Ex-Chicago official’s emails accuse mayor’s staff of ‘lies’ and ‘hostile work environment’

CHICAGO - Former city human rights commissioner Nancy Andrade resigned from her post last month amid a spat over a report on antisemitism she was preparing.

At the time, Andrade said her resignation was part of "upholding her oath" to abide by a code of ethics. Now, emails obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal the explosive details.

What we know:

An email from Andrade to the mayor's chief equity officer, Carla Kupe, and chief of staff Cristina Pacione Zayas — dated March 12 — alleges lies, quid pro quos and hostile behavior from the mayor's leadership team.

In the first paragraph, Andrade says she wants to "set the records straight" against a "skewed narrative and false allegations against me."

The complaints center around a report on antisemitism that Andrade was leading — responding to data showing a rise in antisemitism hate crimes across the city. Andrade accuses the mayor's team of trying to micromanage the process and dilute the report.

She also called the mayor's team's conduct "egregious, shameful, disturbing, hostile, bullying, utterly unethical and unprofessional. The hostile workplace allegations are allegations that I should be making against yourself, the Chief Equity Officer and Cristina Pacione Zayas, the Chief of Staff."

The letter also goes on to say that the mayor took issue with her office's "original report and recommendations, which to paraphrase, encapsulated the theme of ‘Jewish Lives Matter.’ You became hostile and bullying me to strong-arm my board to effectively dilute their report recommendations so that it became ‘All Lives Matter.’"

Andrade says her department was prohibited from livestreaming a Sept. 8 public hearing on anti-Jewish hate crimes, "despite requests from the public and my own request to do so. We were denied the ability to include more Jewish victims of hate crimes to share their testimony."

Andrade goes on to accuse the mayor's leadership team of spreading "lies," fabrications, and "falsehoods" about her.

"You also raised a false narrative of my department being rumored to be one of hostility and that my first deputy commissioner, deputy commissioner and management team were unhappy with my leadership. My department is exemplary of team building, professionalism and excellence in service to the public," Andrade said. 

Andrade added that it is Pacione-Zayas herself who is guilty of a hostile working environment.

It goes on to claim threats of a quid pro quo: go along with the diluted report and keep your job. Andrade also accuses Pacione Zayas of a smear campaign, invoking the recent firing of other top officials.

"Pacione Zayas went so far to threaten to have Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) take a deep dive into my background and come up with unfavorable material, just like it had done so for one of the two aforementioned commissioners," Andrade said.

In a short emailed response, Chief Equity Officer Kupe responded to the allegations, saying Andrade's letter contained "misstatements and inaccuracies" and that any assertions of threats or quid pro quos are false.

Andrade also said the mayor's leadership team ordered Andrade to cease any communications with "Legacy" Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League.

What they're saying:

Mayor Johnson's office issued this statement in regard to the story, claiming the accusations are false.

"The accusations levied in former Commissioner Andrade's March 12 email to the Chief of Staff and Chief Equity Officer are patently false. Any allegations of quid pro quo, spreading of rumors, and a hostile work environment have no basis and directly contradict communication between the two parties preceding Andrade's March 12 email. 

These accusations arose only after a Feb. 9 meeting which was convened to address Commissioner Andrade’s communications with City Council members regarding her concerns about the proposed definition of antisemitism, which occurred without appropriate coordination with OERJ. During that meeting, the Mayor’s Office also addressed concerns that had been raised about her leadership of the Commission, including reports of disparaging treatment of staff and related management issues.

The administration is working in earnest to implement key recommendations within the CCHR's report on antisemitism and continues to hold meaningful conversations with community partners regarding steps the City can take to ensure the continued safety of the Jewish community in Chicago."

What's next:

Andrade resigned effective March 25. Neither Andrade nor the mayor's office responded to requests for comment.