Politics |

Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismisses questions about her text messages with aldermen: ‘We get things done’

Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed questions Monday about her text messages with aldermen as “palace intrigue,” saying she’s instead focused on “the things that are important to people.”

“The things people want me to focus on is public safety, the pandemic, and making sure that we’ve got an equitable recovery,” Lightfoot said at an unrelated news conference. “That’s what people in the city actually care about.”

“We get things done,” Lightfoot added, citing the City Council’s October passage of her $16.7 billion budget for next year, which was buoyed by an influx of $1.9 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds

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The Tribune last week published a trove of text messages revealing how Lightfoot — who campaigned as a reformer aiming to unite the city — at times resorts to name-calling and shaming of her perceived enemies as she governs the city.

Many of the text exchanges highlighted by the Tribune focused on public safety or the pandemic.

In September 2021, for instance, downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly and Lightfoot exchanged a series of heated texts about crime after he called police Superintendent David Brown a “moron” who “won’t listen,” reportedly in a tweet.

“Brendan, shameful and unhelpful. How about pickup the phone instead falsely creating the appearance of doing someone at everyone else’s expense?” Lightfoot texted Reilly. “Really bush league.”

Reilly defended his use of the word, saying he’d lost confidence in the superintendent.

“He’s a fine cop, but I’m looking at … my crime stats & can honestly say that, in my 26 years living downtown, I’ve never seen lawlessness to this degree,” Reilly said. “It’s sickening. So I’ll apologize for using the word ‘moron.’ And I am anything but ‘Bush League.’ I want you to be successful, Mayor & I support you. But (this) has to change ASAP. We are losing downtown.”

Lightfoot said she shares “the levels of concern” but the 18th police district “has tons of resources so there is no excuse for what is happening.”

“I will push back and say that it was not that long ago that River North was not a nice safe neighborhood and that is recent enough that I remember it,” Lightfoot added. “But Brendan, you know there are far more constructive ways to get stuff done. Pandering to the crowd is never the best answer, even when you are frustrated.”

Public name calling “makes it that much more challenging,” Lightfoot added. “It cannot be open season on cops.”

In response, Reilly said he appreciates where she’s coming from but added, “River North has always been safe on my watch so that’s almost 15 years — and this is really bad.”

gpratt@chicagotribune.com