Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson made national headlines again over the weekend after remarks during a South Side church event prompted a response from the U.S. Department of Justice. In a wide-ranging conversation on Chicago’s Morning Answer, Ted Dabrowski, president of Wirepoints, joined hosts Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson to discuss Johnson’s racial rhetoric, the DOJ’s warning letter, and the broader political and economic decay throughout Illinois.
At issue were Johnson’s comments emphasizing the hiring of Black officials within his administration and characterizing Black Chicagoans as uniquely generous. While the mayor framed the remarks as a celebration of diversity, the DOJ’s Office for Civil Rights saw them as potential violations of federal law. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment decisions based on race, prompting the DOJ to flag the comments for further review.
Dabrowski noted that racial patronage is hardly new in Chicago, comparing Johnson’s approach to that of previous political machines. What’s different, he said, is Johnson’s openness about it. “This guy is just willing to say whatever he wants whenever he wants,” Dabrowski said. “I’m not sure Daley would ever say something like that out loud.” He also pointed out that the DOJ’s swift response could signal a larger federal interest in confronting the dysfunction in sanctuary cities like Chicago.
Proft echoed the sentiment, arguing that Chicago has long been plagued by tribal politics and patronage, regardless of which group is in power. What’s more disturbing, he said, is that Johnson’s administration uses racial identity to justify policy decisions that often fail to deliver for the very communities they’re supposed to serve.
Dabrowski underscored this point by referencing Wirepoints data showing that, despite years of leadership by Black elected officials, outcomes for Black Chicagoans — particularly in education, employment, and public safety — remain among the worst in major U.S. cities.
The discussion also broadened to include Illinois’ failing metro economies. According to new data analyzed by Wirepoints, the Bloomington metro area has experienced the worst economic decline in the country since 2019, shrinking by 17% after adjusting for inflation. Other struggling regions include Rockford, Danville, and Peoria. Even the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro, the state’s economic hub, ranked a dismal 268th out of 384 metro areas for inflation-adjusted growth.
“The old manufacturing, working-class cities are being destroyed,” Dabrowski said. “And even our strongest metro area is underperforming compared to peers in places like Phoenix or Miami.”
He noted that businesses are increasingly redirecting investments to southern and midwestern states with more business-friendly climates. One Illinois business owner recently told Dabrowski he refuses to expand in Illinois, choosing instead to invest everywhere else.
Despite the gloomy outlook, there was a glimmer of optimism when it came to education. Dabrowski pointed to a proposed $5 billion federal tax credit scholarship program that could bring school choice to Illinois students. With state lawmakers unwilling to pass reforms locally, the Trump administration’s proposal could open the door to educational opportunity for tens of thousands of Illinois families.
“This would immediately give Illinois school choice for maybe 50,000 students or more,” Dabrowski said. “It could kickstart something the legislature here refuses to do.”
While Dabrowski remains committed to the idea that Illinois should solve its own problems, he acknowledged that federal intervention — whether through DOJ enforcement or school choice initiatives — may be the only realistic path forward for reform-starved residents.