Chicago's Leftist Mayor Sues Automakers For Car 'Citywide And Nationwide Crime Spree' - Kia, Hyundai Are Too Easy To Steal

As Illinois is expected to become the eighth state that allows lawsuits against gun manufacturers, according to Fox32, Democrat Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson is responding to a massive spike in auto thefts and carjackings... by suing automobile manufacturers.

As reported by our distinguished colleagues at The Heartland Institute and Red State, Johnson has filed a lawsuit against automakers Kia and Hyundai blaming the manufacturers for "A critical defect in the companies’ vehicles led to a car theft crisis," according to a City Hall press release. 

The statement from the mayor's office cites, "Kia America, Inc., Kia Corporation, Hyundai Motor America, and Hyundai Motor Company for their failure to include industry-standard engine immobilizers in multiple models of their vehicles, resulting in a steep rise in vehicle thefts, reckless driving, property damage, and a wide array of related violent crimes in Chicago."

“The impact of car theft on Chicago residents can be deeply destabilizing, particularly for low- to middle-income workers who have fewer options for getting to work and taking care of their families. The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install basic auto-theft prevention technology in these models is sheer negligence, and as a result, a citywide and nationwide crime spree around automobile theft has been unfolding right before our eyes."

Just as the movement to penalize firearms manufacturers and dealers has already attempted to shift blame from murderers to gunmakers, the Chicago Democrat is now seeking to punish the car manufacturers instead of the car thieves.

As The Heartland Instituted observed,

"In other words, in Johnson’s view, the criminals who are stealing cars are blameless. In fact, they are victims."

Interim Superintendent Fred Waller claimed, "This is about saving lives and preventing the violent crimes that these stolen vehicles are used in. As law enforcement, we are doing everything we can to prevent these thefts, but these vehicle companies must also be held accountable."

The argument that Chicago is making in the lawsuit is very clearly class-based in nature by suggesting that not including more advanced anti-theft measures in what the suit itself acknowledges are "entry-level models and relatively low priced," vehicles constitutes negligence. The lawsuit characterizes theft-prevention measures as a "safety" issue. In short, car manufacturers should spend more on theft deterrence for their cheapest cars, without increasing the cost to consumers in order to relieve the workload of law enforcement that the Democrats have undercut, underfunded, and decimated.

Chicago's solution isn't to enforce the laws, put more police on the streets with better equipment, support, and funding, and hire prosecutors who will actually prosecute. But rather Johnson's objective is to sue carmakers for making their cars without engine immobilizers which "directly facilitated the rapid increase in vehicle theft and, with it, created a public nuisance in Chicago." It's the equivalent of suing prominent door-lock manufacturers like Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, or Master for a spike in home invasions.