Lightfoot campaign emails Chicago teachers for student volunteers

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign has emailed an unknown number of Chicago public school teachers in an attempt to recruit student volunteers for the re-election campaign.

The email was sent Tuesday morning from Megan Crane, Deputy Campaign Manager at Lightfoot.Email news was first reported by WTTWNews.

“As the competition heats up, we are looking to enrich our office through what we call an external training program,” Crane writes.

Crane asked teachers to share the message with their students.

“Lightfoot for Chicago is seeking resumes from volunteers who have an interest in campaign politics and are keen to gain experience in this field,” Crane wrote. “The ideal volunteer is enthusiastic about joining an efficient, well-organized and dynamic team.”

Crane also said, “A strong commitment to Democratic ideals is essential.”

Students can earn class credit through the volunteer program, Crane said in an email.

Volunteers are expected to put in about 12 hours a week and will be tasked with communicating with voters, attending events, and more, Crane said in an email.

Lightfoot’s campaign defends the move, but reminds staff that a “solid wall” between the campaign and official activity and contact with city officials is “off-limits.” It has said.

Lightfoot’s campaign statement said, “Our campaign has been blessed with a passionate following from young people across the city.” It was intended to provide an opportunity to learn more about the importance of and participate in the most American process. It is a common practice and has given countless high school and college students the opportunity to learn more about the election process. The LFC campaign staff must maintain a solid wall between the campaign and its official activities and, through public sources, any city in Chicago or any other sister city, including CPS employees. I was reminded that contact with agency employees is also off-limits.

The Chicago Ethics Committee said it was aware of the email and would discuss it at its next meeting. According to the Council websitethe next meeting is on January 23rd.

Response to the Lightfoot Campaign Calling for CPS Students to Volunteer

Rep. Chuy Garcia, also running for mayor, said in a tweet that the email was a “serious problem.”

Garcia: “Desperate times seem to require desperate measures” murmured“The mayor should be more concerned with fully funding Chicago’s public schools than using them as a recruitment pipeline for free workers in reelection campaigns.”

Mayoral candidate Kam Buckner called the email “a brutal abuse and abuse of power” and said it was a reminder that Lightfoot “doesn’t respect the law.”

“Her arrogance and incompetence are inexcusable and Chicago must be saved from breaking a four-year promise to ‘bring the light,'” Buckner said in a statement. “The City Inspector General and the Chicago Board of Elections should immediately investigate whether the mayor’s lack of decency violates the law.”

Aldo, present-day 6th Arrondissement. Mayoral candidate Roderick Sawyer said the email was “totally unethical, a hypocritical contradiction to her campaign promises of better government, and a shameful exploitation of public school students.” rice field.

“Mayor Lightfoot has betrayed our schools and teachers at every turn over the past four years and now wants civil servants and children to be her personal electoral resources,” Sawyer wrote. “She doesn’t know what lesson she believes Lightfoot is teaching, but additional credit must be in government corruption.”

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson and mayoral candidate said the email was “outrageous, hopeless, and downright unethical.”

“Mayor Lightfoot has already betrayed students. Now he is exploiting young people for political gain,” Johnson said in a statement. “Chicago needs a leader focused on providing adequate funding for public schools, not someone who blatantly abuses the power of the office.”

Mayoral candidate Sophia King said she was “surprised.”

“With the exception of unsuspecting and vulnerable victims, this is pay-to-play,” King wrote in a statement. In fact she will be expelled This is the lack of transparency I want to change for Chicago And our joint approach to building a better government is gaining momentum increasing.”