Department of Justice investigates Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson
The U.S. Department of Justice opens a civil investigation into the city of Chicago, Illinois, following comments by Mayor Brandon Johnson about diversity in his administration.
A civil rights investigation is being opened by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into the city of Chicago, Illinois. This is due to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s remarks during his last appearance at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn.
Johnson stated that his administration is the most diverse in the city's history. He emphasized that African American people are working in major positions such as the Department of Planning and Development, Infrastructure Deputy Mayor, and Budget Director. However, the DOJ does not agree with this statement.
ALSO SEE: Trump Administration seeks deployment of 20,000 National Guard Troops for Immigration enforcement
Why the Department of Justice investigate Chicago's Mayor?
According to a letter to the mayor's office, comments about “Black officials” prompted the investigation. The DOJ explained that “If these kinds of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions.”
The DOJ specified that they are investigating whether the city is violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race. According to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, the investigation is based on “information suggesting that you have made hiring decisions solely on the basis of race.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said that Mayor Johnson could be against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Photo: AFP News)
Mayor Johnson responds
The mayor's office responded to the DOJ letter in a statement. They praised Johnson’s appointments and defended him against the allegations, emphasizing that they represent the values of Chicago. “Unfortunately, the current federal administration does not reflect either. We are aware of the letter issued by the Department of Justice, but we are awaiting its official receipt. Our Corporation Counsel will review it at that time,” the office said.
According to Johnson’s staff, the mayor’s office has a diverse workforce. The percentages, given to NBC Chicago, were "34% Black, 31% White, 24% Hispanic, 7% Asian, and 5% of two or more ethnicities". The next step in the investigation is the review of the accusations and response by the city attorney, which could take 12 to 18 months.
