Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has a tense exchange with a reporter relating to the DOJ probe into hiring practices and his past statements.
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00:00I'll just turn my microphone on, Mayor Johnson.
00:04Ever since the Department of Justice has opened their civil rights, racial discrimination investigation into you and your administration,
00:15you've done nothing but attack the Department of Justice and Donald Trump by name.
00:24We need the question, otherwise we're going to have to keep going.
00:27Harmeet Dillon, the Assistant Attorney General, who in a recent interview said that your racial discrimination is an open and shut case.
00:41So in light of that, a lot of people are wondering what kind of legal advice in light of the fact that you and your administration could be responsible for millions upon millions of dollars in lawsuits.
00:57What kind of legal advice are you getting?
00:58Okay, thanks for the question.
01:01So here's what's important here, that the conversation around what does it mean to have an administration that reflects the values of the people of the city of Chicago
01:14and whether or not that approach is something that the administration subscribes to.
01:20Clearly they don't.
01:22You know, we have the most competent, talented, loving, diverse administration.
01:2964% of the administration is made up of women.
01:33And there's value there.
01:34And, you know, it certainly is different than, you know, the Trump's administration, right, where you have pro wrestlers
01:44and individuals who, quite frankly, should address their addiction to controlled substances.
01:53And as someone who is running a department that knows nothing about Department of Human Services, right,
02:01there's a degree of, again, frustration that the American people are experiencing simply because, you know,
02:12the Trump administration, again, is more interested in the country club than the country.
02:17You know, my administration speaks to the values of the people of this city and around the country.
02:22And as we continue to drive violence down in the city of Chicago and as our investments continue to go up,
02:27it has proved positive that my administration not only reflects the values and the diversity and the competency of our city,
02:34but there are actual positive results that we can speak to.
02:38Last week I asked you about the racist rhetoric that you have used on the campaign trail
02:44and the racist policies, hiring policies, that the city is currently being investigated for.
02:50You said you didn't answer the question, including a question about Robert Gomez.
02:57It's either now or we're going to keep moving, sir.
02:59You know, a lot of Chicagoans have said that they want this question answered.
03:04That's fine.
03:04Just ask the question.
03:05And you interrupting a question that real Chicagoans want to have.
03:09I understand.
03:09Mr. Kelly, are you okay, sir?
03:14Just ask the question.
03:15You seem a little heavy.
03:17I'm being interrupted by one of your questions.
03:19Let me just say this one more time.
03:20If you don't ask the question, we're going to move on to the next person.
03:23Ask the question.
03:24Go for it.
03:24A lot of Chicagoans, actually hundreds of thousands, millions of Chicagoans,
03:28have commented on on my last video, want to know about, for example, the case of Robert Gomez,
03:37the Riverwalk restaurateur who had his license yanked without any explanation,
03:45costing the city, by the way, $800,000.
03:47If you could go back to last week when I asked you this question and before the DOJ and others
03:57are not investigating this.
03:58Mr. Kelly, you've got to ask your question, sir.
03:59Would you answer the question?
04:01What is the question?
04:02The people of Chicago want to know why you are engaging in racist rhetoric and hiring practices.
04:09Yeah, thank you for that question.
04:10And I fundamentally oppose and reject the premise of your question.
04:14We'll go to Tara now.
04:15Thank you very much.
04:15Thanks.
04:15Good morning, Mayor.
04:17Yes, it is.
04:18Let's shift to the bears.