Fioretti: Pro-Emanuel Super PAC Targeting City Council Progressive Caucus

By aaroncynic in News on Aug 5, 2014 6:00PM

Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd), said Chicago’s latest super PAC, “Chicago Forward,” is little more than a money grabbing effort to push out the City Council’s Progressive Caucus next year. The Sun-Times reports Fioretti said the super PAC, run by former CPS Chief Communications Officer (and longtime Emanuel ally) Becky Carroll, was created to “destroy” Emanuel’s most vocal Aldermanic critics. “That PAC was created to destroy eight aldermen and their beliefs. Every time somebody does something [contrary to the mayor’s agenda], you’ll receive a mailer about it,” said Fioretti.

Carroll said Chicago Forward, which has already raised $1.35 million from a small cadre of business moguls, has only begun its fundraising efforts. According to the Sun-Times Carroll said the group’s mission is:

“To advocate for issues that will continue to move our city forward in the right direction so that every family has access to high quality school choices, good paying jobs and safe neighborhoods.”

That mission, said Fioretti, means keeping Chicago safely in the hands of Emanuel and his allies. “It’s a few people—big money, corporate interests that want their agenda and not the people’s agenda...It’s more charter school expansion.”

Fioretti, who has been exploring his own mayoral campaign, has only raised $350,000 so far and is expected to make an announcement on a mayoral run as early as this month. The other members of the City Council Progressive Caucus are Leslie Hairston (5th), Roderick Sawyer (6th), Toni Foulkes (15th), Ricardo Munoz (22nd), Scott Waguespack (32nd), Nick Sposato (36th) and John Arena (45th).