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Trump Takes Dig At Rahm Emanuel Over Chicago Homicides

CHICAGO (CBS) – He is at it again.

President-elect Donald Trump took another shot on Monday at Mayor Emanuel and Chicago's crime problem.

CBS 2's political reporter Derrick Blakley reports the two men are off to a rocky relationship.

Trump's took to Twitter to take his shot:

"Chicago murder rate is record setting. 4,331 shooting victims with 762 murders in 2016. If mayor can't do it he must ask for federal help!"

With Mayor Emanuel way on vacation, City Hall took the high road.

"We are heartened [Trump] is taking this issue seriously and look forward to working with the new administration on these important efforts," said spokesman Adam Collins.

Trump's low blow comes a day after a scathing 60 Minutes report that concluded police in Chicago are awol.

"The police are on their heels," said former Chicago Police Superintendent, Gary McCarthy. "And they are on their heels for a number of reasons. We see the results don't we? We're reaching a state of lawlessness right? That's what's happening."

Trump and Emanuel first sparred last summer over Chicago's violence.

With Emanuel shooting back, "He's got an election, he's not interested in Chicago."

And when the two men met face to face last month at Trump Tower in New York, Emanuel delivered a letter signed by 14 mayors, urging Trump not to deport the so-called "dreamers: illegal immigrants brought to America before age 16."

"They are trying to achieve the American dream, no fault of their own, their parents came here," Emanuel said. "They are something we should hold up and embrace."

Monday's respectful tone suggests Emanuel may have to embrace Trump or at least some of his ideas in order to get continuing federal aid.

Emanuel's spokesman Adam Collins responded in a statement saying that if the federal government really wants to help, it can fund summer jobs programs for at-risk youth and pass meaningful gun laws.

"As the president-elect knows from his conversation with the mayor, we agree the federal government has a strong role to play in public safety by funding summer jobs and prevention programming for at-risk youth, by holding the criminals who break our gun laws accountable for their crimes, by passing meaningful gun laws, and by building on the partnerships our police have with federal law enforcement. We are heartened he is taking this issue seriously and look forward to working with the new administration on these important efforts."

Trump, of course, is notorious for taking to social media sometimes in the middle of the night. So Emanuel is likely in store for more of these jabs.

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