Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here. I do thank you.
I want to begin today by discussing updates on the two tragic incidents which have cast a shadow over our city in recent days.
Charges have been filed in the case that led to firefighter and EMT Michael Altman's death.
I again want to thank Michael for his love and sacrifice for the city of Chicago.
Every day our firefighters lead with unwavering courage and strength.
Just as Michael did, the women and men of the Chicago Police and Fire Department
who pursued this case served our city honorably and with incredible dedication.
Their investigation quickly identified the individual we believe is responsible for the fire
and the loss of one of our own.
We continue to grieve Michael's life and pray for his family.
Today I am renewing my call for every Chicagoan to show up for and support our first responders
as they continue to put their lives before others.
You know, as I prepare to send my oldest son off to college this fall,
I can't stop thinking about the Gorman family as they bear the unimaginable loss of their daughter, Sheridan.
What I want for my child is what I want for every single child and every single person in this city.
That is to be safe and to live out their purpose without fear.
Disturbing acts of violence like this set us back as a city.
We will not tolerate those who break the law and put the lives of others in danger.
And as they do on a regular basis, our Chicago Police Department led a swift and decisive investigation
and identified the person that is suspected of being responsible for her death.
My administration will continue to hold those who commit acts of violence accountable
as we continue to make the critical investments that our city needs to heal and reach our full potential.
With that in mind, I want to take a moment to speak to you all about our investments in community safety
as we get ready to approach the summer months.
As we continue to revamp and modernize our Detectives Bureau,
next week we will celebrate the graduation of 48 new detectives.
These detectives will continue to lead investigations that will bring closure to families and individuals who have suffered or experienced violence.
We know that effective policing that ensures there are consequences when someone breaks the law is one of the best deterrents to crime and violence,
particularly when we have more resources at our disposal to be able to get swift accountability.
In a similar vein, we are moving to strategically deploy additional safety resources to our trains and buses, including additional patrol hours by our CPD officers and a new partnership with the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
As we have sought to address persistent rates of violence on the CTA, we are directing the full force of government towards ensuring Chicagoans can feel safe during their commute.
This includes homelessness outreach and services for those sheltering on our transit system.
We are expanding the number of dedicated shelter beds for the CTA to utilize, and CTA has partnered with CDPH.
to help connect people in need with social services and housing.
The CTA is also launching crisis intervention specialists and violence interrupters
who will work to de-escalate mental health and behavioral crises
and connect riders to the critical services that are needed.
These full force of government efforts are already providing the type of transformative nature
that this city deserves as it relates to our public transportation system.
Transit worker assaults fell by 29 percent in February, while violent crime on buses has declined by 19 percent.
Do not misunderstand me.
There is more work to do, and we will continue to extend vital resources and opportunities
while ensuring we are investing in the personnel and technology that we need to deter unlawful activity.
As it begins to warm up, we are continuing to build upon our efforts to offer our young people safe
and constructive spaces to grow as individuals and have fun with their friends.
On Saturday, in partnership with My Shy, My Future,
our office will be holding the annual Teen Bash at Navy Pier.
This free event invites Chicagoans from across the city to have fun in a responsible way
and to enjoy our downtown while connecting with summer jobs
and other opportunities at our on-site teen resource fair.
And as a reminder, the application period for our newly minted Chicago Youth Works program for summer employment and career exploration is now open through May 29th.
I encourage all young people between the ages of 14 to 24 to apply as soon as possible.
During this last budget cycle, I fought hard to maintain the number of young people that we are able to invest in and hire.
31,119 is not just a number, but it represents an investment in their future and the future of our city.
We know that these opportunities have resulted in the reduction of violence where violence is most pervasive.
This is true for my neighborhood in Austin, where last summer we hired 1,829 young people
and experienced simultaneous a 30.8% reduction in shootings and a 30.4% reduction in homicides.
This is also true for Auburn-Gresham, where 976 people were hired
and there was a 28.6% reduction in shootings and a 66.7% reduction in homicides.
There are countless examples of how our investments lead to actual results.
We will continue to fight for these opportunities and make the necessary investments
in our safety infrastructure to ensure that every Chicagoan can feel peace of mind
and feel secure in their own community.
And to the people of Chicago, I want to make something absolutely clear,
that I remain committed to investing in all of Chicago
and the future of our great city.
And with that, I'm happy to take any of your questions.
Good morning, good morning.
We're going to do one question, one follow-up.
Hi, Mayor.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Mayor, last week when you dismissed Gary and Gatewood and Manny Whitfield,
Were you aware, as Whitfield told Fox 32 yesterday, that they had filed a complaint with the Office of the Inspector General against Jason Lee and Christina?
That was not brought to my attention.
Have you followed up?
Do you know if Christina and Jason were aware of that?
It was not brought to any of our attention.
Okay.
And then a different topic.
The 1901 projects, you're supporting a big property tax break for them, $55 million over 12 years.
Why is that appropriate, especially given that in the two years since that project has been unveiled and discussed,
it's never been brought to the forefront that they would receive property tax subsidy?
Well, look, that project, as you know, of many of the large projects that I've initiated since I've been mayor,
is really about providing the economic vibrancy to expand,
particularly on the west side of Chicago.
And so this is a project that is going to create thousands of jobs
and opportunities for the people across the city,
but particularly for development on the west side.
And furthermore, what this also indicates is our commitment
to continue to attract large-scale development.
And whether it's on the southeast side of Chicago,
which, as you know, we worked with the county, President Perkwinkle, to provide support for this multi-billion dollar project.
This is a clear indication that the city of Chicago remains open for business, but we're just not for sale.
Hi, Mayor. I certainly heard your heartfelt words about Firefighter Altman,
and you've talked about your support for first responders and your solemn duty for public safety.
So given that, why do you believe that Manny Whitfield and Gary and Gatewood would accuse your senior leadership team
of this hostility toward law enforcement? These are the things that they told us.
Yeah, well, look, I can't speak to why someone makes a claim.
I can only demonstrate and speak to the work that I've done.
And as I've said repeatedly, the women and men who serve our city on the front line deserve the ultimate level of respect.
And that's why I appreciate what the superintendent Snelling has done, as well as Commissioner Nance Holt,
to begin to restore relationships within community around our first responders.
Look, there's no secret that there has been some strain within community,
and it's a clear indication that we're moving in the right direction
with not just the results that we are experiencing,
but the fact that every time one of our first responders,
whether it was noted in the press or not, experienced harm,
I've shown up for those families, and not just as mayor of the city of Chicago,
but as a Chicagoan where I've led prayers with these families.
I mean, look, it's why I believe it was important that we settled both of those contracts.
You know, some argue that we actually gave them too much, right?
That was in the press.
And I think it's important that the individuals that do the type of work that our first responders do,
that they have to continue to be respected.
They certainly are admired and appreciated.
Again, I can't speak to anyone else's assertion.
I can only just speak to the evidence.
And I've shown up for our first responders, and so has my administration.
In fact, if you just would allow me to just go down memory lane quickly,
I believe that there was a claim that somehow if you elected me as mayor of the city of Chicago,
that there would be mass exodus and that there would be blood flowing through the streets of Chicago,
neither of which are true, right?
We're about to go to another graduation where we are graduating more first responders.
we were able to settle both of those contracts and give them fair compensation.
And I'm calling on the entire city of Chicago to put their arms around our first responders
because, of course, they're doing God's work.
And I know you don't like to talk about personnel issues,
but another thing that they obviously chose to speak out and they wanted to –
they were sore about the fact that they believed their work contributed to these historic drops in violence.
And so why a different direction if their work had been successful?
Look, there are a number of people who have served my administration.
They've done it honorably, and they all should be commended.
These jobs are not easy.
And here's what my focus has always been, and we're going to continue this focus.
I said that we have to revamp our Detectives Bureau so that it is sharper
and is far more engaging with other divisions within the police department.
And we've done that.
As a result, we have a clearance rate of now 75%, and Superintendent Snelling, along with Chief Urseti, have done an incredible job at ensuring that our Detectives Bureau has been revamped at my direction.
And it's not just Chief Urseti or Superintendent Snelling.
It's all of those detectives and all of the patrol officers, the counterintelligence, they all play a part in solving crime in the city of Chicago.
In other words, it's not just on Chief Versetti, it's not just on Superintendent Snelli, it's the entire division.
We also said that we have to invest more in CBI.
I fought in this large budget to ensure that there are more resources that can go towards CBI.
That also contributed.
It's not just one CBI group, it's multiple groups, right?
Same thing with youth employment.
It's not enough to just hire young people out of one particular community.
We have spread that out throughout the entire city of Chicago.
our investment in providing support for individuals who are suffering
and dealing with domestic and gender-based violence,
all of that plays a part in driving violence down the city of Chicago.
I am not going to be satisfied with just a reduction.
One homicide, one shooting is one too many.
There's more work to be done, and we're going to continue that work,
and I give my commitment to the people of Chicago
that the top priority to build safe and affordable communities still remains.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
Excuse me.
In your statement yesterday about ICE agents at the airports,
you said that you would use every tool in your administration's toolbox
to ensure that undocumented Chicagoans can travel safely.
Can you kind of talk about what tools you're referring to,
how you are monitoring the airports?
What the city can do if it does feel that ICE agents are overstepping their roles at O'Hare.
Well, first of all, Commissioner McMurray, he is providing great leadership with our Aviation Division Department,
and we are monitoring the situation closely.
We understand that there are roughly 75 ICE agents that have been deployed over a couple of shifts.
We want to ensure that they're not engaged in activity that sets us back as a city.
things as simple as making sure that they're not wearing masks as far as the tools are concerned
my toolbox has had toolbox has not changed and whether that's litigation whether that's executive
order whether that's legislation all of that will always remain on the table to ensure that we're
protecting the people of our city and did you receive the information about the 75 ice agents
being deployed to o'hare from dhs directly and does that signal a higher level of coordination
than in the past?
Well, I think that the ultimate signal that they're still sending
is that this administration doesn't respect workers, right?
The motivation behind this is because they said that TSA needs more support,
but TSA would not be under these circumstances if we actually pay these workers.
I'm calling on the President of the United States of America
to negotiate in good faith with these workers to ensure that the very people
who are purposed to make traveling safe and fluid and efficient,
that those workers, those women and men who serve this country
in that capacity, that they are fully and properly compensated.
I'm proud of our pro-worker position here in Chicago,
but this is only a conversation because the president is neglecting
his responsibility to ensure that working people are invested in.
And did you get it correctly?
My conversations with my police superintendent.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
I have asked the Chicago Police Department to provide the letter required by the management ordinance
to update you and members of city council committee chairs about the progress made on an early warning system
regarding Chicago police officers.
They are five days overdue responding to that FOIA.
I think maybe one of the last times we spoke, you said that that letter would be provided very soon.
what's the holdup? Have you seen that letter and are they just not
providing it to WTTW News? I can inquire. I have
not seen that letter yet and I'm happy to make sure that that request
is fulfilled. The executive order
that you issued January 31st gave CPD 30 days to finalize
the policy and how they would interact with ICE if there
were allegations of misconduct in ongoing raids. That
policy is not yet final, and it is now significantly overdue. Do you know what the hangup is on
that policy?
Well, first of all, it has been finalized. What the executive order did, it gave CPD
30 days to review its policy and to see if its current policy is applicable, or are there
are other measures that need to be put in place. It turns out that the policy that they
have in place is applicable to what we're asking them to do. And again, we'll make sure
that that gets released and fully published.
CPD specifically told me that a new policy is in draft form and is not allowed to be
released under FOIA. So if your office could help me clarify whether there is a new policy
and if that new policy exists to release it publicly.
Here's my understanding, is that the policy that they have in place to ensure that the type of evidence that would be received on site
and how that information can be used to transfer over to the state's attorney to move forward with their investigation,
that the policy, as I understand it, is applicable to what this executive order is calling for.
We're certainly happy to get any clarification that you need.
Good morning, Mayor.
Good morning.
Did you interview Myesha Porter for the CPS CEO job,
and what can you tell us about what you know the reason might be for her withdrawing from the process?
I did not interview her, and you would have to ask her.
Where are we in that process?
We're going through the interview process.
Yeah, that hasn't changed.
Second round of conversations?
Yeah.
Okay.
All right.
And soon then, I guess.
I mean, look, these conversations have been very fruitful.
Okay.
Perhaps you saw the story about Susana Mendoza and Governor Pritzker exchanging tax messages over the federal tax incentive program where taxpayers could receive $1,700 for donations to scholarship organizations for both public and private schools.
Do you think the state of Illinois should opt in to that program, given that that would help people with CPS?
What would help the students at Chicago Public Schools is that we have a tax structure that fully funds Chicago Public Schools.
I just find it to be short-sighted and diminishing to not have a fruitful conversation about progressive revenue.
70% of Illinoisans have all said that our schools across the state of Illinois need to be better funded.
And the way in which we can do that is through a millionaire's tax, a digital ad tax, right?
And so whether, again, you live in Kankakee or whether you live in East St. Louis or Peoria, Waukegan, Elgin, Chicago,
our school districts are not funded to the extent in which our children and our families deserve.
And so I believe that's what our focus should be.
That's what the people of Chicago want.
They want our public education to be fully funded.
It's why I released the largest TIF surplus in the history of Chicago
to ensure that I did my part to support the families of this city.
We have seen our system and our district shift in a direction
that I believe speaks to the needs and demands of working people.
I think if Democrats are going to argue over or anything,
it's just we should just simply argue over not whether or not we're going to tax them,
but what rate will we actually tax them at?
Good morning, Mayor.
Good morning.
Good morning.
I know that thing is kind of going around.
Yeah, it is.
Former Deputy Mayor Gatewood and May Whitfield, as Paris mentioned,
have both alleged that their firings were a result of the public safety office going in a different direction.
Can you confirm if that office is going in a different direction and what that strategy might be?
Yeah, look, our strategy has always been that we have to invest in the very communities that have been historically ignored, right?
We have seen the punitive approach where, you know, you've had, I guess, an oversimplified, misguided policies of locking people up.
and that just has not resulted in the reduction of violence.
Now, what we can say, though, is, as I pointed out,
that where the neighborhoods where we hired a significant number of young people,
we've also seen a reduction.
So we're going to continue to expand on those programs,
one of which I'm very proud of.
Our street and sanitation commissioner, Cole Stoller,
I had an idea a couple of administrations ago that we embraced,
where we hired seniors who are graduating from Chicago Public Schools
to work for streets and sanitation over the summer.
The first cohort, I believe we hired 75 of them, of which 54 stayed.
They're going into their third year.
They're going to earn $90,000 a year as a 22-year-old living in Chicago.
The second cohort, this past summer, we hired 100.
83 or 84 of them stayed.
These young people are on better trajectories in terms of financial stability than I was.
And I have six degrees between me and my wife.
My first job as a public school teacher here in Chicago, I was earning $45,000 a year with a master's degree.
And I still love the position and still one of the best experiences I've ever had.
And it clearly I wasn't teaching for pay.
Right. But we also know that as we work to create safe and affordable communities, this is how we do it.
And so that work is going to continue our reentry.
You know, I hired for the first time in the history of Chicago director of the reentry.
We're going to double down on those efforts. We're going to make sure that C.V.I. is fully invested in.
And I worked hard fight this budget to ensure that we're putting more money towards our C.V.I. work.
Those numbers, in terms of reduction, are stronger where CVI workers were present, some as high as 45 to 50 percent reduction.
We have to invest in that type of programming.
We're going to continue to support work to reduce domestic violence in the city of Chicago.
We saw last year there was an uptick where people were losing their lives because of domestic disputes.
And so we've put millions of dollars into that effort.
All I'm saying is community safety is still my top priority,
and my focus is going to be doubling down on the efforts that have proven to be strong strategies,
and I'm looking forward to our work that we will continue to lead in this city
and to be an example for the rest of the country.
Got it.
And on a different topic, with zoning committee business stalled,
are you officially leaving it to the city council to pick a new zoning chair and solve this impasse?
Do you see it as your responsibility to step in in some way to ensure that the dozens of stalled developments move forward?
Yeah, look, I'm still engaged and there's still development that's happening in the city of Chicago.
The city has not stopped working throughout this entire process.
You know, and I'm going to continue to work with city council so that there's real parity on city council, particularly around chairs.
Everybody knows that there are more, there's more diversity within our committee chairs than we've ever had in the city of Chicago.
I go, many of the chairs that I've even identified did not necessarily support me when I ran for office,
so there was no, you know, to the victor goals, the spoils, right?
I didn't take the approach of President Jackson, Johnson, rather.
But, you know, look, I think our work is still very much aligned with building safe and affordable communities,
and we'll continue to do that.
Straight to the question.
Mayor Johnson, Bethany McGee, I don't know if you remember her name.
She was set on fire on a CTA train by a repeat violent offender
who was out on the street because of your policies.
She never would have been set on fire.
She would be living her life right now, but for your policies.
Now, again, we have another young lady, 18-year-old Irish girl, Sheridan Gorman,
who is dead at the hands of a suspect, an illegal alien,
who, once again, was out on the streets because of your policies, okay?
What's your question?
He wanted – I'm sorry.
Don't interrupt me.
Don't interrupt me.
Get to the question.
Respect the question.
Don't interrupt me.
Respect the question.
What question?
Respect the question.
Ask it.
What's the question?
All right, correct.
Could you have a little respect?
It goes both ways, William.
Sheridan Gorman is dead today at the hands of a suspect, an illegal alien,
who was out on the streets because of your policies.
You've spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to protect these illegal aliens.
You've instructed the Chicago Police Department not to turn them over to ICE.
do you have anything
you didn't even issue
a statement
which I guess is better
than the statement you released
announcing that
Bethany McGee was an isolated
incident
did you coordinate with
Governor Pritzker not to read his statements
as a way of trying
to diminish
the death
I think I understand your question
So there was no coordination between me or any other level of government around this tragedy.
What I can say is it is a tragedy.
And, look, as someone who is raising a family.
Do you want the answer to your question?
I want to answer the question here.
And, look, as I said in my opening remarks, as I prepare to send my child off to college,
Of course, you want to send them into a place that they're going to thrive and grow.
And it's heartbreaking.
You know, it's a tragedy.
And what I can say, though, is that my work to continue to create safe and affordable communities,
that that work doesn't stop when we have a tragedy like this.
And as we continue to grieve the loss of Sheridan and other victims who have fallen because of senseless violence,
We're going to double down on our efforts to ensure that we create safe communities across the city,
and we're going to continue to pray for those victims.
Will you take this opportunity to apologize to Sheridan's parents for the policies that you promoted
that directly caused her death?
That suspect would not be in the city, would not be in the country, but for your policies.
Will you take this opportunity to apologize to Sheridan's parents?
Again, I believe that we're all grieving the loss of Sheridan and other folks who have lost their lives because of sentence violence.
And let's just be very clear, between the Safety Act and the Welcoming City Ordinance,
the Welcoming City Ordinance was passed 40 years ago by the first black mayor in the history of Chicago,
and the Safety Act was passed under the governor at that time, who was a Republican, Governor Rauner.
Thank you for your questions.
Well, I apologize to Sheridan's parents.
Hi, Mayor.
I apologize. You have nothing to say to that.
I want to follow up on some of the other appointments.
What's taking so long to get somebody appointed to head the CTA, and what's your timeline for CPS CEO?
Yes, you know, again, for the CPS CEO, the Board of Education, under the leadership and direction of President Hardin,
went through a quite comprehensive process, and a couple of names have been submitted to me for review,
And I'm having those conversations. So that process is well on the way. Look, the school year is not over yet. School year doesn't begin until obviously August. And right now our focus is going to be on, you know, getting this class of 2026 across the finish line.
As you know, we've seen two charter operators crumble as what we essentially prognosticated years ago.
And the district is now absorbing a system that we've said from the very beginning was built in a house of cards.
So that work is still ongoing and those conversations that I'm having with these two candidates have been very strong conversations.
conversations, and I'll be able to make a decision in short order.
You know, as far as CTA is concerned, you know, look, going through a comprehensive
process to ensure that we get it right, there's nothing wrong with that.
There's nothing wrong with that.
And, you know, even with an interim, my administration was able to effectively work with the General
Assembly, and we secured the resources that our public transportation system deserves
and needs.
Since I've been in office, ridership has continued to go up as we continue to address public safety matters.
So the work is not being interrupted by this thoughtful process.
And my responsibility is to make sure that we identify and that we appoint people who fully reflect the needs and desires of the working people of this city.
And as we have gotten other measures right, like driving violence down, investing in young people, ensuring that we're experiencing economic vibrancy in this city, returning people to work and getting folks activated in our downtown neighborhood and neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago, that work is manifesting in a very positive direction.
I fully expect that these appointments will continue to help us drive further development
and opportunities for the people of the city.
Just following up on the zoning chair, I mean, what is the hang-up?
Yeah, I mean, look, I think it's no secret here that the city council has long had a desire
to have more diversity and parity amongst its body.
and previous administrations shut those type of conversations down.
I don't.
And so it's not so much a hang-up.
It's just a matter of that the full body really wants to reflect the diversity of our city.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
These are great conversations and debates.
I will say this.
Before, when city council was quieter, I know you all remember those days,
when you had rubber stamp city councils and you didn't have this type of consternation,
you know where the noise was, though.
was in the streets of Chicago at a time in which we had less hang-up.
You had school closures. You had mental health facilities being shut down.
You had labor unrest. You had unprecedented levels of violence
happen throughout the city of Chicago.
So, look, if a little bit of noise puts us in a stronger position
to have safer communities and to build more affordable housing,
it means that type of tension is manifesting, at least in that regard,
are more fruitful than city councils that may not have had outspoken hang-ups,
but we certainly had tremendous damage in our communities as a result of those quieter city councils.
How are you doing, Mayor Johnson?
You know, I'm actually doing pretty well.
You know, as I was saying earlier, man, as we get closer and closer to the summer,
I'm gearing up for it.
You know, I've got an 18-year-old in the house.
Folks have been giving me advice about having adult children.
He thinks he's one.
Not quite.
But I'm just dealing with just the pressure of life of raising children in this city.
And I think the other thing is just really getting ready for what will be a World Series year for the Cubs.
I'm going to put that out there now.
From your lips, sir.
Yes.
You've probably seen the statement from Sheridan Gorman's family,
which talked about addressing what we heard last week from Alder Haddon
about rejecting the idea that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time
and some disappointment over what they called
Failures of the system. I'm wondering if you've had an opportunity or taken the opportunity to speak directly with the Gorman family and share a little bit of that conversation if you have, or if not, what you would say to them.
Yeah, well, I plan to. I haven't had that conversation with him yet.
Look, when something like this happens, and I'm just going to speak as a parent,
when something like this happens, a tragedy where a young person is gunned down,
you automatically think about your own children. You just do.
And there's no words that one could express that could properly console a family
that lost their baby.
And my condolences to the Gorman family,
and I'm going to continue to pray for their strength.
This is ungodly of what happens in the streets across America
with gun violence.
It is, and I've worked hard to reduce it.
And for this particular family,
that hard work did not result in their child still being here.
And I think it's incumbent upon all of us to not just put our arms around this family
and other families who have lost loved ones to gun violence,
but we have to double down on our efforts to ensure that these tragedies
not only not become normalized, but we reduce the likelihood of something like this happening.
Look, I think people should be able to experience a city, no matter where you are, without the threat of violence.
And again, my heart aches and breaks for this family and families all over the city.
And look, if you've not raised a family
and if you're not in these positions,
maybe it's not something that you think about on a regular basis,
but I do.
It's what I think about every single day.
My hope is that our words and our prayers
do provide some comfort and peace over time
as this family works towards healing.
More and more to that.
This is, I mean, and you know this as well as anybody,
This is the time when families of graduating seniors are thinking about where they're going to go to continue their journey, whether it's college or whatever.
And there may be people who will see stories about what happened last weekend and wonder if Chicago was the place for their kids.
What is your thought about that, sir, and what message would you have for them?
Yeah, look, as I said, I'm preparing to send my child off to college, right?
You don't want to live in fear, but it's hard to avoid thinking about the worst.
And what I can assure people who are preparing to send their children to Chicago,
and many of whom have already made that decision, that this is a place where young people are thriving and growing.
And we can live between both, where we are thriving and growing and we still have more work to do.
As I've said before, there were people who were sending their children to Chicago
at a time in which 800 and 900 people were being killed.
And no one did anything of substance to really address it.
And I'm not saying that there weren't people who weren't thinking about it.
I'm saying that the approach that they took continued to exacerbate the trauma
on the tragedy that exists in too many communities that have been historically ignored.
What I will continue to say to these families is that
I'm working every day to do something about it.
And it's why we've taken a different approach than other administrations.
Because I can tell you, look, I live in Austin. It's a beautiful community.
There's a reason why young people flocked to this opportunity
to get these jobs, because they know that when they find their purpose,
it strengthens our community as a whole. And I'm saying to families,
we have evidence that our work is
working. Help me do more of that. It doesn't mean that
we're perfect. It doesn't mean that we get it right every single time.
But the fact of the matter is we had the fewest amount of homicides in 60 years.
That means something. Because the
less violence that we have in the city of Chicago, the people who are most impacted
by these investments and this work
are the very people who have suffered
under this level of tragedy for decades
and that we're finally approaching this
in a holistic way with the full force of government.
I need partners.
We can't do it by ourselves.
We need the federal, the state, county, city, all of us.
Have to roll up our sleeves and continue to work, not just to simply save lives, but to ensure that they can have fruitful and vibrant ones.
So that's going to be the work, and again, our heart breaks, and we grieve.
It does set us back, but it doesn't stop us from doing everything in our power to ensure that we build safe and affordable communities.
You're welcome.
Good morning.
Good morning, sir.
So getting back to transparency that apparently has stalled with Heather's organization, and that's escalating with my news organization, Shy Guardian Deep South Press Corps, now that the Illinois Attorney General's public access counselor has given you all seven business days from this past Friday to explain why the city reparations task force shouldn't totally comply with the Illinois Open Meetings Act,
When will the body provide public and media access to all of its proceedings and make its meeting notices, minutes, and agendas publicly available as advised by the State Reparations Commission, which has set the precedent for full transparency?
And I understand that there's going to be some kind of lynching later on today that will include the chair of the State Reparations Commission,
who says by no means will he suffer any under-the-radar discussions of reparations.
Look, the discussions for reparations are happening.
They're moving forward.
There will be opportunities for public participation.
This is advisory.
Like many other advisories, I have multiple advisory counselors throughout my entire administration.
you know, of which there are opportunities for families to engage or individuals to engage in,
keep in mind that the very individuals that have been selected represent the very communities that have, you know,
suffered under the historic damage and harm that has been done to black folks in particular.
And so we're going to continue to have those conversations to make sure that people have access
and opportunities to fully engage on what reparations could look like for the city of Chicago.
Okay, well, we'll see how that works out for you because the PAC is saying,
B word, better have my open meetings.
But anyway, given mounting crimes committed in Chicago land by IAs and potential immigrants,
how long will the city's and state's sanctuary policies continue to enable those who pose a threat
to public safety and national security under the Alien Enemies Act.
That is, don't you think it's high time for local sanctuary policy reform,
starting with the welcoming city ordinance,
and especially after the firing of your top public safety
and violence intervention people?
Mm-hmm. Well, first of all, again, the priority and the emphasis around community safety as a top priority and how investing in communities places us in a stronger position to be able to do that, right?
and that anyone, regardless of their status, if they commit a crime, they will be held accountable in Chicago.
The proof is in how our Chicago Police Department swiftly interacted and was able to identify, establish the case,
and submit to the state's attorney, of which the state's attorney took that evidence and has decided to pursue prosecution.
which is evident that the system can work when we all cooperate and coordinate together.
Now, you know, again, as far as a welcoming city or the Trust Act,
bear in mind that the whole purpose was to make sure that undocumented individuals
do not feel intimidated when they reach out to law enforcement, right?
What we've seen historically in counties and cities and states
where welcoming city ordinances have been embraced,
we've actually seen a reduction in domestic violence
particularly for Hispanic women
who feel stronger and more confident to call police
in those instances
and so we know that
this president has not taken this situation
and this challenge in our country seriously
because my question would be
isn't it time for the president of the United States of America
in Congress to actually act and pass comprehensive immigration reform.
If the president was serious about really creating safe communities,
he would not have taken $800 million away from cities across America that were designed to reduce violence.
He cut the ATF budget by 30%.
That's the division of government at the federal level that the CPD coordinates with to get illegal weapons off the streets of Chicago.
You know what the bigger threat to our public safety?
It's illegal weapons that are being trafficked from from bordering states that voted for Donald Trump.
This president refuses to be held accountable and he points the finger at everything and everyone else versus doing some real self-reflection on what his responsibility is.
He has provocated wars. He has put forth illegal wars. So let's just stick with the word that you like to use, illegal. He has promulgated illegal wars. He is protecting states that are releasing illegal weapons throughout the streets of America.
Illegal tariffs. If there is anything to address in this country that's illegal, it's everything about the Trump administration.
Jake. Thank you. Thanks, Mark.
Go ahead, Jake.
Hey, Mayor. Gay Wood and Whitfield said that they had an on-the-ground approach to their work and that your top staff said the new approach would be more policy.
The policies you cited earlier aren't new to your administration, so what's the new direction that you plan to focus on?
Look, the direction is ensuring that we do more to drive violence on the city of Chicago.
Here's what I've always said, that one homicide, one shooting is one too many.
No one is patting themselves on the back right now.
Who's doing that?
Who's doing that?
The 419 people who lost their lives of gun violence, they're not thinking about the data.
I'm thinking about those lives
that approach
that
really requires
the full force
of government
is what I'm focused on
it's ensuring that
again, re-entry
these individuals who are formerly incarcerated
who are coming back to their communities
we have to find opportunities for them
whether it's housing, good paying jobs
expanding their education
I was just at the prison in Sheridan, Illinois, spending time with these families who are going through an education program so that when they are released, they can contribute to the very communities that they have caused harm in.
You know, what's a tragedy, though, is that many of those men who are in jail right now or who are incarcerated, many of them lived lives that essentially sought survival.
There was a young man that I met who started stealing food because he was hungry.
And it led to criminal behavior that led him into prison.
But think about it.
He's in prison because he started stealing at an early age because he was hungry.
That's what our focus is about.
This is not about just simply personnel decisions, you all.
Like, don't make this a 50-cent documentary.
We're talking about people's real lives here.
And that's what I'm going to continue to focus in on.
A whistleblower lawsuit alleges a top DK staffer was fired for agreeing to testify in a misconduct investigation.
Do you think that's an acceptable way to handle staff?
And does City Hall have a culture where staffers are afraid to report problematic behavior?
Clearly they're not, right?
I mean, think about how many times you've all covered this.
I don't know any other administration where people have felt more comfortable to talk about how, you know, they feel, right?
Because we have an open policy.
People get to talk about how they feel, especially if they feel like they've been treated wrong.
That's not intimidating to me.
People should feel comfortable to do that.
And what I can say is that this is an ongoing investigation, which I can't speak to this particular claim.
But clearly no one is feeling intimidated in this space to express exactly how they feel.
And, look, my job is to make sure that we have a strong working environment here to deliver for the people of Chicago.
I will say this last point, that even with some of the challenges that we've had, you cannot ignore the results.
You can't, right?
There's a reason why we have the lowest amount of homicides in 60 years, because we're all working hard.
There's a reason why there are multiple cranes in the air in the city of Chicago and more coming,
because people are showing and demonstrating their confidence.
And investing in good ground, and the city of Chicago is good ground to invest in.
My administration has cut the tape so that people can do business faster.
Our airport is the busiest it's ever been.
We've released more funds into our public schools.
We have settled every single contract without work stoppage.
Because we're doing the hard work.
And yeah, there's a little bit of noise out there, a little chatter.
And here's the best way I can describe it.
That noise speaks to, I believe, a couple of things.
One, that we have created an environment where those who have bossed this city for far too long are now screaming and yelling.
Let's keep in mind where the noise is coming from.
You're talking about people that have bossed other mayors.
It's almost like they don't care who's in this seat.
It's just a different name.
They get to boss.
Not Brandon Johnson.
And so, look, I understand that folks have felt the tension.
Iron sharpens iron, and some of that tension has led to some of the best investments that this city has embraced.
We're going to continue to get better.
We take every single allegation seriously.
But I can assure the people of Chicago that the results that people are experiencing were, again, driving violence down.
We had the busiest summer that we've ever had in the history of Chicago for the summer months downtown.
More people visiting Chicago than they have ever had in the history of Chicago, and that includes six years where the Bulls were winning.
We're doing it without winning sports teams, for crying out loud.
That's how tough we are.
It's a lot easier to run a city when the teams are winning.
I'm going to have the easiest year I've ever had as mayor.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
Not to beat a dead horse here, but I want to also ask you a question about Gary and Gatewood.
He told me that there's a culture in your office that if you hold people accountable, you become a target.
He is essentially implying that that's what happened to him and that that's what happened to other people before him.
Is that the case, or do you stand by the culture in your office?
Look, I stand by the work that we are accomplishing together as a city.
That's what I stand by.
And, look, these jobs are difficult.
There's no secret there.
Listen, public sector jobs are just difficult in general.
And, you know, what I can speak to is that we have worked hard to ensure that we create a diverse workforce and environment in which workers get a chance to regularly engage with me,
whether it's through cabinet meetings or all-staff meetings where people get to discuss out loud how their division of labor is reflected in my vision for the city of Chicago,
which is to build safe and affordable communities.
There's open dialogue here.
Look, whether it's – and I didn't even mention the success that we've had around environmental justice.
All I'm simply saying is that the work is working in this city, and that's what I'm going to continue to focus on.
And on another topic, CTA has sued to restore billions in federal funding.
I believe it's related to the red and the purple lines.
Just your thoughts on why that's something that you guys are continuing to push for and what it would mean to have that money.
Yeah, look, we've worked hard is another example of how hard I've worked.
is that I've worked hard to secure the federal dollars under the Biden administration
to improve our public transportation system.
And what I find disturbing is the one particular area
in which the Trump administration is trying to withhold funding from, in particular,
is the funding that's going to go to the south side of Chicago
and the extension of the red line going south.
You seldom hear about projects that are happening downtown or on the north side of Chicago.
This president is telling us who he is, you all.
I don't know why there are people in this country that are still allowing the president to play down.
He's not going to be, not me.
And I've said from the very beginning that this president has worked overtime to create distractions in this country
in order to go after, I believe, the people that he ultimately wants to squash and suppress.
And that's the base of working-class movement.
And there's no secret.
You don't have a working-class movement in this country without black voters.
This president has intentionally gone after, he said it,
I'm going to go after or withhold funding from Democrat cities.
This is political retribution at its finest.
and I'm not going to put up with it, I'm not going to stand for it
and I'm going to use every single tool available to me to ensure that the people of this city
whether you're on the north side of Chicago or the south side of Chicago
that you receive the federal funds that are necessary for our economy to continue to grow.
Mayor, good morning.
Good morning.
You waited very patiently.
Hey, that's what we do sometimes.
I'm Gary in Gatewood.
He was a forward-facing person sitting at your table here a lot of weeks,
which is why we're asking so many questions.
He was given commendation from your administration a few days earlier on social media.
These strong numbers, best in 60 years that you've talked a lot about this morning.
Can you be very specific?
Where does the philosophy between your vision and his vision diverge?
Well, first of all, we lifted up the work as a whole.
I don't believe we've ever just simply singled out one individual as responsible, right?
Because that's just not how, that's not my orientation.
It's a collective responsibility.
And what I'm going to repeat one more time is that this is about doing the work that continues to work, but also doubling down on those efforts.
There's more work to be done, and I'll be the first to admit that we still have a little ways to go.
Even with the success that we've had, there's still a little bit more work for us to do to get to the point where we are the safest, most affordable big city in America.
But obviously you two have a difference of opinion on how to move forward.
Can you illuminate what that is?
What I'm going to repeat one more time is that this is not about one individual.
Do you really believe that there's one person that we can have in the city of Chicago that can fight crime?
Do you believe that?
No, but –
Okay, so then since you don't believe that, then let's talk about the full force of government approach that I've taken.
Let's focus in on the work that I'm doing.
I have the responsibility to set a vision to ensure that we create safe and affordable communities,
and I'm going to continue to do that.
Do you have a follow-up, Chris?
I do.
Okay.
What is your message to existing staff who feel a need to reach out to the inspector general's office?
Should they feel comfortable?
You said earlier that obviously there is a culture where they do feel comfortable,
but the flip side to that coin could be there's a problem here,
and more and more people are pushing the button to the inspector general's office,
and that might be alarming.
Is that how you view it?
Well, look, if there are individuals that have experienced anything within not just my administration, but any public space, that we have a moral responsibility to ensure that we create strong, safe, healthy working environments.
And if individuals bring a matter, it doesn't necessarily mean that that matter is going to be substantiated.
So, look, I would ask you all, just respectfully, if you just go back and look throughout all of history,
this is not the first time that people have called the inspector general, whether it's calling from different offices or not.
I'm saying that we take every single allegation seriously.
And so what I'm encouraged by is that the work that we're doing in the city of Chicago,
clearly the people of Chicago are benefiting from that work.
And it's clear that whether, again,
whether it's how we invest in public education,
how we are seeing our transportation system improve,
how we're driving violence down the city of Chicago,
we're building more affordable homes, right?
We have the most diverse administration
in the history of Chicago.
If you look at the full scope,
listen, I'm not saying that you can't pinpoint
certain elements that need more attention,
But if you look at the full scope, if you're willing to do that, you'll see that there is far more to report on that's working in this city than what's not.
And I think that if we continue to focus on the things that work, I believe that it strengthens our ability to build the confidence so that work can continue.
And we also can address where there are areas of concerns.
And I will continue to have an open-door policy and support workers across this city that if there are grievances or if there are areas of misconduct that need to be brought to the attention to the public, that we should do that.
And there should be a full and thorough investigation.
And if there are individuals that are responsible for causing any of that harm, that they should be held accountable.
All right. Thank you all very much. Enjoy the rest of your day.