Reporter: Johnson's comments ‘not specific' toward race in city hires
(NewsNation) — With the Department of Justice launching an investigation into the hiring practices of the city of Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has come under fire for his remarks on the subject. WGN-TV investigative reporter Ben Bradley says Johnson's comments have been taken out of context.
'I think this is a great example of the tail wagging the dog,' said Bradley on 'NewsNation Now.' 'You had the mayor's comments on Sunday igniting a social media firestorm in some circles, which ignited this potential DOJ investigation.'
The DOJ letter to the city states the investigation revolves around Johnson's 'suggestion' that his office hires based on race, but Bradley acknowledges all Johnson was doing was referring to Black members of his administration, who he indicated specifically understand the needs of the Black community and their unique position to help them.
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'You could object to that language all you want, but he never came out and said, 'Oh, I only hire Black people,'' added Bradley.
In Johnson's office, the race of employees is diverse. Numbers show 34% of those hired are Black, 30% are white and 23% are Hispanic. Those statistics are similar to the city's overall population, which stands at 32% white, 30% Hispanic and 28% Black.
'I can tell you in Chicago's sordid racial history, that has not always been the case,' Bradley said. 'In fact, many administrations for many decades were shockingly white people.'
Bradley noted Johnson has been very open about his Blackness and was in a Black church on the South Side of the city talking about what he's done to empower Black residents. Meanwhile, President Trump has been persistent about his DEI views and that race should not be a factor in hiring methods.
Bradley also believes local lawmakers are split about whose side to take.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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