SOUTH SIDE ALDERMAN HAS NO PLANS TO REJOIN CITY COUNCIL’S BLACK CAUCUS GROUP

David Moore (17th), whose ward includes West Chatham, spoke at a Jan. 7, 2020 press conference about his economic vision for his South Side ward. Photo credit: By Wendell Hutson
David Moore (17th), whose ward includes West Chatham, spoke at a Jan. 7, 2020 press conference about his economic vision for his South Side ward. Photo credit: By Wendell Hutson

South Side Alderman Has No Plans to Rejoin City Council’s Black Caucus Group

BY WENDELL HUTSON, Contributing Writer

A relatively new member of the City Council’s Black Caucus resigned after a December 18 City Council meeting and said he has no plans to rejoin the group of black aldermen until he sees unity among them.

And while Ald. David Moore (17th), whose ward includes Auburn Gresham and West Chatham, said his decision to leave the caucus was not solely due to five caucus members voting against the groups’ majority members to delay recreational marijuana sales until July 2020, having members vote against the caucus was the last straw.

“Let me be clear when I say my decision to resign from the Black Caucus was not due to us failing to delay marijuana sales in Chicago, but rather division among members,” Moore told the Citizen. “When your caucus members say they are going into a battle with you but when they get on the battlefield, they lay down their ‘guns,’ that’s frustrating. I just feel there’s no unity with the Black Caucus anymore and I don’t want to be a part of anything that is not unified.”

The 20-member Black Caucus had five members, who voted with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, to allow recreational marijuana sales to begin on Jan. 1 instead of six months later as a way to allow black investors more time to secure enough financing to enter the multi-billion dollar industry since no Chicago dispensaries are black-owned.

“This is not the first time the caucus has not stood together, so I want people to understand that,” contends Moore. “When I first joined the caucus in 2015, I campaigned on the promise that I would not be a part of the ‘business as usual’ club, but that’s exactly what the caucus has done on more than one occasion.”

West Side Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), chairman of the Black Caucus, did not return calls seeking comment.

Moore added that Ervin’s leadership is outstanding and he did a fantastic job rallying caucus members together to vote in favor of delaying marijuana sales.

Aldermen Michelle Harris (8th), Walter Burnett Jr. (27th), Chris Taliaferro (29th), Emma Mitts (37th), Matthew Martin (47th), and Pat Dowell (3rd) all voted with Lightfoot, who appointed each of them as committee chairpersons in June.

For Harris, she said she is disappointed that Moore left the caucus, but said she hopes he changes his mind and rejoins the group.

“I’m prayerful that Alderman Moore will come back to the caucus because his presence is important to the caucus,” she said. “And my (Dec. 18) vote was not a vote against the Black Caucus, but a vote that I felt was good for the city of Chicago.”

In regards to Moore leaving the caucus, Dowell declined comment.

But in a statement she said she wants to see more minority ownership in the cannabis industry.

“I am appalled that the current cannabis law does not provide equity in the cannabis industry for minority communities. For too long, communities of color like the ones I represent have been victims of systemic racism and shut out of meaningful economic opportunities,” explained Dowell. “The first wave of cannabis licenses issued by the State of Illinois continues that systemic inequality. It is unfair and I’m committed to righting this wrong.”

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