DOJ and EEOC to Investigate Chicago Mayor’s Hiring Practices

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are set to investigate Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson after he expressed a preference for hiring Black individuals.

According to WLS-TV, federal authorities are looking into whether the mayor’s actions might breach civil rights laws. This comes after remarks he made during a speech at God’s Apostle Church in Woodlawn on May 18.

During the address, Johnson celebrated what he described as the most “diverse” town hall in Chicago’s history, suggesting that prioritizing Black candidates is a way to embrace diversity, claiming that Black individuals are “the most generous people on the planet.”

Johnson takes pride in the fact that key positions such as Deputy Mayor, Director of Planning and Development, Chief Operations Officer, and Director of Budget are all held by Black leaders.

However, in a letter regarding the forthcoming investigation, Trump Attorney General Harmeet Dillon questioned whether Johnson’s hiring policies might reflect a broader issue in the city government, extending beyond senior officials.

“If this type of employment decision is made against a top-level position in your administration, it raises the question of whether similar decisions are also made for lower-level positions,” Dillon noted.

In response to the scrutiny, Johnson provided a breakdown of his administration’s workforce demographics, stating that 34.3% of employees are Black, 30.5% are White, 23.8% are Hispanic, and 6.7% are Asian.

These comments have drawn criticism from his opponent, 15th Ward Mayor Raymond Lopez, who accused Johnson of excluding numerous residents.

“I think, after hearing what he said, and reviewing this data, it’s clear that many feel marginalized under his leadership,” Lopez remarked, suggesting that many people across Chicago feel overlooked by this administration.