It is a movement gaining strength on several fronts: a push to establish a recall election for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
There is no provision for such an election under Illinois state law, but Representatives Anthony De Lucca and LaShawn Ford this week introduced House Bill 1084, which would create a process for clear and effective process for doing so.
“I think there is a push now much greater than It’s ever been,” said Ford, a fellow Democrat, who in the past has worked closely with Johnson.
"It’s not about Brandon Johnson, it’s about good government and making sure that this mechanism is on the books,” Ford said.
Ford has been trying to get such a mechanism on the books since 2015, in the wake of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald by then-Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke.
The bill joins an existing grassroots effort to gather signatures to place a recall measure on the ballot.
“We need to have a mechanism in place which is what our original petition was all about,” said Dan Boland, who is spearheading the Committee for the Chicago Mayoral Recall.
Local
The push for a recall comes at a time when the mayor is already under scrutiny for his relationship with the Chicago Teachers Union and his role in negotiations with that union, as well criticism from Gov. J.B. Pritzker about his lack of a relationship with legislators in Springfield.
Johnson brushed off recall talk as he and other officials welcomed a $1.9 billion federal investment in the CTA’s red line extension.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
“As far as people introducing legislation, that’s their job,” he said.
He called Ford a champion for his constituents and said he is continuing to work with him on Chicago issues. He also defended his relationships with other downstate legislators.
“Those relationships go further than my time as mayor. We have watched our children grow up together. And I am looking forward to the continued work that we will do,” Johnson said.
A November Poll conducted by Change Research pegged Johnson’s approval rating at 15%, an historic low for a sitting Chicago mayor.
