Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot faces criticism at a raucous council meeting weeks after she lost the election
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was berated by local journalist William Kelly at a city council meeting earlier this week and told to “get the hell out of town.”
Kelly, a longtime vocal critic of the Lightfoot’s policies, called out the mayor for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the closure of the city’s schools, churches and businesses.
Kelly, who runs a TV production and events company, lashed out during part of the meeting inviting the public to comment.
“You close our schools, you close the churches, you close the businesses,” Kelly began.
“You did the one thing I never thought would happen. As someone who was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, I never in my life thought I would ever see the city of Chicago fall this low if you managed to bring it down.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was berated at a controversial city council meeting with journalist William Kelly telling her to ‘get the hell out of my town’
William Kelly, who has a history of clashes with Lightfoot, condemned her leadership, her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the crime that has increased significantly
“I hope after today’s city council meeting you pack your bags and leave my town,” Kelly scolded.
“Shame on you,” he continued. “That’s a legacy you’ll have to carry.”
Kelly had a long-standing feud with Lightfoot, even suing her over her policies last year.
During his statement, Kelly berated the mayor for withdrawing his press credentials as an act of retaliation for his criticism and called her out for trying to silence naysayers.
“I feel like this is more of a victim impact statement than an actual public comment,” he said.
“What you did to me is nothing compared to what you did to my city, the city of Chicago, the city I was born and raised in, the city I love with all my heart. “You are a pandemic,” Kelly added.
At the council meeting, pictured above, Kelly accused her of causing significant damage to the city he loves and where he was born and raised, describing her as a ‘pandemic’
Last year, Chicago journalist William Kelly sued Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot for violating his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights after he was barred from press conferences at City Hall
Lightfoot did not respond to Kelly’s comments, and he left the meeting after calling her a “pandemic.”
Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019, recently lost her re-election bid.
Her tenure has been marked by criticism of her handling of crime in the city, which has risen significantly since she took office, with homicides rising 40 percent last year alone.
The city saw 800 homicides in 2021, the highest number in 25 years.
Lightfoot has also faced controversy over her tense relationship with the press and city unions, with some accusing her of limiting freedom of information access to public records.
Despite Lightfoot’s claims of racism and gender bias following her re-election loss, critics continue to question her leadership and legacy.
Kelly’s verbal attack underlines the frustration of many in the city, who are calling for change and accountability at the top of leadership.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was notoriously soft on crime, received just 17 percent of the vote in the race for city hall, forcing a runoff election on April 4 between Paul Vallas, a former schools CEO, and Brandon Johnson, a state commissioner. Cook County.
Lightfoot, the first black woman and first openly gay person to lead the city, won her first term in office in 2019 after pledging to end decades of corruption and backroom dealings at City Hall.
But detractors blamed Lightfoot for an increase in crime taking place in US cities during the pandemic and criticized her as a divisive, overly controversial leader.
As crime continued to rise during the last years of her tenure, Lightfoot was heavily criticized for promoting causes other than public safety, including a citywide karaoke contest and street dancing during a festival.
Lightfoot first faced backlash after she joined calls from Democratic mayors in 2021 to cut police budgets, a move that also led to officers leaving the force and violent crime peaking.
The embattled mayor then promised a U-turn, opting to “pay the police back” and hire more officers, but the move did little to curb crime.
According to the latest report from the Chicago Police Department, the number of rapes is up 16 percent so far this year compared to the same time in 2022.
Robberies are also up 13 percent, with aggravated battery and burglaries both up 11 percent.
Theft in the Windy City is up 31 percent, and car thefts in particular are up 143 percent.
Homicides and shooting incidents were the only category to show declines, falling 18 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
While overall violent crime is up 52 percent from the same time last year, it’s up 102 percent compared to 2021.
.