CITY HALL — The remaining street sign honoring developer-turned-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump should be removed as soon as possible, a City Council committee unanimously voted Tuesday morning.
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), chairman of the Committee on Transportation and the Public Way, said the committee was taking a page from the pugilistic candidate himself, who likened Chicago to a "war-torn country" in the first presidential debate Sept. 26.
"When you hit Chicago, Chicago hits back," Beale said.
There are two brown honorary street signs outside Trump Tower proclaiming north Wabash Avenue Trump Plaza. One was stolen Oct. 14, police said.
City officials are keeping a close eye on the other sign so it can be officially removed immediately if the full Council votes to revoke the honor Nov. 1 as expected.
Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said the signs honoring Trump should be removed because his comments as a presidential campaign have "insulted anyone like me who loves this city."
Reilly said Trump's "caricature" of Chicago as a violence-plagued hot bed of election fraud bore little resemblance to the city's reality, where he said investment is surging and tourists are flocking.
Just as damaging has been Trump's repeated denigration of women, minorities and political opponents, Reilly said.
"This is an honor Trump has proven he does not deserve," Reilly said, adding that he will return $5,500 in campaign contributions the New York developer gave him several years ago on Nov. 9 — a day after the presidential election.
But Reilly told his Council colleagues that it was unlikely there were any steps they could take to remove the giant Trump sign that adorns the skyscraper. The building along the Chicago River has become a magnet for Trump protests.
The sign is "pretty ugly" and mars an otherwise architecturally pleasing building, Reilly said.
After the committee hearing, Reilly said he would support any effort by residents of the Trump building to petition or pressure the building's management into removing the name from the building, as some New York residents are trying to do, as reported by the New York Times.
Trump name has come to represent "hatred and divisiveness," Reilly said. "I would love to see it removed."
The signs were erected in 2006 while the 98-story high-rise was under construction.
Trump representatives did not return messages seeking comment.
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