Aurora mayor under fire after social media post seeming to encourage residents to set off fireworks

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- A social media post by Aurora's mayor is setting off a firestorm.

Mayor John Laesch warned people that his city will fine anyone who uses illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July.

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But then, he went on to suggest that people should use them on July 3, instead.

That's not sitting well with other public officials in Aurora.

The mayor on Tuesday defended his actions.

In addition to state law, Aurora has a city ordinance banning fireworks.

The mayor says he strongly supports that ordinance.

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But some critics say he's sending a completely different message on social media.

Laesch distributed tags and talked to people Tuesday, warning them that fireworks are illegal, both by state law and city ordinance.

Anyone who fires them off in Aurora could be fined up to $1,000.

But a video the city intends to release Wednesday seems to contradict a message on the mayor's Facebook page that suggests people should fire them off away from downtown.

"When you are telling people it's OK to break a state law and I have a blueprint for when to do it, it's just shocking. Almost have no words anybody would say something like that," 5th Ward Alderman Carl Franco said.

The mayor encourages people to attend the city-sponsored fireworks show, but part of his message also seems to contradict that, saying "If you already bought your fireworks, I would suggest using them on July 3rd while police are busy handling traffic from the city-sanctioned fireworks display."

Dan Hoffman is a retired Aurora police commander.

"What was posted was illegal, immoral and denigrates the integrity of the police department the mayor is supposed to run," Hoffman said.

The mayor, who took office earlier this year, says he wants people to comply with the law.

"Hopefully nobody violates the ordinance. I'm a realist. I've lived in Aurora a long time," Laesch said.

Alderman Franco disagrees.

"This is a state law. So, I don't know how you can violate that. It's really mind-boggling," Franco said.

The mayor says he intends to be out with police on the Fourth of July, helping enforce the ordinance banning fireworks.

But some critics say the law may now be hard to enforce.