Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson Resigns From 11th Ward Seat Following Conviction On Federal Charges
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two days after he was convicted of federal tax fraud charges, Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th) formally submitted his resignation from the City Council on Wednesday.
"It has been both an honor and a pleasure to represent the wonderful residents of the finest communities in the greatest City in the world. I have been fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated public servants who have done an outstanding job for our constituents and the 11th Ward," Thompson wrote in the resignation letter he sent to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and City Clerk Anna Valencia on Wednesday.
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Thompson was automatically disqualified from holding office as alderman after he was convicted of a felony, so a letter of resignation was not necessary to vacate his seat in the 11th Ward on the South Side. Lightfoot has 60 days to appoint a replacement to represent the 11th Ward in the City Council until the next municipal election in 2023.
As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported Tuesday, Lightfoot has a big decision in appointing a replacement – with potential political ramifications.
The 11th Ward has been the home base of the Daley political dynasty for decades. Former Mayor Richard J. Daley lived on Lowe Avenue south of 35th Street and raised his family there – including son, former Mayor Richard M. Daley. While the younger Daley moved to the South Loop while in office, the dynasty remained in Bridgeport – and Ald. Thompson, the senior Mayor Daley's grandson and the younger Mayor Daley's nephew - was elected alderman of the 11th Ward in 2015.
The 52-year-old Thompson was the first member of the Daley family to face federal charges, and is now the first Daley to be a convicted felon.
Now, with Ald. Thompson's conviction and resignation, some are calling for Lightfoot to name an Asian American to serve in the 11th Ward, which includes parts of Chinatown, Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, Canaryville, University Village, and Pilsen – as well as Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the White Sox.
"We are urging the mayor to appoint someone who's Asian American – not only for being Asian American's sake, but a qualified Asian American candidate," said Grace Chan McKibben, executive director of the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community – located the Chinatown section of the 11th Ward.
Chan McKibben said the request for an Asian American aldermanic appointee follows the coalition's call for a first-ever majority Asian American ward when the city's new ward maps are drawn up.
Right now, 40 percent of the residents of the 11th Ward are Asian American.
"Very often, Asian Americans are ignored and invisible – and we don't want to be anymore," Chan McKibben said.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), the head of the Latino Caucus, is also urging Mayor Lightfoot to appoint an Asian American to finish out Thompson's term. As the ward remap battle wages on – headed for a possible referendum in June – Villegas points out the Latino Caucus' proposed map also creates a 50 percent-plus Asian American ward.
"It would be hypocritical of me as the chairman of the Latino Caucus – and a member of a protected class under the Voting Rights Act - to not advocate for another protected class community," Villegas said.
Mayor Lightfoot isn't yet tipping her hat on if she's inclined to appoint an Asian American interim alderman, or if there is a candidate at the top of her list.
A spokesperson said she is promising an open and transparent process, which will be outlined later this week.
Thompson had said he supports consolidating all of Chinatown into the 11th Ward, but opposed proposals to divide out parts of the Canaryville neighborhood or add in parts of McKinley Park to create the city's first majority Asian American ward, saying dividing up neighborhoods into different wards based on race equates to "racism."