Justice John Roberts 

Roberts wrote the majority opinion in the Supreme Court’s Trump v. United States ruling, which gives the president immunity over acts related to official duties. 

“The President of the United States is the most powerful person in the country, and possibly the world. When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military dissenting coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.”

— Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Sotomayor wrote the dissent in the Trump v. United States decision. 

“As we’ve experienced, governments are not prepared to address huge influxes of migration. But this is the direction things are going in, whether a city is prepared or not.” 

— Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th 

Vasquez spoke during a City Council discussion about climate change-related migration

“This has put me in a hard position, stressing me over finances for the summer, as I am a one-income household. Why am I being taken away from my school?” 

— Grisel Sanchez

Sanchez is a recently laid-off bilingual teacher for Chicago Public Schools, as quoted in the Tribune

“This was a huge area of new residents, new construction, a lot of people just coming into the area, not knowing. And (Lincoln-Way District 210 Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie) just took advantage of that, and you know, we were his prey.” 

— Ann Jenkins

Jenkins, a parent of former Lincoln-Way students, spoke with the Tribune after federal fraud charges were dropped against Wyllie. 

“I felt a sense of pride knowing that one of our major teams was recognizing the importance of our community. The fact that we filled the stadium to capacity shows not just our social influence but the economic power that we bring with it.” 

— Josue Duarte

Duarte is a lifelong Sox fan and a Chicago Realtor. He told the Tribune that he bought 100 tickets weeks in advance of the White Sox Mexican Heritage Night game for his friends, family and employees. 

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