Giannoulias takes seat on Library Board
Former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias returned to public life Tuesday — with an appointment to the Chicago Public Library Board— and showed why his fellow Democrats consider him to be such a straight- shooter in spite of past controversies.
It happened when Ald. Nick Sposato ( 38th) asked Giannoulias to promise not to seek political office in Chicago for two years.
Sposato is hell- bent on preventing mayoral appointees to the city’s boards and commissions from doing what Lori Lightfoot did: using her role as Police Board president as a springboard to challenge the mayor who appointed her.
Giannoulias disappeared from public life after losing the 2010 race for the U. S. Senate by fewer than 60,000 votes to Republican Mark Kirk.
He’s happy in private life. He has no plans to run for anything in the near future. But he’s not about to make a Lyndon Johnsonlike, lock- the- door, swallowthe- key promise not to seek public office for the next two years that he just might regret.
“I always hated politicians and people who are ambitious saying, ‘ I’m not gonna do this. I would never do this.’ And the next day, you read on the front page that they’re running for something or, ‘ I’m only gonna run for two terms,’ then they change their mind,” Giannoulias said.
“I can tell you pretty strongly that I have no ambitions of running for anything. My life is pretty busy. I couldn’t be happier. But if somewhere down the road something comes up, most likely, no. But it would be irresponsible for me to make a commitment.”
Giannoulias is senior director of BNY Mellon Wealth Management. He is a close friend of Emanuel, former President Barack Obama and David Axelrod.
After a confirmation hearing that was more like a lovefest, Giannoulias said he was “surprised at how nice everybody was.”