Ald. Austin apologizes to Reboyras for outburst in defense of fire commissioner

The always outspoken chairman of the City Council’s Budget Committee offered a public apology Friday for lashing out at a colleague who dared to ask newly-appointed Fire Cmsr. Richard Ford II to explain his qualifications for the job.

Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) said she thought better of her outburst after reading a Chicago Sun-Times article about it that included the response from Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30th).

Reboyras said he meant no disrespect to Ford. His intention was merely to “show my colleagues how qualified this individual is to be the next commissioner.”

“I want to publicly apologize for my ranting and raving in regard to what my assumption was of what I thought your intent was regarding Fire Commissioner Ford,” Austin said Friday while chairing City Council budget hearings.

“I had made the statement that, if you were sitting in front of me, I would have probably lambasted you then. For that I ask for your forgiveness. You stated in the paper….that that was not your intent. I also talked to Commissioner Ford and he stated that he was not insulted because you and he had a great relationship.”

Sun-Times file

But Austin categorically denied that she was protective of Ford –– and furious about a line of questioning never directed at his newly-retired Hispanic predecessor Jose Santiago –– simply because the new commissioner is African-American.

“If I felt that from anybody in this council, I would do it in a heartbeat –– not just for an African-American,” Austin said.

“Every department head [who] sits here, I try to do my best to keep you all from tearing their heads off. I know that some of you all do want to get at ’em.”

Reboyras, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety, accepted Austin’s apology without hesitation. He told the chairman there was “no need” to ask for forgiveness.

“I respect you. I always respect you. I was never even gonna bring it up,” he said.

“Apology is accepted.”

Fellow aldermen then broke into applause as Austin breathed a sigh of relief.

“I wouldn’t have been able to rest if I hadn’t apologized to you. The word of God says ask for forgiveness,” she said.

“It would have whupped me all night. I’m already up half the night. That would have been no sleep.”

The question that triggered Austin’s outburst during Thursday’s budget hearing seemed harmless enough at the time.

“Can we hear from you a little bit about your career and how you got here to this point today as acting commissioner?” Reboyras said then.

Ford laughed nervously, then launched into a detailed explanation of his rise through the ranks of the Chicago Fire Department.

The acting commissioner said later he was not offended.

“I don’t think Ald. Reboyras meant to be insulting at all,” he said.

But Ford said he was not at all surprised by Austin’s tirade.

“The alderman is very defensive of all her departments. She thought there was an insult there. I don’t believe there was,” he said.

The surprising thing about Austin’s tirade was the fact that she was not the only one to take offense.

Even before Austin’s outburst, Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) took offense.

“In my 19 years sitting here, commissioner, I don’t think any alderman has asked [a department head] to state, ‘What makes you qualified to sit in that seat,’” Hairston said.

“But you know what? I know you are and I’m glad you are here. I just want us to be sensitive as to how we phrase things because it’s subtle sometimes.”

After Austin’s outburst, Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) did his own piling on Reboyras.