Illinois Democrats talk football, avoid political questions

(The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is stepping around questions about the biggest issues facing City Hall.

The mayor would only take questions on topic Monday at a news conference for the Chicago Football Classic. The game involves two Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Morehouse and Kentucky State are scheduled to play on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Soldier Field.

“I, Mayor Brandon Johnson, on behalf of the greatest city in the world, the city of Chicago, we do hereby proclaim September 16 through the 21st, 2024 as Chicago Football Classic HBCU week,” Johnson announced.

The mayor’s office released a statement earlier this month saying that the city’s budget deficit would reach nearly $1 billion next year.

In addition, Johnson's Deputy of External Relations, Kennedy Bartley, has faced criticism for profanity-laced anti-police statements and alleged antisemitic comments. Several aldermen have called for the mayor to fire Bartley immediately.

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, Congressman Danny Davis and other elected officials joined Mayor Johnson at the news conference.

The mayor said that the Chicago Football Classic is bigger than just a game.

“This is really about our young people, more than $1 million for students who are going to HBCU’s,” Johnson said.

Speaker Welch said that Black students went to Historically Black Colleges and Universities because they were not allowed at other schools, and the same was true of fraternities and sororities.

“We weren’t allowed in other Greek letter organizations. So we had to form our own, and boy, did we do it,” Welch said.

Neither the speaker nor the mayor took questions on the financial issues facing Chicago.

In July, Moody’s ranked Chicago with the worst credit rating of any major city in the United States.

Recent polling found Johnson's approval rating is about 27%.