Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot To Grant Interviews Only To Black, Brown Journalists

Halfway through her term, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot reportedly announced that she would only offer interviews to “black or brown” journalists according to her spokesperson confirmed by multiple local journalists.

NBC 5 reporter Mary Ann Ahern, first tweeted the news of Lightfoot’s alleged preference for colored journalists — potentially alienating white journalists.

“As ⁦@chicagosmayor⁩ reaches her two year midway point as mayor, her spokeswoman says Lightfoot is granting 1 on 1 interviews — only to Black or Brown journalists,” Ahern posted on her social media.

Fox News said other local journalists in Chicago also confirmed hearing the same thing, including Paris Schutz of public TV station WTTW. 

“I was told the same thing,” Schultz of WTTW Chicago Tonight co-anchor and political correspondent said.

Another WTTW journalist, Heather Cherone, who covers politics also confirmed the reported new policy in interviews with Mayor Lightfoot when Alderman George Cardenas of the 12th Ward – Chairman Environmental Protection & Energy, expressed disbelief over the reports.

“How is that even true, be serious,” he wrote.

“I can confirm, alderman,” Cherone said.

Breitbart said separately that “it is not clear whether the mayor’s racial policy applies only to one-on-one interviews, or whether it will extend to future interviews.”

Lightfoot, Chicago’s first black female and lesbian mayor, has come under fire from the public for her draconian policies during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, her inability to contain the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, and a dramatic increase in crime in the already-crime ridden city.

Mayor Lightfoot referred to then-White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany as a “Karen” last year, a word that is often used to refer to suburban white women.

McEnany, meanwhile, tagged the African-American mayor as “derelict” for her mismanagement of the city, including the crime surge.

Lightfoot drew backlash on social media for alleged “racism” for favoring speaking with journalists solely on the basis of skin color.

Lightfoot confirms reports

But the Chicago mayor appeared to confirm the reports based on a series of tweets she posted on her social media.

“It’s a shame that in 2021, the City Hall press corps is overwhelmingly White in a city where more than half of the city identifies as Black, Latino, AAPI or Native American,” Lightfoot wrote on Wednesday. 

“Diversity and inclusion is imperative across all institutions including the media. In order to progress we must change.”

She added: “This is exactly why I’m being intentional about prioritizing media requests from POC reporters on the occasion of the two-year anniversary of my inauguration as mayor of this great city. This is an imbalance that needs to change. Chicago is a world-class city. Our local media should reflect the multiple cultures that comprise it.”

“We must be intentional about doing better. I believed that when running for office. I stand on this belief now. It’s time for the newsrooms to do better and build teams that reflect the make-up of our city,” she added.

Steeve Strange

Steeve is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Scoop.