Some Chicago aldermen call for mayor's aide to be fired after controversial comments
CHICAGO - Several Chicago aldermen are calling for Mayor Brandon Johnson to fire one of his top aides after a 2021 podcast interview resurfaced in which she referred to police as "f---ing pigs."
The comments were made during a conversation about the killing of a young Black person in Colorado.
"If I die at the hands of the f---ing pigs, don’t name s--t after me. I don’t want legislation named after me. I would be honored if it got more folks to abolition," Kennedy Bartley, Mayor Johnson's Managing Deputy of External Relations, allegedly said on the podcast "This Is Your Afterlife with Dave Maher."
On Friday, Bartley took responsibility for the comments and expressed remorse that she had made them.
"I want to make it absolutely clear I don’t stand by them," Bartley said in an interview with WTTW News. "I am embarrassed by them."
These remarks, uncovered by FOX 32, have led to growing calls for her removal from the mayor’s office.
Last week, Bartley's responsibilities reportedly expanded to oversee the mayor's legislative affairs team, which is in charge of lobbying the City Council and Springfield to support the Johnson agenda. It's led to turmoil in the department and at least one high-profile resignation.
On Wednesday, some aldermen expressed their frustration and indicated they would not work with Bartley.
"I’m beyond disgusted," said Alderman Anthony Napolitano (41st Ward). "It’s another demonization of the police department. She should’ve been vetted a lot better."
Alderman David Moore (17th Ward) echoed the sentiment, saying, "I don’t want someone so left-wing that we can’t work together to move things forward for our community."
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One of Chicago Mayor Johnson's top aides allegedly calls police 'f---ing pigs' in 2021 podcast
A top aide to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson once referred to police as "f---ing pigs" and advocated for abolition of police departments in podcast comments that were unearthed by FOX 32 Chicago.
In response, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office issued a statement but did not directly acknowledge the comments.
"Kennedy Bartley serves the Mayor and will be supporting the Mayor’s vision for comprehensive public safety. Under Mayor Johnson the CPD budget has grown, and just last October the Mayor negotiated a two-year extension of the CPD's collective bargaining that doubled scheduled Chicago police raises for this year and next."
However, the assurance didn’t satisfy all officials. Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) and Napolitano are among those who insist Bartley should be removed from her position.
"She should be fired immediately. Not even given time to resign. Fired immediately, have her box waiting outside with all of her stuff in it at the front door of City Hall, on her way out," Napolitano said.
At least four staffers from the legislative affairs office have left since Bartley’s role reportedly expanded, and it comes at a time when Mayor Johnson has announced a hiring freeze aimed at addressing a budget gap.