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* Fran Spielman last week…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot changed communications directors before she had even served 100 days in office.
Now, it’s happened again, fueling questions about whether the crisis-filled times coupled with Lightfoot’s abrasive management style might be making it difficult for her to hold onto good people.
Lightfoot’s communications director Michael Crowley abruptly resigned Friday after 18 months on the job. He replaced communications director Marielle Sainvilus, who didn’t last four months. […]
In addition to Sainvilus, press secretary Anel Ruiz, chief risk officer Tamika Puckett, deputy mayor for public safety Susan Lee, chief of security Jim Smith, deputy communications director Lauren Huffman, deputy press secretary Pat Mullane and chief engagement officer Juan Carlos Linares are among those who didn’t make it to mid-term.
More recently, Lightfoot fired Corporation Counsel Mark Flessner, her longtime friend and former colleague in the U.S. Attorney’s office, in the fallout from a police raid on the wrong home that forced Anjanette Young to stand naked, humiliated and pleading for more than 40 minutes while male police officers searched her home.
* Fran Spielman yesterday…
[Lightfoot’s city council floor leader] Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) went public Tuesday to announce the resignation he had told the mayor about six weeks ago. He was promptly replaced by Rules Committee Chairman Michelle Harris (8th), one of the most popular Council members. Ald. George Cardenas (12th) will serve as deputy floor leader. […]
The resignation came as no surprise to Villegas’ City Council colleagues.
They say Lightfoot’s thin-skinned propensity to take things personally, lash out at critics and get even would have made it virtually impossible for the best of floor leaders to function.
But, they argued further, Villegas wasn’t the best. He did not have the strong working relationships with colleagues or the open lines of communication with the mayor’s office a floor leader needs to be most effective.
* Heather Cherone…
It is unusual for floor leaders to resign. Former Ald. Patrick O’Connor (40th Ward) served as Emanuel’s floor leader for all eight years of his tenure after serving in the same role for former Mayor Richard M. Daley.
* Tribune…
Villegas often exhorted Lightfoot to work on her relationships with aldermen. When she announced a $1.2 billion budget shortfall for 2021 and said she needed to work more closely with people with whom she disagrees, Villegas’ response was “Hallelujah!”
“Sometimes members of her staff say, ‘The mayor’s not a politician.’ And I counter that when you run for mayor of Chicago and you win, you’d better become a politician,” Villegas told the Tribune last May.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:15 am
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It appears all the Chicago teachers want a vaccination before returning to the classroom. The Chicago Mayor and the Governor could make that happen. Right?
Comment by Mama Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:24 am
As a former U.S. Attorney (like Scott Drury) Lightfoot was used to holding the leverage. She doesn’t now as mayor, a job akin to herding cats, and obviously lacks the political gravitas to get things done. With crime skyrocketing and her inability to get schools open, she’s on the way to being a one-term mayor.
Comment by Andersonville Right Winger Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:24 am
Nobody likes working for a screamer.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:24 am
I would be surprised if she still runs for reelection at this point…
Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:27 am
(Sigh.) Many old sayings apply, including “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
Comment by Not a Superstar Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:28 am
The Mayor seems to be her own worst enemy.
Comment by ChicagoVinny Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:33 am
So where’s Toni Preckwinkle? She has more city and county executive/legislative experience. She did consider running for mayor but opted out.
A lot of issues going on with this mayor due to inexperience.
Comment by Pizza Man Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:40 am
Lori Lightfoot’s in constant combat mode while Toni Preckwinkle sits in her office smiling.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:51 am
=She did consider running for mayor but opted out.=
What are you talking about? Preckwinkle ran for Mayor and lost to LL in the runoff
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:56 am
“She did consider running for mayor but opted out.”
What are you talking about? Lori beat Toni.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:57 am
Good to see Fran Spielman step up.and write more articles pulling back the curtain on the disfunction on the 5th floor
Comment by Regular democrat Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:13 pm
Who has more likely odds of being Mayor of Chicago in 2023, Lori Lightfoot or Susana Mendoza?
(Yes, I know Mendoza finished fifth in the primary. Richard M. Daley finished third in 1983. The electorate may be in a different mood after one term of LL.)
Comment by Rich Hill Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:13 pm
I am of two minds on this. Mayor Daley went through chiefs of staff like he was changing socks, so I’m not sure this staff turnover is as unusual as the press is making it out to be.
But, the criticism of MLL being thin-skinned and prone to fight instead of compromise is legit. Chicagoans wanted a reformer without the baggage that comes with years of political experience. We are seeing the negative side of that trade off.
Comment by Roman Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:20 pm
It’s always been my firm belief that anyone who enters an elected executive position (mayor, Governor, President) should at least have served in one other elected spot before assuming that office.
Recent events and recent or current holders of those positions have only reinforced that belief. Lightfoot, Rauner and even Trump all suffered from never holding an elected office previously. Different ends of the political spectrum but same result.
I voted for Preckwinkle and still believe she would have done a better job. Lightfoot not only is out of her league but also is losing any base she previously had.
Comment by low level Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:22 pm
Lightfoot won big, I think, because just about everyone was able to project their own vision onto her. Progressives saw her as a reformer, more conservative folks saw her as an anti-machine outsider, or at least less machine than her opponents. I think this result led to a big win, and LL took that as a mandate for her personally. Now, I think she’s failed to deliver wins to either side, and she’s gonna have a tough time being reelected.
Comment by Actual Red Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:48 pm
The 2019 Chicago mayoral election was an odd duck … there didn’t seem to be much heat / attention on any of the candidates, then Burke exploded and “corruption” became the watchword, and Lightfoot won because she seemed to have the fewest degrees of connection to him.
It wasn’t a terribly informed way to vet the next mayor, and I’m wondering if we’re starting to see here the impact of the slow death / dissolution of local media. If Andrew Yang really wins the NY Mayor primary in June, I will take that as another data point for my theory.
Comment by ZC Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:48 pm
It’s actually hard to know if Lori is her own worst enemy –or if others who may have an agenda or may covet her job in the future are not so subtly “helping along” the narrative of personality conflicts and dysfunction in her office.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:57 pm
A mayoral comms director is an incredibly taxing position and not everyone is cut out for it. Some of those people may have found it wasn’t for them.
On the other hand, LL has made a habit of keeping a higher standard of accountability for others than she seems to have for herself. Eventually, leaders like this run out of people to blame.
Comment by Father Ted Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:05 pm