Reporter who sued Lori Lightfoot calls her 'worst thing to happen to Chicago'
Former Chicago 911 dispatcher Keith Thornton and reporter William J. Kelly react to Mayor Lori Lightfoot losing her re-election bid as the race heads to a runoff.
Lori Lightfoot's bid to retain her position as Chicago's mayor failed Tuesday night, with critics pointing to her handling of crime, COVID and the economy as key issues that turned off the city's residents.
Chicago-based reporter William J. Kelly sued Lightfoot after she revoked his media credentials, but despite the setback, he vowed to continue his journey to get answers on the very issues that have plagued the Windy City under her leadership.
"Lightfoot was the worst thing that ever happened to Chicago," Kelly told Lawrence Jones on Wednesday. "We are free now of Lightfoot, but it's not over yet. As you mentioned, Lightfoot trampled the rights of schools, churches, businesses. As a lifelong Chicagoan, and it broke my heart to see her turn a blind eye to looting and lockdowns."
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"We're not going to stop until we get the answers to the looting, the lockdown and Lightfoot's destruction, economic destruction of the city of Chicago," he continued.
But the crime surge has impacted other facets of life for Chicagoans according to Lightfoot's critics, with one of those facets being the city's small business sector.
Kelly filmed a video in recent weeks depicting empty storefronts on Chicago's once-lively State Street, as the retail vacancy sits at a dismal 20%.
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The shocking footage went viral on Twitter, showing how the formerly premiere shopping center has evolved into a desolate portion of the city.
"Chicago got a miracle last night, the miracle that we were all praying for," Kelly said. "I don't want to get too greedy with the miracles, but I'm very thankful that God answered our prayers last night."
Kelly filed a lawsuit against the city after his press credentials were revoked last year following multiple contentious exchanges with Lightfoot.
Former Chicago 911 dispatcher Keith Thornton, who has been one of Lightfoot's longtime critics, left his position in protest of her notorious relationship with law enforcement.
He also joined "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday to discuss why he is backing Chicago Public Schools CEO and city budget director Paul Vallas in the runoff election.
"Paul Vallas is your guy here," Thornton said. "This is an individual who wants to bring back community-based policing, but not only support to police and back to police, which I stand for 1,000%. I was law enforcement, but he's also going to hold negative and bad officers accountable, and you got to work both ways."
Lori Lightfoot was ousted as Chicago's mayor during Tuesday night's election.
"He wants to establish a new administration that he can bring forth that's truly going to be competent and open and approachable to help the city move forward," he continued.
Vallas secured the highest percentage, coming in at 33.8% of the vote on Tuesday night, while Cook County Board of Commissioners member Brandon Johnson trailed his lead with 20.3%, coming in second place.
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Lightfoot came in third securing just over 17% of the vote.
Vallas branded his campaign as pro-law enforcement and pro-law and order, while Johnson, who has been backed by progressive groups including the Chicago Teachers Union, is largely seen as the far-left candidate who previously supported the defund the police movement.
Vallas and Johnson will advance to a runoff election April 4 without Lightfoot on the ballot.
"Chicago has a change that's coming, and I truly believe that it's all based off of hope, faith and love of what the city truly stands on, and we're just feeling it that this lady is out of here," Thornton said.
Under Lightfoot's leadership, murders spiked to the highest levels in 25 years, surpassing other urban cities like Los Angeles and New York City, while violent crime overall soared 41% last year alone.
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