Remember that recent report about Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot setting an interview rule that requested “journalists of color only”? While we respect the love given to our Black and Brown writers in the world, anybody could’ve predicted that her decision would backfire due to it overall being seen as “choosing favorites” based on race. Well, one reporter proved us right after he hit Lightfoot with a new lawsuit with claims that she denied his interview request because of the color of his skin. His white skin, might we add.
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Thomas Catenacci of The Daily Caller, which TMZ refers to as “super conservative,” states that he submitted an interview request on May 20, then another the next day and finally a third email three days later without getting a response to any. He also brings up the fact that she granted at least one interview request from a self-identified Latino reporter — we assume he’s referring to Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt mentioned in our original article — but yet his was simply ignored.
Here’s an excerpt from Lightfoot’s original letter so you get an idea of what she meant by enacting the rule in the first place:
“I have been struck since my first day on the campaign trail back in 2018 by the overwhelming whiteness and maleness of Chicago media outlets, editorial boards, the political press corps, and yes, the City Hall press corps specifically. In the year 2021, with a Black, lesbian Mayor, a Black woman City Treasurer, a Latinx woman City Clerk and a majority Black and Latinx City Council, the group of reporters assigned to cover City Hall is practically all white. Many of them are smart and hard-working, savvy and skilled. But mostly white, nonetheless. Indeed, there are only a handful of beat reporters of color in the City Hall press corps. While there are women of color who sometimes cover my administration, there are zero women of color assigned to the City Hall beat. Zero. I find this unacceptable and I hope you do too.”
Catenacci is asking a judge to order Lightfoot to do away with the policy, but let us know what you think about this whole situation after reading Mayor Lori Lightfoot full letter here.
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Follow @‘magicbaltimore’Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Hit With Lawsuit Over “Journalists Of Color Only” Interview Rule was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
