Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now facing a lawsuit after she made a controversial announcement that she would only give one-on-one interviews to journalists of color.
Thomas Catenacci, a reporter from right-wing news site, The Daily Caller, is suing Lightfoot in wake of what he claims is a violation of his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Last week, Mayor Lightfoot published a letter criticizing the Chicago media, condemning their “overwhelming whiteness and maleness.”
She claimed her decision to only speak to Black and Brown reporters for her two-year anniversary in office was part of her long-term battle to fight for diversity and inclusion.
“In looking at the absence of diversity across the City Hall press corps and other newsrooms, sadly it does not appear that many of the media institutions in Chicago have caught on and truly have not embraced this moment,” Lightfoot wrote. “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.”
Catenacci said he submitted multiple requests in less than a week’s time but was never contacted by Lightfoot’s team to confirm an interview.
