This story was first published on CNN.com “She’s been a political appointee several times. Now Lori Lightfoot will be running the third-largest city in the US“
(CNN) — Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Lightfoot made holding abusive officers accountable for their actions a bedrock of her campaign.
In the wake of the Laquan McDonald scandal, Lightfoot, elected Tuesday to be the first African-American woman to be mayor of Chicago, was appointed by outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel to head the newly created police accountability task force.
Many of the panel’s recommendations were similar to the findings in the U.S. Justice Department report that found serious problems with the police department’s handling of racism within its ranks. Under Lightfoot, the city replaced its widely criticized police oversight agency with a civilian body designed to have much more oversight over officers and their supervisors.
With many of the mayoral candidates promising they would fire current Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson after taking office, Lightfoot claims such a move might do more harm than good as the city approaches the summer months, when hotter weather traditionally brings spikes in violence. In the month of January, the city recorded the fewest number of murders in nine years, with 20 people killed, according to Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer for the Chicago Police Department.
Lightfoot, 56, grew up in Ohio and went to college at the University of Michigan. Then after two years as a legislative aide in Washington she went to law school at the University of Chicago. She has lived in the city for all but one year since 1986.
Lightfoot describes herself as “an out and proud black lesbian.” When she is sworn in, she will be the first mayor in the Windy City who identifies as a lesbian. She and her spouse, Amy Eshleman, have a 10-year-old daughter.
Lightfoot also was a senior equity partner at a private law firm, was interim first deputy of the city’s procurement department, was chief of staff and general counsel for the emergency management office and was chief administrator of the office of professional standards.
This would be her first time to hold an elected office.
