Another high-level Chicago city official out amid major shakeup
Another high-level Chicago city official out amid major shakeup
There's more turmoil at the top of Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration with the resignation of a high-profile official. This comes after the firings of two other top aides, who criticized the mayor's approach to law enforcement.
CHICAGO - Chicago is currently without a Commissioner of Human Rights. Nancy Andrade, who has held the post since 2021, resigned suddenly Tuesday night, causing an uproar in the local Jewish community.
It follows the high profile firings of former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Garien Gatewood and Manny Whitfield, head of the Office of Violence Prevention.
Andrade issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday night to Fox Chicago, praising the work of the commission for offering "justice to all who have experienced the humiliation and trauma of discrimination."
"As the head of the CCR, but also as a licensed attorney, I took an oath to uphold these values, as well as a strict code of ethics," Andrade said. "My resignation is in service of that oath."
Multiple sources told Fox Chicago that Andrade was under pressure from Mayor Brandon Johnson and his senior leadership team after disagreements over a report on antisemitism that was released last month.
Sources said mayoral staffers wanted to broaden the report to make it about hate crimes in general, rather than antisemitism. Those sources said Andrade felt frozen out and was expecting to be fired by the mayor's senior leadership team.
The mayor's office confirmed Andrade's resignation on Tuesday evening.
Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th Ward), who has clashed with the mayor and progressive alders on debates surrounding Israel and Gaza, offered a statement of praise for Andrade's tenure, but expressed doubt over the direction the mayor is taking on issues of hate against the Jewish community.
"Her resignation raises broader concerns about the direction of our mayoral administration," Silverstein said. "The Jewish community deserves partners in City Hall who will listen, collaborate, and act with urgency in the face of rising hate. Those standards have too often not been met under Mayor Brandon Johnson."