The city of Chicago has found itself in the middle of a political scandal after the Department of Justice announced a new investigation into the city’s mayor. Brandon Johnson has served as Chicago’s mayor for almost two years, and now, his job is in jeopardy after one interview caught the attention of the federal government.
On Monday (May 19), a formal letter was sent to Johnson’s office from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced plans “to determine whether the City of Chicago, Illinois, is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race,” according to the letter, which plainly accused the mayor of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
This comes after Johnson’s Sunday (May 18) appearance at Apostolic Church of God in Chicago. During which, the mayor revealed his method behind hiring people in his administration. The current deputy mayor, chief operations officer, budget director and several other high ranking employees in the mayor’s office are Black... and that’s not by coincidence.
Since Johnson stepped into office in 2023, he’s been determined to get Black folks in critical leadership positions. “Two administrations ago, 70 to 75 percent of the administration was primarily made up of white men,” Johnson told churchgoers. “Forty-five percent of my administration is Black; 25 percent is Latinx; 30 percent is white; 8 percent is Asian.”
The mayor went on to say, “Having people in my administration that will look out for the interest of everyone... means you have to look out for the interests of Black folks, because that hasn’t happened.” He continued, “That’s how we ensure long-term sustainable growth.”
Clearly, Johnson ruffled some feathers with his Sunday remarks, because just one day after the service, Johnson was in the MAGA hot seat. The DOJ’s letter continued saying, “If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions.”
This is just the latest move by the Trump administration to expel diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the board. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January banning DEI practices at the federal level. According to the DOJ — ran by MAGA champion Attorney General Pamela Bondi — Johnson is violating this order.
In response to the federal probe, Mayor Johnson spoke to the media on Tuesday (May 20). “What’s clear is that not only does the Trump administration not respect the rule of law or what’s sensible about our society, you would be hard-pressed to find qualified individuals who are in his administration,” Johnson said, according to ABC News. “As my administration reflects the country— reflects the city, his [Trump’s] administration reflects the country club.”
He continued, “It’s also clear that this administration is more interested in creating division within our country. While we are being inclusive, [we are] proud of the fact that we have individuals that have legal backgrounds, operational backgrounds, education backgrounds.”
Experts told CBS News political appointments don’t fall under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, contradicting the DOJ’s accusations against Mayor Johnson. Carolyn Shapiro, professor law at University of Chicago Kent College of Law, said, “They would not be employees under Title VII, so even if it were true that he was going out of his way to hire people of a particular race, that would not violate the law.”