Paving the way for Deb
Mayor Rahm Emanuel appeared to set the stage for the latest chapter of Chicago’s “All in the Family” politics when he pointed to the series of firsts that would occur if he chose Deb Mell to succeed her retiring father, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd).
State Rep. Deb Mell (DChicago) is not “guaranteed” her father’s aldermanic seat because of her last name, but neither will her political pedigree be held against her, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday.
Emanuel appeared to set the stage for the latest chapter of Chicago’s “All in the Family” politics when he pointed to the series of firsts that would occur if he chose Deb Mell to succeed her retiring father, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd).
“State Rep. Deb Mell is not guaranteed the job because her last name is Deb Mell. And state Rep. Deb Mell is not excluded from the job be- cause her last name is Mell,” the mayor said.
“State Rep. Deb Mell is not guaranteed a job in City Council because she would be the first [openly] lesbian [alderman] or because she had breast cancer. But, she’s not excluded because she would be the first lesbian and the first woman, as [far as] I know, that has breast cancer. I remind all of you [that] she was endorsed by both papers when she ran for state rep.”
Richard Mell’s long-awaited retirement puts Emanuel in a bit of a political trick-bag.
On the one hand, he has promised that all future aldermanic vacancies would be filled through a fair and open process that mirrors the one that culminated in the mayor’s selection of former state transportation manager Natashia Holmes to replace Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th).
On the other hand, Emanuel likes and admires Deb Mell and believes she would be an ideal replacement for her father. She would also become Chicago’s first openly lesbian and third openly gay alderman, joining Tom Tunney (44th) and James Cappleman (46th).