Former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot unveiled her mayoral campaign’s first television ad Wednesday, calling herself an “independent progressive” and shaming rivals for their ties to embattled Ald. Edward Burke.
Lightfoot’s ad also marks the first commercial in this year’s Chicago mayor’s race to specifically address the political scandal that has rocked City Hall since FBI investigators raided Burke’s government offices in late November. The commercial also takes aim at candidates who have direct ties to the longtime alderman, who is facing a public corruption charge in federal court.
“Candidates try distancing themselves from Ed Burke,” Lightfoot says in the ad, titled “Light,” before photos of City Hall veteran Gery Chico, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza and former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley appear on the dimly lit screen. “The truth is, they’re all tied to the same broken Chicago machine. Except me.”
At that point, the lights flick on and Lightfoot appears on screen, where she says, “I’ve prosecuted corrupt aldermen and held police accountable. Now, I’m running for mayor to finally make City Hall work for you.”
Speaking directly into the camera, Lightfoot says she supports an elected school board, “making all neighborhoods safe and reducing the unfair tax burden on working families.”
“Shady backroom deals haven’t served us. It’s time to bring in the light,” Lightfoot says.
Lightfoot’s campaign said it’s spending $280,000 to air the ad on broadcast and cable television, and the ad also is being promoted digitally.
The race to succeed Emanuel repeatedly has been rocked by developments in the federal probe against Burke, first with the November FBI raids of Burke’s ward and City Hall offices and then again in January when the 50-year incumbent alderman was charged with trying to shake down a fast food magnate who needed permits approved for a Burger King renovation in his 14th Ward.
Then came revelations that longtime Ald. Danny Solis wore an undercover wire on Burke and others and that federal agents in 2014 recorded powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan making a pitch for legal business to a developer seeking zoning approval from Solis.
Madigan and Solis have not been charged with any wrongdoing.
The 14 mayoral candidates have since released ethics proposals meant to curb public corruption. They also have bickered over who has the best anti-public corruption credentials and who was bandwagon-jumping with their ethics proposals.
Lightfoot first entered the race last May, months before Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the surprise announcement that he would not seek re-election.
Since then, Daley, Chico, Mendoza and Preckwinkle all announced campaigns to succeed Emanuel, drawing criticism from Lightfoot and other candidates who call the latecomers political opportunists. All four of them have ties to the 75-year-old Burke, who for decades has represented his Southwest Side ward and until recently controlled the City Council’s Finance Committee.
The mayoral election is Feb. 26. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two will face off in an April 2 runoff.
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