White Alderman Apologizes For Calling Black Opponent 'Very Scary'

EVANSTON, IL — After facing condemnation by all three mayoral candidates, Ald. Ann Rainey apologized Tuesday for comments she made about City Clerk Devon Reid last week during an 8th Ward candidate forum.

Reid, who is Black, is one of four candidates challenging Rainey, who is white and the city's senior alderman, in the city's upcoming elections.

At a Feb. 2 League of Women Voters forum, Reid and Rainey were joined by Ridgeville Park District Commissioner Matthew Mitchell and Shelley Ann Carrillo, who is running as a write-in candidate after she was removed from the ballot for not specifying a ward. Joshua Hall, another write-in candidate, did not take part in the meeting.

During closing statements at the forum, Rainey asserted that she was more committed to the job than her challengers and more effective at getting things done for 8th Ward residents. She also indirectly referenced Mitchell's decision to run for alderman two years after winning a park board seat before directing a jab in Reid's direction.

"The council does not have the political will. I do. And that's the kind of candidate you get when you vote for Ann Rainey. You get a candidate with courage. That's what I have, and I have always stood up for the 8th Ward and what is best for the 8th Ward," she said. "I will do exactly what I've done for you over the years, and that is give you my all. I am a loyal candidate, unlike some people who run for a six-year term and you get two — and unlike the City Clerk, who is a very scary person."

"Scary Black man, I get it," Reid said. "It's fine."

But it was not fine with many Evanstonians.

About a dozen residents who took part in Monday's City Council meeting criticized Rainey's remarks. And on Tuesday, mayoral candidates Daniel Biss, Lori Keenan and Sebastian Nalls issued statements in response.

“Ann Rainey’s behavior in the Women League of Voters’ forum was unfitting of an elected official and unacceptable in our community," Keenan and Nalls said in a joint statement. "In an effort to show unity and solidarity for Devon Reid and the minoritized communities of Evanston, we have come together to censure her actions as racially insensitive. We must condemn her words to set a precedent that these actions are intolerable.”

The two candidates said they had attempted to contact Biss to invite him to sign on to a joint statement, but the former state senator's campaign had already released its own statement by the time they communicated.

"The comments made by Alderman Rainey were harmful and have no place in our community," Biss said. "The racist lie that Black men are scary has done immeasurable harm in our country and reinforcing that lie is dangerous and damaging. We must continue to call out systemic racism and hold ourselves and one another accountable — especially as candidates and elected leaders."

Rainey issued a response Wednesday morning noting that she has known and worked with Reid for the past four years.

"My recent comment about him was inappropriate and for that I apologize. While I feel Clerk Reid is not ready to effectively represent the residents of Evanston's 8th Ward, in no way do I find him personally 'scary' and I have apologized to Clerk Reid for my poor choice of words," Rainey said. "In addition, I want to apologize to any one that I have offended. I understand that words matter and I will be more thoughtful."

In a statement after the forum, Reid suggested that his efforts to increase transparency and resident participation in local government may be what frightens his opponents.

"My political opponents have resorted to using racist [tropes], dog whistling, to paint me as a dangerous criminal. For those who know me personally, this is the furthest from the truth," Reid said.

"I believe in Evanston and I believe in the 8th Ward. Our Voters will see right through these cheap, racist political attacks. This is no surprise, we’ve been dealing with falsehoods since we began running four years ago," he added. "I bet my opponents and folks who uphold systemic racism do find us 'scary', we mark the start of a new era that delivers on our equity goals. That’s why we’ve faced so much pushback."

Early voting began Monday in the city's Feb. 23 primary for mayor, clerk, 4th Ward alderman and 8th Ward alderman. The top two vote-getters in each race will advance to an April 6 runoff, although a candidate for mayor could win outright by securing more than 50 percent of the vote.

Prior to Rainey's controversial closing remarks at last week's forum, the four participating candidates covered such topics as economic development on Howard Street, communication with constituents, the city's public safety budget and rodent control.

"We'll definitely have to be a little more aggressive with our attempts to solve the rodent issue. What's been done with the bait traps, it's not only inhumane but it's also ineffective in the area," Carrillo said.

Rainey suggested neighborhood groups can be effective at solving neighborhood problems.

"You know, you cannot address killing rodents in a humane way," Rainey said. "We have a rodent contractor, and we put out traps and, you know, the little rodents die. We can't pick up rodents and carry them off to a rodent farm. That's not how we handle the rodent problem. You know, there's a reality here, you got to kill the rodents if you want to get rid of them, and it's very difficult. It's very difficult if everybody doesn't cooperate. You can't have your dog poop and not clean it up. That is a rodents favorite food, by the way.

"And in your neighborhood, there is a problem with a few people," she told Carrillo. "I get complaints all the time of people who do not clean up after their dogs."

Watch: Full Feb. 2 League of Women Voters of Evanston 8th Ward Alderman Candidate Forum