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Pre-inauguration coverage roundup

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* The Chicago mayoral inauguration ceremony begins at 10:30 this morning. Click here for more info and to watch it live…

Tribune | Brandon Johnson: His rise from union organizer to Chicago’s new progressive mayor, and the challenges he inherits:

* Tribune | Facing CPD remake, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson promises new approach, including adding police detectives: When Johnson is sworn in as the city’s 57th mayor Monday, he inherits a Chicago Police Department in a swirl of transition. Along with his promise to add detectives, Johnson needs to choose a permanent CPD superintendent, and he has promised to eliminate controversial recent additions to the city’s police landscape, including the ShotSpotter system.

* WGN | A decade before his election, Brandon Johnson foreshadowed his own rise to power: Johnson spoke about how Emanuel’s decision to close 50 Chicago Public Schools a year after the strike became a personal issue for him – as a teacher, CPS parent, and a union member. Then CTU-president Karen Lewis viewed the school closures as proof the CTU would have to have its own candidates run for government offices.

* Sun-Times | Migrant crisis ‘one of the most challenging’ problems facing Chicago’s new mayor, chief of staff says: Rich Guidice spent nearly 20 years running the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Emergency response is his forte. But Guidice said he has never seen an emergency quite like the more than 8,000 asylum-seekers who have poured into Chicago since September, with scores more on the way.

* Crain’s | It’s inauguration day for Chicago’s next mayor. Here’s what you need to know.: A full guest roster hasn’t yet been announced, but we already know it’ll be pretty crowded onstage. Gov. J.B. Pritzker; Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton; both Illinois U.S. senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth; and a long list of other local and state elected officials are listed as inauguration co-chairs, so there’s a good chance they’ll be in attendance.

* Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson fleshes out senior staff, shows continued influence of Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Teachers Union: Annette Guzman, Preckwinkle’s county budget director, will be Johnson’s city budget director. Jennifer Johnson, chief of staff for the CTU, where Brandon Johnson has been a paid organizer, will be deputy mayor for education.

* Daily Herald | When it comes to transportation, there’s a lot riding on Chicago’s new mayor: Inexplicably to those of us obsessed with things that move, the O’Hare 21 expansion, which involves building a new Global Terminal plus two concourses costing $7 billion, was a nonfactor in the mayoral election. But aviation expert Joseph Schwieterman expects Johnson will support the plan. “The need for a better O’Hare is pretty obvious,” he said. “The new mayor will need to champion O’Hare 21 to keep the mega-project moving at maximum speed. Delays will both hamper the airport’s revenue potential and hurt our image as a premier convention town.”

* The New Yorker | Chicago’s Unlikeliest Mayor, Brandon Johnson: The attention from powerful Democrats indicates the importance of the race not just to those who live in the city of Chicago but to national politics. In the aftermath of the 2020 uprisings and Presidential contest, the Republican Party went all in on two issues: opposing crime and what they describe as “woke intolerance.” In doing so, they conflated the rise of crime rates during the height of the pandemic with the political outcry throughout that summer. Within this recriminating narrative, Chicago loomed large. For years now, Chicago has been described by Republicans as the quintessential example of big-city chaos. As former President Donald Trump once said, “All over the world they’re talking about Chicago. Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison.”

* Fox Chicago | Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel shares message for incoming Mayor Brandon Johnson: Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel shared a message on Sunday for incoming Mayor Brandon Johnson: “I’m rooting hard for your success.” Emanuel shared the message via Twitter from Japan, where he serves as the U.S. Ambassador. Emanuel was Chicago’s mayor from 2011 to 2019.

* Block Club | Brandon Johnson And All 50 Alderpeople Will Be Inaugurated Monday.: Clerk Anna Valencia will be the first official sworn in, followed by all 50 alderpeople and Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, according to the meeting agenda. Johnson will take his oath of office last and then deliver an inaugural address.

posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, May 15, 23 @ 9:03 am

Comments

First, congratulations to the new mayor, all the alderpersons, and everyone starting a new chapter of public service, even if it’s another term in the same capacity.

Something I try to remember on days like today…

Swearing-in days are days for civilians and the newly minted to enjoy a day because far too many days are about missing birthdays, graduations, wedding, anniversaries, service to a greater, and families suffer in that sacrifice

Don’t button hole folks today. They will be “on” 24/7/365 after today, leaving the house, at the store, at kids’ events, there’s no “time off”, that’s the thing some don’t grasp until they are the ones being buttoned holed.

Let the day be about the families to celebrate

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 15, 23 @ 9:24 am
very upbeat video from Rahm congratulating the Mayor. it is in the best interests of everyone in Illinois that Mayor Johnson succeed. Chicago is an economic engine, nearby suburbs especially are affected. Much success.

Comment by Amalia Monday, May 15, 23 @ 9:46 am
The New Yorker article on Brandon Johnson is quite good, including this observation:

“Lightfoot was certainly defeated, but, in the precincts where Lightfoot had led in the February election, Johnson went on to receive eighty per cent of the vote, suggesting that those voters were not nearly as enamored of Vallas’s talk about the police.”

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Monday, May 15, 23 @ 9:47 am
This could be historic moment and a chance for Johnson to cement his legacy and right the ship. With the convention looming he has a chance to paint himself as a candidate for higher office. Durbin ain’t around much linger and who knows, 1600p?

Comment by Must win Monday, May 15, 23 @ 9:55 am
Congrats to Mayor Johnson. He is sitting next to JB and MK at his inauguration. May he govern with wisdom.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, May 15, 23 @ 11:03 am
Good luck Mayor Johnson. I am afraid you are going to need a lot of it. You have your work cut out for you.

Comment by DuPage Monday, May 15, 23 @ 12:11 pm
I hope for the best, but I am wary of some of his housing proposals.

Comment by Southwest Sider Monday, May 15, 23 @ 10:13 pm