As President Biden’s team tried to put out fires regarding the Curious Case of the Corvette and the FAA fiasco, one Democrat must have been grateful for the White House’s sudden maelstrom of bad news.
When it rains it pours — and Joe’s torrent of bad headlines overshadowed Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s latest scandal that is brewing in the Windy City.
On Thursday, news broke that the mayor’s campaign had sent an email attempting to recruit Chicago Public School students to “help” with the incumbent’s reelection effort. The students would earn class credit in exchange for their contributions.
After this unethical email made its way to the press, prompting outrage from other candidates in the race, Team Lightfoot sloppily attempted to backtrack — not once, but three times.
The first statement explained that the effort was designed “to provide young people with the opportunity to engage with our campaign, learn more about the importance of civic engagement and participate in the most American of processes.” It was for the children, don’t you see?
The following statements assured the public that Team Lightfoot would cease contact with CPS employees.
Later that day, it was revealed that recruiting emails were not just sent to CPS teachers but also to instructors at the City Colleges of Chicago. Many hands make light work!
When addressing the media, Lightfoot did what all desperate politicians do when in a bind: she blamed a young staffer for the disaster.
Regardless of the lame excuses, the damage was done.
Now the question is whether or not this latest blunder will be enough to sink the Lightfoot ship.
After all, it’s not the first time Lori has taken on water.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the mayor shut down salons and barbershops and told Chicagoans that “getting your roots done is not essential.” Later, a photo emerged of the Mayor getting her hair trimmed by a stylist.
Rather than apologize for the misstep, a defiant Lightfoot defended her blatant hypocrisy. “I’m the public face of this city,” she huffed. “I’m on national media and I’m out in the public eye. I’m a person who, I take my personal hygiene very seriously, as I said I felt like I needed to have a haircut.”
This Marie Antoinette moment is just one example of her many mayoral lowlights.
In October, amid a crime surge in Chicago, Lightfoot promoted a karaoke competition by posting a cringeworthy TikTok of herself lip-syncing Magic Sam’s “Sweet Home Chicago” into a microphone. Needless to say, some of her constituents suspected her priorities could do with a reshuffle.
Though her social media is peppered with wince-inducing attempts to appear relatable, she apparently does not put that same effort into her everyday life.
In June 2021, bizarre emails leaked between the mayor and staffer Taylor Lewis. Lightfoot, obviously displeased with her busy schedule, told Lewis that she needs “office time every day!” She repeated this line sixteen times in a row. Each complaint is repeated multiple times in the screed that reads like something out of The Shining.
But what will be the final straw for Lightfoot — if there even is one?
None of these scandals alone would be a death knell for a politician in 2023. Plenty of out-of-touch politicians were caught breaking their own Covid rules. Former speaker Nancy Pelosi got caught getting her hair done and she had the audacity to claim she was “set up.” Embarrassing social media fails seem to be a major part of the Democrat brand nowadays. Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer filmed herself dancing along to Megan Thee Stallion on TikTok. The president once made a mortifying TikTok with the Jonas Brothers. And being mean to staffers has not hindered any of the politicians climbing the ranks today. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Katie Porter’s reputations make Miranda Priestly seem like a compassionate leader.
But when you combine all of these out-of-touch gaffes and political missteps and then add in this week’s email scandal, this could be a tipping point for Lori.
She recently told voters that their only rational choice is to return her to office. Let’s see how rational the people of Chicago are feeling on Election Day at the end of next month.
