Peek at Rahm’s private email inbox shows people concerned about crime
Emanuel circulated article on gov hopeful’s ‘ divisive fantasy’; mayor’s private emails filled with complaints about crime
In early January, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy accused Mayor Rahm Emanuel of being part of a “strategic gentrification plan” to intentionally push black residents out of Chicago.
The wild charge hit Emanuel where it hurts — so much so that the mayor used his private email accounts to circulate a newspaper story about what he called “Chris Kennedy’s divisive fantasy.” His supporters responded with some tough love advice.
That was among the discoveries in a trove of private emails obtained by the Chicago Sun- Times. The emails to and from Emanuel during January, February and March were released in response to a Freedom of Information request.
For the most part, they once again show political heavy- hitters and campaign contributors are no longer pitching ideas to Emanuel on the mayor’s private email accounts at the risk of attracting attention from Chicago’s reinvigorated Board of Ethics.
“I do not agree or think that you are secretly trying to push black folks out. Trust me. [ But], I do feel the South and West Sides are severely lacking in resources,” activist priest Rev. Michael Pfleger wrote in response to the “divisive fantasy” clip.
“And I do feel folks around you are not helping, e. g. . . . the lack of community engagement in the Englewood school plan, Streets and Sanitation going down and removing homeless folks belongings in one of the coldest stretches in history and more. But, another time.”
Pfleger concluded: “Joe Citizen believes you are a mayor in charge so none of this happened without your ok. So folks under you either think these things are ok with you or don’t care. I am not your enemy. I respect you. I will always be honest with you.”
Longtime Democratic activist and public relations maven Marilyn Katz emailed the mayor’s chief of staff Joe Deal ( and copied Emanuel) to note “an actual and substantial increase in investments in the AfricanAmerican communities over the past seven years” under Emanuel.
“That is not to say that things are great. The leaving of firms like Nabisco, etc. — which you should have challenged. I did — [ and] the recession have been unkind to the city and Illinois, reducing peoples’ incomes, reducing good jobs and replacing them with lower paid ones. That said, I believe investment is actually up. . . . You should be quantifying that,” Katz wrote.
Katz, who has done work for the Chicago Housing Authority, argued there is “more affordable housing available to more people in more communities than ever before,” that “vouchers have been increased from 30,000 to 47,000” and that CHA owned or co- owned apartments are now available in 75 neighborhoods.
“Someone should have this data. As to African- Americans leaving, I suggest that you . . . dig deeper behind the numbers to understand what is up. Come on guys, there is plenty to be said,” Katz wrote.
Bucktown resident Jessica Montrie wrote to “respectfully implore” Emanuel to bolster police presence in the 14th District after a “significant increase in carjackings, muggings and shootings” that has “drastically affected our quality of life in a very good neighborhood.”
“We live in fear. The kind of fear that makes you move out of our beloved city and neighborhood,” she wrote.
Mollie Stromberg, a Drummond Montes- sori parent, made a similar complaint, reminding the mayor of when his own son was mugged near Emanuel’s Ravenswood home.
“Am certain that when your child was a victim of a crime that you felt the same way our Bucktown community is feeling with many recent carjackings and armed robberies,” Stromberg wrote.
When Stromberg suggested the mayor’s office reach out to Drummond Principal Erica Kittle, Emanuel responded, “She should be getting a call from the commander in 14, your district. Some other parent wrote rude note to me.”
The mayor subsequently wrote, “Eight new officers for 14 District. Over the year, more to come. I checked some data since last email. Commander has a decline in robberies and burglaries. I know it does not feel that way. But, it does reflect improvement.”
Jeffrey Hecktman, chairman and CEO of Hilco Global, wrote the mayor after driving into Chicago on the Kennedy Expressway and being “appalled” to see a grassy berm between Wilson and Addison “filled with an enormous amount of litter.”
Hecktman asked where he should “send this same report to help the situation.”
Emanuel replied, “Your governor . . . I actually did the same to staff today. State of Illinois manages those roads.”
Not all of the private emails were citizen beefs.
Former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, now senior vice president of corporate affairs for Amazon, emailed the mayor on the January day that Chicago made the cut of 20 cities still in the running for Amazon’s second North American headquarters.
“Everyone here was impressed with the proposal your team put together,” Carney wrote. “Yes aware. Thanks,” Emanuel replied. “Hope you saw the recognition of our neighborhoods ( 7) that have it all!” Carney replied, “I did. Good stuff.” Emanuel parried, “Whose your daddy? Talk soon. Hope family is good.”