Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Friday, February 10, 2017. Have a great weekend!
- CPD officers who stopped U.S. rep Bobby Rush are cleared in racial profiling complaint
Two Chicago police officers have been cleared following racial profiling accusations made by U.S. rep Bobby Rush. In 2016 the cops pulled over Rush in his Lexus RX 450h as he drove through Bronzeville. According to CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, they were on the lookout for high-end cars following a string of car thefts, and discovered that Rush’s license plates were registered to another vehicle. Rush wasn’t ticketed, and he subsequently filed a racial profiling complaint with the Independent Police Review Authority. The incident was captured by one of the officer’s body cameras, and video was released to the public. [Tribune]
- With the power of Obama’s backing, alderman Sophia King has raised nearly $200,ooo
Fourth Ward alderman Sophia King has raised nearly $200,000 for the February 28 special election, largely thanks to an endorsement from former president Barack Obama. Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed King to replace former alderman Will Burns, and she’s facing four challengers for her seat. Endorsing King, a longtime Obama family friend, was Obama’s first political move as a former president. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- How Chris Kennedy fits in the governor’s race, Illinois business
Democratic businessman Chris Kennedy came out swinging against Governor Bruce Rauner when he announced his gubernatorial run Wednesday. But many Illinoisans don’t know much about his background or where he fits into the race, apart from the fact that he’s the son of the late Robert F. Kennedy. Kennedy has never held political office before and is only the second Democrat to file for the 2018 Democratic primary, after Alderman Ameya Pawar. He’s best known in the city for serving as the president of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. and leading the family’s Wolf Point development project. And he has at least one thing in common with Rauner: they’re both very wealthy. State rep Barbara Flynn Currie says this could be good or bad. “The minus is you take an important issue off the table if you have one white guy able to fund against another white guy able to fund,” she told the Tribune. “On the other hand, if you can fund, that’s a plus. So we will see how they all play out and what their individual strengths and weaknesses are.” [Tribune]
- Now Trump is blaming Chicago violence on “illegal immigrant gang members”
President Donald Trump is still talking about violence in Chicago, and now he’s blaming shootings on “illegal immigrant gang members.” He made the comments during a speech to the Major Cities Chiefs Police Association Wednesday. Chicago Police Department superintendent Eddie Johnson responded by saying that the force is “eager” to work with the federal government on crime. “We’re clear-eyed about the challenges we’re facing in Chicago and will continue working day and night to address them, and we’re eager to work more closely with the federal government,” Johnson said in a statement. [Sun-Times]
- Topolobampo’s dining room has been “dramatically” changed
Celebrity chef Rick Bayless has “dramatically” renovated the dining room of his acclaimed Topolobampo restaurant. “I honestly think it’s the best-looking room in Chicago right now!” he told Eater Chicago in an e-mail. The renovation has kept the restaurant’s spirit and “avoided the pretense typically associated with fine dining” with new artwork, a new ceiling, new lighting, and more, according to Bayless. [Eater Chicago]