Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who after her defeat in her reelection bid last year said she had been treated unfairly because she was “a black woman in America,” has been hired at a rate of $400 an hour to investigate Dolton, Illinois, Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s alleged corruption.
“Lightfoot&#8217;s to-do list is long, including finding millions in Dolton&#8217;s unpaid bills and a lavish village-funded trip to Las Vegas for Henyard, a few trustees and village employees last year,” ABC7 Chicago <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/tiffany-henyard-mayor-of-dolton-il-lori-lightfoot-chicago/14635532/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://abc7chicago.com/tiffany-henyard-mayor-of-dolton-il-lori-lightfoot-chicago/14635532/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712750815649000&amp;usg=AOvVaw14y3YCoxRo09_ePswSPYuf">reported</a>.
Lightfoot should investigate “all allegations of misconduct, and all internal investigations, if any, along with any village state and federal law violations,” Dolton Trustee Jason House stated.
“I bring expertise in leading investigations of this kind and understand the complex challenges of governing. I will follow the facts where they lead, without bias, and reserve comments until the work is complete,” Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, told the Dolton board, which had voted <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/06/us-news/super-mayor-tiffany-henyard-vetoes-probe-into-her-spending/">earlier this year</a> to ask the FBI and other entities to investigate Henyard but were stymied by Henyard’s veto.
Lightfoot issued a statement after the board’s decision:
<blockquote>
I am honored that the Village of Dolton Board of Trustees has placed their confidence in me to conduct a thorough and timely independent investigation into the matters outlined in the resolution regarding Mayor Tiffany Henyard and her administration. As someone who has made good governance the cornerstone of my career in public service, I recognize that maintaining the trust of those you serve and making decisions in their best interests is essential. The residents of Dolton deserve nothing less than a government that is fully accountable, responsive, transparent, and effective stewards of taxpayer dollars.
As a lawyer, former federal prosecutor, and mayor, I bring expertise in leading investigations of this kind and understand the complex challenges of governing. I will follow the facts where they lead, without bias, and reserve comments until the work is complete. At the conclusion of this investigation, I will provide an assessment of the findings and recommendations. I welcome and urge the full cooperation of Mayor Henyard, her staff, Village Trustees, vendors, and others who have information relevant to this inquiry.
</blockquote>
At the Monday board meeting at which the board voted to hire Lightfoot, one speaker questioned the move, saying, “We just want to know that once we get what we&#8217;re looking for, what happens next?”
“At the end of the day, haven&#8217;t gotten results from simple FOIA, so how are you going to be different?&#8221; another speaker echoed.
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“It is my sincere hope that Mayor Henyard will voluntarily cooperate, but should they not, we are prepared to do what is necessary to get to the facts,” Lightfoot responded.
Henyard, who <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13065769/mayor-illinois-salary-biden-white-house-tiffany-henyard.html">earns</a> $300,000 a year for her mayoral duties and has admitted the city has a $2 million deficit, can veto the board’s current vote for an investigation.
<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13286723/Lori-Lightfoot-investigation-America-worst-mayor-Tiffany-Henyard.html">According</a> to The Daily Mail, the Illinois Attorney General shut down Henyard&#8217;s charity last month following accusations that it used taxpayer money and the services of public workers.

US-NEWS-LIGHTFOOT-SKIN-TONE-TV-AD-2-TB

Lori Lightfoot Hired At $400 An Hour To Investigate Democrat Mayor’s Alleged Corruption

Chicago

General

Illinois

Lori Lightfoot

Politics

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Holds News Briefing At White House

Here Are The COVID Authoritarians Who Will Soon Walk The Halls Of America’s Elite Universities

Here Are The COVID Authoritarians Who Will Soon Walk The Halls Of America's Elite Universities

Anthony Fauci

COVID

Georgetown University

Harvard

Jacinda Ardern

Lockdowns

New Zealand

Readers Pass

Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a> Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Lightfoot</a> is headed to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/harvard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harvard</a> University to teach about health policy and leadership.
The Ivy League university <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/newsplus/lori-lightfoot-appointed-menschel-fellow-at-harvard-chan-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> on Thursday that Lightfoot, who lost her bid for a second term as mayor this year, will serve as a senior leadership fellow this fall at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
“We believe our students will benefit from her experiences, insights and knowledge of leadership decision-making,&#8221; Eric Andersen, director of Senior Leadership Fellows Program at the school, <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2023/6/1/23744640/former-chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-to-teach-at-harvard-t-h-chan-school-of-public-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Chicago Sun-Times</a>.
In a statement, Lightfoot said she looks forward to teaching about her experience leading the nation&#8217;s third-largest city during the COVID-19 pandemic.
&#8220;I&#8217;ll share specifics about the way we managed the COVID-19 public health crisis, and we&#8217;ll delve into how we approached the crisis as an avenue to address long standing public health equity challenges using data and science,&#8221; Lightfoot said. &#8220;I also look forward to being part of the community of scholars, intellectuals and students at such a world class institution.&#8221;
During her single four-year term as mayor, which ended last month when <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-welcomes-new-leftist-mayor-with-vision-of-a-safer-and-more-equitable-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leftist Brandon Johnson</a> took over the role, Lightfoot made headlines for implementing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-issues-another-lockdown-advisory-demands-thanksgiving-plans-be-canceled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strict lockdown</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-lightfoot-claims-covid-regulations-prevented-tribute-for-fallen-chicago-cop-thats-not-true-medical-examiner-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">measures</a> and her inability to put a stop to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/01/politics/lori-lightfoot-chicago-mayor-race-crime/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rampant crime in the Windy City</a>. <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/newsplus/lori-lightfoot-appointed-menschel-fellow-at-harvard-chan-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Harvard Gazette</a> said her &#8220;accomplishments&#8221; includes &#8220;landmark ethics and good governance reforms, worker protection legislation, and key investments in education, public safety, and financial stability.&#8221;
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After Lightfoot failed to secure a spot in the run-off contest in the mayoral election in late February, <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/lori-lightfoot-chicago-mayor-news-brandon-johnson/13196138/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC7 Chicago reported</a> that in an interview she pointed to the pandemic as well as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/derek-chauvin-ex-minneapolis-cop-convicted-of-murdering-george-floyd-files-appeal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Floyd&#8217;s death</a> and violence that ensued as factors in her defeat.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of anger, frustration and fear that is present, not only in Chicago, but across our country. And, the winds of dissension continue to blow at a furious pace,&#8221; Lightfoot said. &#8220;So, for me, the biggest challenge wasn&#8217;t some particular person&#8217;s name on the ballot. The biggest challenge was breaking through what I call that &#8216;anger bubble.'&#8221;
Appointed a Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow, Lightfoot is expected to start teaching a course tentatively titled “Health Policy and Leadership&#8221; in late August. <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/policy-translation-leadership-development/recent-menschel-fellows/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Others who have</a> become Menschel fellows include former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Boston Mayor Kim Janey.

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Lands Teaching Position At Harvard

Education

U.S.

Leftist allies of Chicago&#8217;s new Mayor Brandon Johnson have proposed a budget plan that would tax the rich and businesses, and would effectively defund police in a city already nearly crippled by crime.
The <a href="https://acrecampaigns.org/research_post/first-we-get-the-money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">budget plan</a> was proposed by ACRE, the Action Center on Race and the Economy, in conjunction with the People&#8217;s Unity Platform and is titled &#8220;$12 Billion for a Just Chicago.&#8221; The first page begins with step one of the plan: &#8220;First we get the money.&#8221;
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The plan also calls for eliminating all current vacant positions at the Chicago Police Department AND cutting the CPD budget by 9%.
&mdash; Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBevanRCP/status/1658850985874190346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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One of the plan&#8217;s authors, Saqib Bhatti, was a member of Johnson&#8217;s transition team.
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Big congratulations to ACRE&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/snbhatti?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@snbhatti</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/FREEwrites_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FREEwrites_</a> for being named to two transition subcommittees for mayor-elect Brandon Johnson &amp; working toward a stronger, more equitable, safer Chicago. <a href="https://t.co/oZPZr0tUFI">https://t.co/oZPZr0tUFI</a>
&mdash; ACRE (@ACREcampaigns) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACREcampaigns/status/1653044102940819459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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ACRE touted the budget plan in a tweet claiming it would &#8220;reimagine everything in the city from policing to climate justice, housing &amp; more.&#8221;
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🚨🚨🚨 New report alert! 🚨🚨🚨
Learn how a moral budget for Chicago would reimagine everything in the city from policing to climate justice, housing &amp; more: <a href="https://t.co/o9Q4pWm11R">https://t.co/o9Q4pWm11R</a> <a href="https://t.co/fW7zCn0BS5">pic.twitter.com/fW7zCn0BS5</a>
&mdash; ACRE (@ACREcampaigns) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACREcampaigns/status/1658865069222944774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://acrecampaigns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/First-We-Get-the-Money.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">budget plan</a> calls for $12 billion in new taxes — which would reportedly come in part from reducing the Chicago Police Department <a href="https://news.wttw.com/2023/01/02/sparing-residents-tax-hikes-months-election-chicago-s-2023-budget-takes-effect#:~:text=The%20Chicago%20Police%20Department%27s%20budget,a%20total%20of%20%241.94%20billion." target="_blank" rel="noopener">budget</a> ($1.94 billion in 2023) by 9%, or approximately $175 million. The city would also eliminate all current police department vacancies – which, <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2022/8/31/23331411/cpd-chicago-police-vacancies-detectives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in August of 2022</a>, amounted to over 900 patrol officer vacancies and over 100 detective vacancies.
Corporations — or any business with at least 50 employees — would face a &#8220;head tax&#8221; of $33 per employee, which the report estimated would bring in $106 million in new revenue. Anyone making more than $100,000 would face an additional 3.5% income tax – totaling approximately $1.2 billion. The city&#8217;s top 10% of earners would also get hit with a .4% wealth tax – amounting to $960 million annually.
A real estate transfer tax on transactions of over $1 million — which the report states would generate $1.63 million in revenue — would be used to fund housing projects that the report claims would &#8220;eliminate homelessness.&#8221;
The plan also demanded that Chicago refuse to use any federal money to fund law enforcement or Wall Street interests, arguing that investing that money in public housing would contribute more to community safety.
The conclusion, according to ACRE, was that the city&#8217;s budget had to be approached from a morality standpoint – and that previous budgets had not done so to their satisfaction.
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&#8220;A city budget is a moral document. A moral budget should reflect residents’ priorities and needs. The challenges Black and Brown communities in Chicago are facing today are a direct reflection of the immoral budgets that mayors and alderpeople have imposed on residents for decades,&#8221; the report stated, claiming that Chicago&#8217;s policing system had always been &#8220;racist&#8221; and had not contributed to safer communities.

Brandon Johnson Is Sworn In As The 57th Mayor Of Chicago

‘First We Get The Money’: Chicago’s New Mayor Linked To Wild Budget Proposal That Attacks Businesses And Cops

Chicago's New Mayor Linked To Wild Budget Proposal That Attacks Businesses And Cops

Brandon Johnson

Defund The Police

Economics

Taxes

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a> is welcoming a new Democratic mayor, leftist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/brandon-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Johnson</a>, marking the beginning of a new administration that will contend with a city beset by crime.
Johnson, a former union organizer and teacher, was sworn in on Monday after running a successful campaign with a stated commitment to build a <a href="https://www.brandonforchicago.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;stronger, safer and more equitable&#8221; Chicago.</a>
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Progressive Brandon Johnson (D) has been inaugurated as mayor of Chicago after his upset win against moderate Paul Vallas last month. <a href="https://t.co/OdVeSE8ktk">pic.twitter.com/OdVeSE8ktk</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1658171792165335040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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He <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-chicago-mayoral-candidate-defeats-moderate-rival-will-succeed-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> moderate rival and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in April to succeed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-lightfoot-blames-racism-right-wing-forces-for-devastating-loss-in-chicago-i-leave-my-office-with-my-head-held-high" target="_blank" rel="noopener">incumbent Lori Lightfoot</a> after she was beaten in the February primary election.
Johnson managed to overcome criticism for his past support of the &#8220;defund the police&#8221; movement while touting a <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/clarence-page-mayor-elect-brandon-100000992.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;holistic&#8221; approach</a> to public safety.
That point of view will be tested as Chicago, the nation&#8217;s third-most populous city, continues to make national headlines for its violent crime. Seven people were killed and 20 others were wounded just this past weekend, <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-weekend-gun-violence-7-killed-5-teens-among-20-wounded/3141356/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to reports</a>.
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&#8220;Too many Chicagoans fear for their safety when they walk down the street to get groceries or drive to the gas station, because our city’s homicide and violent crime rates have consistently outpaced our peer cities,&#8221; Johnson said in <a href="https://twitter.com/Brandon4Chicago/status/1658157347959603201" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a tweet thread</a> on Monday.
In that thread, Johnson also envisioned making the city &#8220;the economic marvel of our state, the Midwest, and this nation.&#8221; This, too, will present a challenge as there are significant disparities in economic opportunity from neighborhood to neighborhood, and particularly low levels of wealth among households with people of color, as shown in an Urban Institute <a href="https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/chicago-neighborhoods-have-stark-differences-economic-opportunity#:~:text=Chicago%20typifies%20wealth%20inequity%2C%20with,wealth%20of%20%241%2C500%20or%20less." target="_blank" rel="noopener">study released in 2022</a>.
Other priorities for the mayor, as seen listed on Johnson&#8217;s <a href="https://www.brandonforchicago.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">campaign website</a>, include affordable housing, &#8220;healthcare for all,&#8221; and fully-funded schools.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/app-download?utm_campaign=editorial&amp;utm_medium=onelink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
The public got a taste of how Johnson will tackle public safety when he reacted to large crowds of rowdy teenagers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bedlam-as-hundreds-of-teenagers-inundate-downtown-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flooding the streets</a> of downtown Chicago last month.
Johnson said he did not &#8220;condone the destructive activity&#8221; witnessed at that time, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-chicago-mayor-elect-after-teenagers-violent-rampage-through-city-dont-demonize-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but stressed</a> that it &#8220;is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”
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The mayor said he is already coordinating with Fred Waller, Chicago&#8217;s new interim police superintendent, to map out ways to quell violence in the city, <a href="https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/violence-in-chicago-a-high-priority-for-brandon-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to WBBM radio</a>.
“It’s something that I’ve been focusing on throughout my entire political career,” Johnson said. “I’m raising a family in Chicago. I think about the violence that happens in the city of Chicago on a daily basis.”
Johnson faces the major task of preparing the city to host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-choose-crime-ridden-city-for-2024-convention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 2024 Democratic National Convention</a>, which is set to be held August 19-22 and attract visitors from around the country.

Chicago Welcomes New Leftist Mayor With Vision Of A ‘Safer And More Equitable’ City

Chicago Welcomes New Mayor With Vision Of A 'Safer And More Equitable' City

Elections

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a> Democratic Mayor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/lori-lightfoot?_gl=1*zagxri*_ga*NzUzNDA5ODIxLjE2NzkzMjkzNzM.*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTY4MzU2MjUwMS4xOTEuMS4xNjgzNTc0MzM1LjU2LjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Lightfoot</a> contended that the landslide defeat against her reelection campaign was attributable to “right-wing forces” and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/racism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">racial bias</a>.
Lightfoot, who overwhelmingly won the city’s mayoral election four years ago but failed to advance to the runoff this year, will depart office next week. She will be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-chicago-mayoral-candidate-defeats-moderate-rival-will-succeed-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">succeeded</a> by Brandon Johnson, the left-wing former commissioner of Cook County, who defeated Paul Vallas, the more moderate former chief executive of Chicago Public Schools.
Lightfoot said in a Monday <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tzIaWIfBys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with MSNBC that she lost because of national political tumult that caused divisions in Chicago, which she admitted is a “deep-blue Democratic city.”
“We came up short, but I leave my office with my head held high,” she asserted. “What we, I think, taught our city and taught the country is how to operationalize equity, whether it’s historic investments in affordable housing, the environment, our youth, coming up with a public safety that wasn’t just dependent upon law enforcement first and only.”
Lawlessness nevertheless <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wake-of-destruction-the-legacy-of-chicagos-departing-mayor-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rose</a> dramatically during Lightfoot’s four-year tenure: there were 490 homicides in the Windy City as of 2019, the year in which Lightfoot assumed office, while murders soared to 772 in 2020 and 800 in 2021, marking an increase of more than 58% as nationwide Black Lives Matter protests occurred in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Lightfoot, who has a personal police unit with 71 officers assigned to protect her life, meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-has-71-person-police-unit-to-protect-her-blames-trump-for-being-in-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> eliminating $80 million from the Chicago Police Department budget in 2020.
MSNBC contributor Al Sharpton asked Lightfoot whether she believes her race played a role in her defeat, even though her successor is also black. Lightfoot, who has repeatedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lightfoot-out-as-mayor-says-she-was-treated-unfairly-as-a-black-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cited</a> her race and her self-identification as a lesbian when describing her defeat, claimed that the reelection strategy of former President Donald Trump relied on attacking “cities and mayors” like herself, referencing Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta and Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C.
“There’s no question, Reverend Al, that there are some people in Chicago and across the country that don’t want mayors like me to succeed,” she continued. “When the person with the biggest megaphone and biggest stage attacks you in a way that Trump attacked us, it unleashes a set of forces that are hard to control. Those dog whistles that were blown in 2020 are still resonating today, and it was fed by the uncertainty and the anger, and then funded by right-wing forces that wanted to take down a big-city mayor.”
Lightfoot acknowledged that her successor is even more left-wing than herself even as she said that Republicans had conspired to end her career. “Unfortunately the people who were jumping on the bandwagon of a Republican posing like a Democrat now got a democratic socialist as the mayor, so be careful what you wish for,” she remarked.
Beyond the city’s dismal record on public safety, Chicago also has the second-highest tax burden in the nation for combined state and local sales tax rates, according to a <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/sales-tax-rates-by-city-2021/?utm_source=Tax+Foundation+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=7f2ef02e5b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_10_17_07_28_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8387957ec9-7f2ef02e5b-429489705&amp;mc_cid=7f2ef02e5b&amp;mc_eid=a9b206fa6a#_ftn13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> from the Tax Foundation. Lightfoot had introduced a property tax increase but reversed the policy ahead of her reelection campaign, according to a <a href="https://www.illinoispolicy.org/lightfoot-cancels-property-tax-hike-in-announcing-new-budget/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Illinois Policy Institute. Prominent businesses such as food processing company Tyson, airplane manufacturer Boeing, constriction manufacturer Caterpillar, and hedge fund Citadel announced their exits from the city during her tenure even as Lightfoot said on her campaign <a href="https://lightfootforchicago.com/economic-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> that she created “an environment that supports and sustains entrepreneurs and workers who make Chicago their home.”

Lori Lightfoot Blames Racism, ‘Right-Wing Forces’ For Devastating Loss In Chicago: ‘I Leave My Office With My Head Held High’

Lori Lightfoot Blames Racism, ‘Right-Wing Forces’ For Devastating Loss In Chicago

Al Sharpton

Racial Bias

Republican

Chicago Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Lightfoot</a> (D) is begging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to not send any more illegal aliens to the Windy City — despite the fact that just two years ago she <a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-immigration-lori-lightfoot-crime-1e53b67700ee66ceefd459d4afa57b86" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed measures</a> &#8220;strengthening&#8221; Chicago&#8217;s status as a sanctuary city.
On Sunday, the outgoing mayor sent Abbott a letter, imploring him to make Texas carry the burden of the thousands upon thousands of illegal aliens flooding the border. According to the mayor, the Texas governor is going to begin re-sending illegal immigrants via bus starting Monday to Chicago.
&#8220;Since we began responding to the arrival of migrants sent by your delegation in August 2022, we have shouldered the responsibility of caring for more than 8,000 men, women, and children with no resources of their own,&#8221; she <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Johnson/status/1652782826234818562?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in the letter. &#8220;That number continues to grow.&#8221;
In reality, Lightfoot shouldn&#8217;t be surprised Texas sent them her way. She practically asked for these individuals to come to Chicago on multiple occasions. For example, in 2019, she tweeted, &#8220;Yes, Chicago must be a sanctuary city.
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Yes, Chicago must be a sanctuary city.
We’ve got to stand up to the Trump administration’s racist, anti-immigrant terror and make sure every Chicagoan is safe, regardless of citizenship status. And we&#39;ve got to strengthen the Welcoming City Ordinance by eliminating carve-outs. <a href="https://t.co/1LNUtW8cNk">https://t.co/1LNUtW8cNk</a>
&mdash; Lori Lightfoot (@LoriLightfoot) <a href="https://twitter.com/LoriLightfoot/status/1082404937630388224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Now, she says there is no more room in her city.
&#8220;Chicago is a Welcoming City and we collaborate with County, State, and community partners to rise to this challenge, but your lack of consideration or coordination in an attempt to cause chaos and score political points has resulted in a critical tipping point in our ability to receive individuals and families in a safe, orderly, and dignified way,&#8221; she said in the letter. &#8220;We simply have no more shelters, spaces, or resources to accommodate an increase of individuals at this level, with little coordination or care, that does not pose a risk to them or others.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChicagosMayor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chicagosmayor</a> sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott urging his administration to stop the inhumane and dangerous action of bussing migrants to Chicago. 
We are aware that Texas is planning to resume bussing individuals and families to cities including Chicago. <a href="https://t.co/jvBYygcH9A">pic.twitter.com/jvBYygcH9A</a>
&mdash; Ryan Johnson (@Ryan_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Johnson/status/1652782826234818562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The letter came<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-offer-130000-for-information-leading-to-capture-of-illegal-alien-wanted-for-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> just hours after Texas authorities started a manhunt</a> for a suspected illegal alien who allegedly killed five individuals —including an eight-year-old child — in a spray of gunfire Friday night. Texas, like other border states, has been dealing with the crisis of illegal immigration for years, and that mass shooting is just the latest ramification.
What is Lightfoot&#8217;s solution to this mess? Well, she thinks that it can be solved through more federal funding and &#8220;policy changes.&#8221; Like her Democratic colleagues in New York City <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-taste-of-their-own-medicine-chip-roy-blasts-eric-adams-over-illegal-immigrant-crisis-of-democrats-own-making" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dealing with the same problem</a>, one can only assume that means amnesty.
Of course, this chaos will never end until the border is sealed and thousands of illegal aliens are deported. Don&#8217;t count on Lightfoot to send President Joe Biden a letter demanding those sorts of policies though. It seems she&#8217;d rather accuse GOP colleagues of being callous and cruel, even though for years she told illegal immigrants from around the globe that they could find sanctuary under her watch.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Lori Lightfoot, Greg Abbott

Pro-Sanctuary City Mayor Lori Lightfoot Begs Texas One Last Time To Stop Sending Illegal Aliens

Illegal Immigration

Joe Biden

A new text alert system aims to warn Chicago residents of future “teen takeovers.” This most recent “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bedlam-as-hundreds-of-teenagers-inundate-downtown-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teen takeover</a>” occurred last weekend, in which Chicago youth wreaked havoc throughout the city, committing a litany of crimes including shootings, arson, theft, and assault.
The text alert initiative, “Parents For Chicago,” is being funded by the nonprofit, “I’m Telling, Don’t Shoot,” launched by a local, independent philanthropist. Those wishing to sign up for the alert service can text “CHICAGOKIDS” to 21000, or email <a href="mailto:ParentsForChicago@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ParentsForChicago@gmail.com</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hi, Im Early Walker; founder of the non-profit I’m Telling Don’t Shoot. 
For 10 years I have stepped-up to help children impacted by gun violence in the city of Chicago with Christmas givebacks, offered rent free living, and even aided during national crises. 
%90 my own Dollars! <a href="https://t.co/9WR3NhR8df" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/9WR3NhR8df</a>
— Mr. Early Walker of W&amp;W Towing (@Early_wwtowing) <a href="https://twitter.com/Early_wwtowing/status/1481864189023072258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
While Chicago residents have decried the violence and, now, are attempting to counter it, leadership has largely defended the youths’ crimes.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot promised that the teens who committed crimes would be “dealt with,” but insisted that the community shouldn’t call the takeover “mayhem.” Three teenagers, aged 14 through 17, were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bedlam-as-hundreds-of-teenagers-inundate-downtown-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot</a> and 15 individuals were arrested as a result of the weekend-long takeover by over 100 teens throughout the city.
“I’m not going to use your language, which I think is wrong, to say there’s ‘mayhem,’” Lightfoot told reporters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“It’s wrong to say that it’s mayhem”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot reacts to the violent riots in Chicago this weekend: <a href="https://t.co/5fTXv0nlSe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/5fTXv0nlSe</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1648008692552310791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
These teen takeovers have reportedly become an annual affair, with teens circulating invites via social media as the weather warms in the city. Around 150 teens gathered in the city last Wednesday, an apparent precursor to the weekend violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Chaotic Scene Unfolds in Downtown Chicago as Teenagers Vandalize Cars and Gunfire Erupts
📌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chicago?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chicago</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Illinois?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Illinois</a> ⁰ 
There is currently a significant police response taking place in downtown Chicago due to a large group of teenagers causing chaos. They have been… <a href="https://t.co/n7xhBpsTKs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/n7xhBpsTKs</a>
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) <a href="https://twitter.com/rawsalerts/status/1647457314494971910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
The takeover nearly took the lives of one young couple, Devontae Johnson and Ashley Knutson, who’d been shopping downtown. The pair were assaulted and robbed by a group of teens, and required a passerby to intervene. Johnson and Knutson reported that the mob threatened to kill them.
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Knutson also alleged that the police drove by them as they were being attacked.
The woman who rescued the young couple, Lenora Davis, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/good-samaritan-who-stepped-save-chicago-couple-being-brutally-beaten-sends-message-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News that Lightfoot “sugarcoated” the takeover. Davis, who voted for Lightfoot, also said she disagreed with Lightfoot’s claim that most of the teens present in downtown were there for innocent reasons.
“I can’t be involved in any level of sugarcoating what I saw,&#8221; said Dennis. “That was mayhem.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lori Lightfoot said the violence frenzied teens who we’re destroying Chicago, and decided to attack a young couple walking out of Nordstroms, were just downtown enjoying the city. <a href="https://t.co/N1o04rjC61" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/N1o04rjC61</a>
— 𝔹𝕦𝕕… (@bud_cann) <a href="https://twitter.com/bud_cann/status/1648752202343936000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
Democratic Illinois state Sen. Robert Peters indicated his support for the teen takeover, preempting his comments by calling those opposed to his take as “unhinged, crime weirdo[s].”
“I would look at the behavior of young people as a political act and statement,” said Peters. “It’s a mass protest against poverty and segregation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Since I’m a glutton for punishment and I’m sure I’m gonna get the most unhinged, crime weirdo replies but:
I would look at the behavior of young people as a political act and statement. It’s a mass protest against poverty and segregation.
Rest in peace to my mentions.
— Robert Peters (@RobertJPeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertJPeters/status/1647716399928754185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-chicago-mayor-elect-after-teenagers-violent-rampage-through-city-dont-demonize-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> all those who spoke out against the teens involved in the takeover. Johnson insisted that the teens should be supported instead. He added that it was the city’s responsibility to create spaces for the teens to gather safely and responsibly.
&#8220;It is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,” said Johnson. “Make sure that young people know that they&#8217;re supported.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson doubles down on his defense of the teen rioters who looted and beat citizens.
Here is what Johnson has had to say (so far) to these violent criminals:
&#8220;It is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities… <a href="https://t.co/Z2vGe2FHEh">pic.twitter.com/Z2vGe2FHEh</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1648883730327674881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/cwZb9n1Q9i">pic.twitter.com/cwZb9n1Q9i</a>
— Brandon Johnson (@Brandon4Chicago) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brandon4Chicago/status/1647737808260583424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Crime has only worsened over the last few years under outgoing mayor Lightfoot, prompting an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wake-of-destruction-the-legacy-of-chicagos-departing-mayor-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exodus</a> of businesses and residents. Just ahead of last weekend’s teen takeover, Walmart <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walmart-closes-four-stores-in-chicago-amid-elevated-crime-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that it would be closing four of its stores due to poor performance.
Despite all of these developments, the Democratic National Committee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-choose-crime-ridden-city-for-2024-convention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chose</a> Chicago as the site for their 2024 convention.

Cell phone

Text Alert System Launches To Warn Chicago Of Future ‘Teen Takeovers’

Crime

Law Enforcement

Unruly teenage crowds in downtown <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a> attacked and robbed a young couple last weekend — who called the unprovoked assault &#8220;very random” — as more than 100 teenagers rioted throughout the Windy City.
The &#8220;Teen Takeover&#8221; produced several online videos showing young Chicagoans jumping on cars and buses, setting fires, and engaging in disruptive conduct over the past few days. The police, by their own admission, were simply too overwhelmed to stop the chaos.
One of those videos showed a mob of minors pushing Ashley Knutson, 20, to the ground, jumping her partner Devontae &#8220;DJ&#8221; Johnson, 22, in the middle of the street, and stealing belongings from the couple, including their shoes, phones, a pair of glasses, an Apple Watch, and a hat, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/mob-randomly-attacks-couple-walking-chicago-kill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;It was very random because all we were doing [is] we had just left Nordstrom, and we were looking for somewhere to eat, and we saw that group, and they just thought they were tough, and they wouldn&#8217;t move out the way, just out there being stupid, young and dumb, trying to prove a point for nothing,&#8221; DJ told the news outlet while recovering from shoulder and back injuries and a black eye. &#8220;That&#8217;s how that happened.&#8221;
Ashley and DJ told the outlet that the mob threatened them, saying, &#8220;they were going to kill us.&#8221;
Ashley added that she witnessed local police drive past her and DJ during the altercation.
&#8220;They almost had to avoid the collision to get past us, but they just drove by the incident in the middle of the street,&#8221; she said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Lori Lightfoot said the violence frenzied teens who we’re destroying Chicago, and decided to attack a young couple walking out of Nordstroms, were just downtown enjoying the city. <a href="https://t.co/N1o04rjC61">pic.twitter.com/N1o04rjC61</a>
&mdash; 𝔹𝕦𝕕 &amp; ℂ𝕒𝕤𝕖𝕪… (@bud_cann) <a href="https://twitter.com/bud_cann/status/1648752202343936000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson told an <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-teens-take-over-streets-loop-teen-takeover-downtown/13147599/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> affiliate that authorities involved in dealing with downtown disturbances want to enforce the law, but refrain from doing so out of fear of getting reprimanded by their superiors or losing their jobs altogether.
&#8220;What I&#8217;m hearing from cops is that you know these young folks are taunting them, ha, ha, ha, you can&#8217;t chase me, you can&#8217;t do this,&#8221; Johnson said, adding that new policies make them feel like their hands are tied.
&#8220;Damned if they do, damned if they don&#8217;t,&#8221; Johnson said.
Illinois State Senator Robert Peters, who represents pockets of Chicago, defended the teen mob in a tweet, claiming the behavior seen by the teenagers taking over areas of the city as a &#8220;political act and statement.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s a mass protest against poverty and segregation,&#8221; Peters said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Since I’m a glutton for punishment and I’m sure I’m gonna get the most unhinged, crime weirdo replies but:
I would look at the behavior of young people as a political act and statement. It’s a mass protest against poverty and segregation. 
Rest in peace to my mentions.
&mdash; Robert Peters (@RobertJPeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertJPeters/status/1647716399928754185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The incident marked one of many chaotic scenes that unfolded in Chicago last weekend. Other videos showed dozens of teenagers jumping on a bus and smashing its windows while another massive brawl at Millennium Park broke out that left two teenagers shot and 15 others arrested.
Outgoing Chicago Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot condemned local media for calling the scenes &#8220;mayhem,&#8221; claiming the mass majority of those involved in the chaos were downtown due to &#8220;great weather&#8221; and &#8220;an opportunity to enjoy the city,&#8221; the Daily Mail reported.
&#8220;That&#8217;s absolutely, entirely appropriate. &#8230; There are a few that came with different intentions,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They have, and they will be dealt with. But I&#8217;m not going to use your language, which I think is wrong, to say there&#8217;s ‘mayhem.’”
Chicago&#8217;s Democratic Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson said on Sunday that he does not &#8220;condone the destructive activity,&#8221; stating such lawlessness is &#8220;unacceptable and has no place&#8221; in the Windy City, according to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11988761/Chicago-couple-battered-violent-mob-condemn-random-attack-state-senator-DEFENDS-rioters.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Daily Mail</a>.
However, Johnson also argued that the destruction should not serve as an excuse to demonize the teenagers involved.
“It is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Our city must work together to create spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly, under adult guidance and supervision, to ensure that every part of our city remains welcome for both residents and visitors.&#8221;

Daily Life In Chicago

Young Chicago Couple Attacked By Teenage Mob Describes Altercation As ‘Very Random’ While Illinois Sen. Calls Violence ‘A Political Act’

Young Chicago Couple Attacked By Teenage Mob Describes Altercation As 'Very Random' While Illinois Sen. Calls Violence 'A Political Act'

Teenagers

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/walmart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walmart</a> announced the closure of four stores in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a>, Illinois, on Tuesday due to poor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/business" target="_blank" rel="noopener">performance</a> at the locations, a move that also occurs as the city sees worsening <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crime</a> rates.
The retail behemoth said that the four locations “have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago” with annual losses doubling in the past five years. The four Walmart stores that remain open “continue to face the same difficulties,” but executives believe shuttering some of the locations creates the best opportunity to keep the others open.
“Over the years, we have tried many different strategies to improve the business performance of these locations, including building smaller stores, localizing product assortment and offering services beyond traditional retail,” Walmart said in a <a href="https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2023/04/11/walmart-announces-closure-of-four-chicago-stores" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “It was hoped that these investments would help improve our stores’ performance. Unfortunately, these efforts have not materially improved the fundamental business challenges our stores are facing.”
Associates at the affected locations will be permitted to transfer elsewhere. Walmart added that they will continue seeking solutions to “racial inequity and food deserts” in Chicago.
The decision to shutter the four locations comes one month after Walmart closed the firm’s remaining two stores in Portland, Oregon. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/06/walmart-ceo-says-shoplifting-could-lead-to-price-jumps-store-closures.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with CNBC last year that the company has been impacted by an uptick in shoplifting and warned that “stores will close” if the phenomenon is not resolved by city officials.
“Theft is an issue. It’s higher than what it has historically been,” he commented. “We’ve got safety measures, security measures that we’ve put in place by store location. I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and that’s normally how we approach it.”
Lawlessness in Chicago has indeed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wake-of-destruction-the-legacy-of-chicagos-departing-mayor-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> dramatically over the past four years. There were 490 homicides in the Windy City as of 2019 before murders soared to 772 in 2020 and 800 in 2021 as nationwide Black Lives Matter protests occurred in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Chicago Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has a personal police unit with 71 officers assigned to protect her life, meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-has-71-person-police-unit-to-protect-her-blames-trump-for-being-in-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> eliminating $80 million from the Chicago Police Department budget in 2020.
Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-chicago-mayoral-candidate-defeats-moderate-rival-will-succeed-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elected</a> last week to succeed Lightfoot as the next mayor of Chicago; he defeated former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, a moderate rival who had supported increasing law enforcement and bolstering public safety, in a relatively close race.
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Johnson garnered criticism throughout the campaign, which centered largely on the city’s struggles to handle rising violent crime, for his description of the “defund the police” movement as an “actual, real political goal” in a 2020 radio interview. He <a href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/03/16/im-not-going-to-defund-the-police-brandon-johnson-tries-to-set-the-record-straight-on-his-public-safety-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denounced</a> the statement in later interviews as Vallas made his initial remarks a feature in his campaign advertisements.
The announcement of the Walmart closures also comes on the same day reports <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-choose-crime-ridden-city-for-2024-convention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that the Democratic National Committee selected Chicago as the host city for the 2024 convention, where President Joe Biden is expected to secure the nomination to run for a second term.

Walmart Quarterly Revenue Surges 8.6 Percent During COVID-19 Pandemic

Walmart Closes Four Stores In Chicago Amid Elevated Crime Rates

Walmart Closes Four Stores In Chicago

Business

Walmart

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson was elected on Tuesday as the next mayor of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a>, defeating moderate rival and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas to succeed the incumbent <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Lightfoot</a>.
The three Democrats competed in a February primary election which disqualified Lightfoot, who finished third against Johnson and Vallas, rendering her the first Chicago mayor in four decades to lose her re-election bid. Johnson had clinched 51.4% of the tabulated <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/us/elections/chicago-mayor-election-brandon-johnson.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vote</a> as of late Tuesday night with 91% of expected ballots reporting, while Vallas had 48.6%.
“Tonight is the beginning of a Chicago that truly invests in all of its people,” Johnson said in his victory <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmGYSAx5E_8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speech</a>. “The heart of this movement has always been about investing in people.”
Johnson garnered criticism throughout the campaign, which centered largely on the city’s struggles to handle rising violent crime, for his description of the “defund the police” movement as an “actual, real political goal” in a 2020 radio interview. He <a href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/03/16/im-not-going-to-defund-the-police-brandon-johnson-tries-to-set-the-record-straight-on-his-public-safety-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denounced</a> the statement in later interviews, which Vallas made a feature in his campaign advertisements.
Lawlessness indeed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wake-of-destruction-the-legacy-of-chicagos-departing-mayor-lori-lightfoot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rose</a> dramatically during Lightfoot’s four-year tenure. There were 490 homicides in the Windy City as of 2019, the year in which Lightfoot assumed office, while murders soared to 772 in 2020 and 800 in 2021, marking an increase of more than 58% as nationwide Black Lives Matter protests occurred in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Lightfoot, who has a personal police unit with 71 officers assigned to protect her life, meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-has-71-person-police-unit-to-protect-her-blames-trump-for-being-in-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> eliminating $80 million from the Chicago Police Department budget in 2020.
Johnson said on his campaign <a href="https://www.brandonforchicago.com/on-the-issues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> that he will “work with police and first responders to invest in community-based interventions that de-escalate conflict, reduce violence and make our neighborhoods safer.” Vallas, on the other hand, vowed on his <a href="https://www.paulvallas2023.com/publicsafety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> that he would increase the number of sworn officers and consider public safety a “basic human right.”
Vallas was endorsed by the Chicago Police Union, while Johnson was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, which provoked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-can-cancel-school-until-june-and-ill-be-fine-chicago-teachers-union-forces-290000-children-out-of-normal-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism</a> in the wake of government lockdowns for opposing the rollback of virtual instruction.
Prominent businesses such as food processing company Tyson, airplane manufacturer Boeing, and construction machinery firm Caterpillar have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-large-company-announces-departure-from-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that they would shutter major offices or move their headquarters from Chicago in recent months. Lightfoot, who excused her primary election loss by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lightfoot-out-as-mayor-says-she-was-treated-unfairly-as-a-black-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noting</a> that she is a “black woman in America,” nevertheless said on her campaign <a href="https://lightfootforchicago.com/economic-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> that she was “committed to attracting new businesses” and “creating an environment that supports and sustains entrepreneurs and workers.”
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The “tax fairness plan” released by Johnson would <a href="https://www.brandonforchicago.com/issues/city-budget-and-revenue#:~:text=BRANDON%20JOHNSON'S%20PLAN%20TO%20STOP,all%20without%20raising%20property%20taxes." target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase</a> taxes on “big corporations and the ultra-rich” through a per-employee “head tax” and new fees on hotel reservations. Chicago has the second-highest tax burden in the nation for combined state and local sales tax rates, according to a 2021 <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/sales-tax-rates-by-city-2021/?utm_source=Tax+Foundation+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=7f2ef02e5b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_10_17_07_28_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8387957ec9-7f2ef02e5b-429489705&amp;mc_cid=7f2ef02e5b&amp;mc_eid=a9b206fa6a#_ftn13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> from the Tax Foundation.
Businesses have also fled the city in response to higher crime rates. Ken Griffin, the former richest man in Illinois and current chief executive of hedge fund Citadel, moved much of his personal estate and business to Miami in response to the phenomenon. He indicated during one <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illinois-former-wealthiest-man-reveals-the-breaking-points-that-prompted-his-move-to-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that a breaking point was the violent assault of two separate colleagues: the former was robbed after a person put “a gun to his head” during a coffee run, and another was attacked by “some random lunatic just trying to punch him in the head” while he was waiting for a car.

Chicago Mayoral Candidate Brandon Johnson Holds Election Night Event

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Leftist Chicago Mayoral Candidate Defeats Moderate Rival

Election

Violent Crime

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election campaign, rendering her the first chief executive of the Windy City in four decades to lose re-election.
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-democrat-mayor-lori-lightfoot-loses-re-election-race-as-crime-soars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advance</a> to a runoff election after each garnered more votes than the incumbent. Lightfoot, who frequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lightfoot-out-as-mayor-says-she-was-treated-unfairly-as-a-black-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">touts</a> her race and her self-identification as a lesbian, justified her loss to a reporter by noting that she is a “black woman in America,” but residents have a multitude of valid reasons to dismiss Lightfoot.
Crime rose dramatically during Lightfoot’s four-year tenure in Chicago City Hall. There were 490 homicides in the Windy City as of 2019, the year in which Lightfoot assumed office. Murders soared to 772 in 2020 and 800 in 2021, marking an increase of more than 58% as Black Lives Matter protests rocked the nation in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
Lightfoot, who has a personal police unit with 71 officers assigned to protect her life, meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-has-71-person-police-unit-to-protect-her-blames-trump-for-being-in-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> eliminating $80 million from the Chicago Police Department budget in 2020 as the Defund the Police movement gained momentum among prominent Democrats. She accordingly lost the respect of law enforcement: police officers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-cops-turn-backs-on-mayor-after-female-cop-killed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turned</a> their backs on Lightfoot as she addressed reporters while one of their wounded colleagues was fighting for his life. 
“Turning their backs on the mayor was an excellent example of how the hundreds of police officers felt waiting outside the hospital,” Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said in an <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2021/8/9/22616490/chicago-cops-give-cold-shoulder-mayor-lori-lightfoot-hospital-ella-french" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with the Chicago Sun-Times. “They have had enough and are no longer going to remain silent anymore.”
Lightfoot has nevertheless boasted about the “real progress” she purportedly made on crime due to the marginal decreases in murders and shootings between 2021 and 2022, which still far exceeded the levels of criminality witnessed before she assumed office. “We have come a long way in making our city safer, but Mayor Lightfoot knows the work is not yet finished,” said her campaign <a href="https://lightfootforchicago.com/public-safety/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, which said she would hire hundreds more police officers if re-elected. “These investments represent her commitment to taking the necessary steps in this crucial work, and making sure Chicagoans in every neighborhood are safe and feel safe.”
Crime rates are one of several factors behind a mass exodus of businesses from the area. Ken Griffin, the former richest man in Illinois and current chief executive of hedge fund Citadel, moved much of his personal estate and business to Miami in response to the phenomenon. The multibillionaire and Republican megadonor indicated during one <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illinois-former-wealthiest-man-reveals-the-breaking-points-that-prompted-his-move-to-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that a breaking point was the violent assault of two separate colleagues: the former was robbed after a person put “a gun to his head” during a coffee run, and another was attacked by “some random lunatic just trying to punch him in the head” while he was waiting for a car.
Beyond the city’s lackluster record on public safety, Chicago also has the second-highest tax burden in the nation for combined state and local sales tax rates, according to a <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/sales-tax-rates-by-city-2021/?utm_source=Tax+Foundation+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=7f2ef02e5b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_10_17_07_28_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8387957ec9-7f2ef02e5b-429489705&amp;mc_cid=7f2ef02e5b&amp;mc_eid=a9b206fa6a#_ftn13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> from the Tax Foundation. Lightfoot had proposed a property tax hike but reversed the policy ahead of her re-election campaign, according to a <a href="https://www.illinoispolicy.org/lightfoot-cancels-property-tax-hike-in-announcing-new-budget/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Illinois Policy Institute.
The pressures have led other prominent businesses to leave Chicago: food processing company Tyson, airplane manufacturer Boeing, and construction machinery firm Caterpillar have also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-large-company-announces-departure-from-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that they would shutter offices or move their headquarters from the city. Lightfoot still proclaimed on her campaign <a href="https://lightfootforchicago.com/economic-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> that she is “committed to attracting new businesses” and “creating an environment that supports and sustains entrepreneurs and workers who make Chicago their home.” 
The departure of businesses occurs alongside a migration of residents away from Chicago. The region lost more than 91,000 people between 2020 and 2021 alone, according to a <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-census-chicago-metro-20220324-vyeushuf7vdw7jvg6s7hp6jdxa-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Chicago Tribune, following a trend seen in other major cities which instituted harsh lockdown mandates. Lightfoot <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoots-heavy-hand-vaccine-free-your-time-is-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">informed</a> unvaccinated residents as late as December 2021 that their “time is up” and said that her public health mandates were “inconvenient by design.”
Despite the failures under her administration, Lightfoot <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-lightfoot-endorses-herself-getting-1st-pay-hike-for-chicago-mayor-in-16-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> a plan at the end of last year that would grant her a 5% pay raise, marking the first wage hike for her position in nearly two decades. Lightfoot, however, will now have to find a new position altogether.
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Holds Election Night Event

Wake Of Destruction: The Legacy Of Chicago’s Departing Mayor Lori Lightfoot

Wake Of Destruction: The Legacy Of Chicago's Departing Mayor Lori Lightfoot

Chicago Police

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