With Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson Forced To Resign After Federal Conviction, Mayor Lightfoot Is Under Pressure To Appoint An Asian American To Replace Him
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Drama is playing out in Chicago's 11th Ward, which is about to be without an alderman.
Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, just convicted in federal court, will be replaced. He represents a ward that represents a diverse, skinny sliver of the South Side that includes parts of Chinatown, Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, Canaryville, University Village, and Pilsen – as well as Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the White Sox.
As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported Tuesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has a big decision in appointing a replacement – with potential political ramifications.
The 11th Ward has been the home base of the Daley political dynasty for decades. Mayor Richard J. Daley lived on Lowe Avenue south of 35th Street and raised his family there – including son Mayor Richard M. Daley. While the younger Daley moved to the South Loop while in office, the dynasty remained in Bridgeport – and Ald. Thompson, the senior Mayor Daley's grandson and the younger Mayor Daley's nephew - was elected alderman of the 11th Ward in 2015.
But now, with Ald. Thompson required to leave the seat, some are calling for the mayor to name an Asian American to serve in the ward.
On Tuesday, there were some signs of life – along with a police car – outside Ald. Thompson's 11th Ward office at 3659 S. Halsted St. But 24 hours after a jury found Thompson guilty of tax fraud and lying to federal regulators, he has remained silent.
Others, though, are speaking up about whom they think the mayor should appoint to replace Thompson – since his conviction means he can no longer keep his aldermanic office.
"To that end, we are urging the mayor to appoint someone who's Asian American – not only for being Asian American's sake, but a qualified Asian American candidate," said Grace Chan McKibben.
Chan McKibben is the executive director of the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community – located the Chinatown section of the 11th Ward. She said the request for an Asian American aldermanic appointee follows the coalition's call for a first-ever majority Asian American ward.
Right now, 40 percent of the residents of the 11th Ward are Asian American.
"Very often, Asian Americans are ignored and invisible – and we don't want to be anymore," Chan McKibben said.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), the head of the Latino Caucus, is also urging Mayor Lightfoot to appoint an Asian American to finish out Thompson's term. As the ward remap battle wages on – headed for a possible referendum in June – Villegas points out the Latino Caucus' proposed map also creates a 50 percent-plus Asian American ward.
"It would be hypocritical of me as the chairman of the Latino Caucus – and a member of a protected class under the Voting Rights Act - to not advocate for another protected class community," Villegas said.
Mayor Lightfoot isn't yet tipping her hat on if she's inclined to appoint an Asian American interim alderman, or if there is a candidate at the top of her list.
A spokesperson said she is promising an open and transparent process, which will be outlined later this week.
Meanwhile, Ald. Thompson made no comment on his way out of court after being convicted Monday. On Tuesday, he still had not released any comment, if there was a letter of resignation penned to the mayor, no one is saying.
When Kozlov called Thompson's office to ask, the person who answered the phone hung up on her.
