Former Richard J. Daley critic defends Lightfoot for keeping aldermen ‘reasonably frightened’

“The aldermen need to be reasonably frightened of the mayor. They need to know that she’s not gonna put up with them getting off the reservation too often,” Simpson said before Monday’s inauguration ceremony at Wintrust Arena.

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Dick Simpson in 1973, left, and in 2012, right. Sun-Times File Photos.

Dick Simpson in 1973, left, and in 2012, right. Sun-Times File Photos.

Sun-Times File Photos.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot did the right thing by stripping 20-year veteran Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) of any role in City Council leadership because she needed to set the tone early about who is boss.

That’s the surprising bottom line from former Ald. Dick Simpson (44th), an early Lightfoot supporter who is advising the new mayor on ethics reform.

As an independent alderman, Simpson got under then- Mayor Richard J. Daley’s skin. When his microphone was turned off in the City Council chambers, Simpson accused Daley of refusing to tolerate dissent.

Decades later, Simpson is changing his tune. He’s saying Lightfoot had every right — and, in fact, did the smart thing — stripping Beale of his Transportation Committee chairmanship and leaving the 20-year veteran alderman with no seat at all when the music stopped.

Beale was punished, apparently for having the temerity to warn Lightfoot that if she insisted on pushing Ald. Scott Waguespack as Finance Committee chairman, whom Beale claimed doesn’t “play well with others,” she might be picking a fight with the new City Council she cannot win.

“The aldermen need to be reasonably frightened of the mayor. They need to know that she’s not gonna put up with them getting off the reservation too often,” Simpson said before Monday’s inauguration ceremony at Wintrust Arena.

“The aldermen [now] understand it’s better to be on her good side than her bad side.”

But, wasn’t it the least bit vindictive for a new mayor who promised an end to the City Council’s days as a rubber stamp to be flexing her muscle like an old-fashioned boss?

“No. I think it was just power. You’ve got to get a majority of the City Council. And you’ve got to keep ‘em on all but a few votes,” Simpson said.

Simpson argued that Beale’s outspoken criticism of Waguespack was not the only reason he was ousted.

“It was also that Beale was one of the old-time machine aldermen,” Simpson said.

Ald. Dick Simpson tells reporters that he will not seek re-election in 1978. Sun-Times File Photo.

Ald. Dick Simpson tells reporters that he will not seek re-election in 1978. Sun-Times File Photo.

Sun-Times File Photo.

The former independent alderman acknowledged that several other members of the old guard were retained. They include: Rules Committee Chairman Michelle Harris (8th); Traffic Committee Chairman Walter Burnett (27th) and License Committee Chairman Emma Mitts (37th).

Even Budget Committee Chairman Carrie Austin (34th), who was replaced by Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), was offered the chairmanship of a new Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity as a consolation prize.

“You have to make compromises. And she decided what she could get away with doing. She had to keep some of the old-timers, even if they weren’t ideal people,” Simpson said.

Thanks to those compromises, Simpson said he has no doubt that Lightfoot will win the City Council reorganization vote that will be the first test of her political muscle.

“Even though there’s griping, she’ll get her way because aldermen most of all want power. If they get their committee assignments and committee chairmanships, there’s enough of a coalition. And remember, there’s [12] new aldermen, most of whom got elected by Lori Lightfoot voters,” Simpson said.  

“I’m hoping she’ll get more than 30 votes. She needs to, just to get a sense that, if she loses one or two on some other issue, she still has a majority. It’ll be very different from Council Wars, with a 29-21 split against Harold” Washington.

In spite of the punishment he endured, Beale said he has “no regrets whatsoever” about having spoken his mind and talking about the City Council re-organizing itself.

Alderman Anthony Beale of the 9th Ward called for the closing of Crispy Cuts babershop, 31 E. 112th Pl., site of a attempted robber turned fatal shootout September 21, 2019.

Alderman Anthony Beale in 2014. File Photo. | Brian Jackson/Sun-Times

Brian Jackson/Sun-Times

“We are the ones who are supposed to organize. We are the ones who supposed to pick our chairmen. We’re the ones who are supposed to pick our committee members. So, I’m not gonna apologize for trying to follow the same rules that we’re governed by,” Beale said.

“If I’m being penalized because I’m following the rules, what message does that send?”

Beale was asked if he believes Lightfoot will have the 26 votes she needs to deliver the City Council leaders she has chosen.

“We’ll see what happens on the 29th,” he said.

Nine months ago, Simpson endorsed Lori Lightfoot and embraced her nine-point plan to restore what she called the “deep-seated mistrust” that many Chicagoans have in their city government.

It was three months before FBI agents raided the ward and City Hall offices of now-deposed Finance Committee Chairman Edward Burke (14th) and famously covered the glass doors with brown butcher paper. And it was four months before Burke was charged with attempted extortion.

On Monday, shortly after the inauguration, Simpson stood at Lightfoot’s side again — this time to watch her sign an executive order stripping aldermen of their absolute power over licenses and permits in their wards.

“Thank you, mayor, for ending 150 years of aldermanic prerogative,” Simpson said to laughter from the reformers gathered with him in Lightfoot’s remodeled City Hall office.

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