Rush Might Move District Office After Colleague's Shooting
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In the wake of the attempted assassination of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Chicago Congressman Bobby Rush said Tuesday that he's considering moving out of his office on 79th Street, fearful of the violence on his block.
That raised eyebrow, of course, because he was elected to solve problems for the people he represents.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker sat down with Rush in his office Tuesday afternoon.
"I want my constituents to know I'm not abandoning them," Rush said.
But the Congressman said he is considering moving out of his district office on 79th street.
"It's an option that I will entertain, but it's not my primary option," Rush said.
The Congressman said that consideration is based on violence in the neighborhood. Rush called the 700 east block of 79th Street, where he's had offices for 20 years, one of the most violent in the district.
While that's nothing new, Rush said he's been thinking about the safety of his staff after the recent tragedy in Tucson, where six people died – Including a member of Giffords' staff – and 13 others were wounded – including Gifford herself.
"The last time I was in D.C., they were under the desk because there was gunfire going on around them," Rush said. "Being responsible, you have to take those things into consideration."
That consideration prompted sympathy from some constituents.
"Every week, somebody gets killed on this block somewhere. I don't even come out at night," Gerard Hudson said.
It's the same district where two police officers were killed last year, but other politicians with offices in the neighborhood have said they aren't thinking about moving.
"We have issues in the community that we have to resolve, and whether the congressional office is on 79th or not we have to resolve them," Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) said.
Some constituents argued they can't leave.
"If you ask me, he's punking out," complained Marrell Lewis. "If he's supposed to be here for the neighborhood, he's punking out.
Regardless of what Rush decides about moving, he said he will still serve the people.
"I'm in the fight to the end. I'm not a quitter," Rush said.
Rush said that, as part of his continued efforts to fight violence, he's holding a town hall meeting in Chatham on Friday.
He wasn't the only one talking about safety for members of Congress on Tuesday.
Rush's fellow congressman, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Chicago) has called for more federal spending on security for members of Congress.
Jackson is proposing legislation that would increase the budget of each congressman and senator for security by 10 percent.
