Senate Republicans criticize Durbin for scheduling Chicago 'field hearing,' demand full hearing on crime surge

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Senate Republicans called foul Tuesday after Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin held a "field hearing" on spiking gun violence from his hometown of Chicago and denied senators virtual access.

In a letter to the Illinois Democrat, ranking member Sen. Chuck Grassely, R-Iowa, said GOP committee members are "deeply passionate" about examining the nation’s rising crime rates and called on Durbin to set up a full committee hearing on the subject from the Capitol.  

On Monday, Durbin held a "field hearing" in Chicago that focused on finding a solution to reducing gun violence in the Windy City.

DURBIN CUTS OFF WITNESS FROM CONSERVATIVE GROUP DURING CHICAGO GUN VIOLENCE HEARING

Sen. Dick Durbin speaks during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Capitol Hill on Oct. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)

The senator invited experts to testify on gun violence in Chicago, including FBI Special-Agent-in-Charge Kristen de Tineo, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acting Principal Deputy Director Dr. Debra Houry, police Superintendent David Brown, University of Chicago Crime Lab Founding Executive Director Roseanna Adler, and Republican witness Amy Swearer – a legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation.

"We understand that the hearing included witnesses who could answer questions about the president’s plan and the challenges of countering this increase in crime," Grassley said in a letter to Durbin obtained by Fox News. "Although the hearing occurred in Chicago, the chairman’s hometown, travel to Chicago would have been difficult for the other members of the committee during the last few weeks of the work period."

Grassley pointed out that committee members requested the ability to call in or virtually attend the hearing without having to travel to a third location outside the nation’s capital or the GOP senators' own home states, but the request was denied. 

Sen. Chuck Grassley speaks during the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Capitol Hill on Oct. 14, 2020, in Washington, DC. (Susan Walsh/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Chicago has been a leading state in gun violence over the last year and has seen one the greatest spikes in homicides since 1970, according to reports.  

CHICAGO WEEKEND GUN VIOLENCE INCLUDES 25 SHOOTINGS, 4 MURDER

But Chicago is not the only city seeing increases in gun violence this year. 

Grassely pointed out that the U.S. has seen a 30% increase in homicides since the summer of 2020, and he condemned the Biden administration’s plan to reduce gun violence, which he has argued unfairly targets gun manufactures. 

"Ineffective bail policies, cumbersome restraints on police officers, and the impact of the ‘progressive prosecutor’ movement are exacerbating this surge," the ranking member argued in the letter signed by the 10 other GOP members on the committee. 

"While it would have been helpful to explore the effects of these factors on crime in Chicago, given the many other cities that are impacted by the crime surge, we believe it would be even more useful if we could explore these problems on a national scale with the full committee," he added. 

Durbin told Fox News Tuesday that he was not only considering holding a hearing on gun violence but may also be holding a markup on bills that could combat the rising crime.

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"We’ve had five hearings on rising crime this year, had a field hearing yesterday in Chicago," he said. "But yes, I'm considering actually going beyond just having a hearing, having an actual markup."

The senator said he would like to put lawmakers on the record to see where they stand on certain issues like background checks, straw purchasing of firearms and ghost guns.