A high-ranking lawyer has filed a lawsuit against the Mayor of Chicago, accusing her of blocking a deal that would have allowed a statue of Christopher Columbus to be displayed in a parade. The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans brought a case against the Park District after they removed Columbus statues from the city. In his lawsuit, Smyrniotis claims that he was told by Timothy King and Michael Kelly that the lawsuit over the statues should be settled as soon as possible. Smyrniotis claims to have worked with lawyers for the Italians to make a deal. According to the lawsuit, the group wanted to put the statue last in the parade and cover it up until the end. According to the suit, King approved the request because the Park District thought it would generate goodwill with the Italian Americans. The Italian Americans group and the Park District were working on a deal to remove the statue from the city permanently. Smyrniotis alleges in his lawsuit that she ordered Park District officials to attend a hastily called meeting after learning of the plan. At the meeting, Smyrniotis alleges, Lightfoot asked the lawyers where they went to law school. Did you attend law school? Do you have a law license? They were told by Lightfoot that they had to submit their pleadings to a city lawyer for approval and not to do anything without his approval. According to the complaint, Lightfoot said that he was going to have you fired if you didn't return the statue by noon tomorrow. According to the lawsuit, she made obscene comments to Smyrniotis and King and asked if they were thinking. You have a secret agreement with Italians. I am trying to keep Chicago police officers from being shot and you are trying to get them shot, I said, according to the complaint. Smyrniotis claims that the alleged comments made him look like he lacked the ability to perform his job duties. According to the lawsuit, he resigned from the Park District. King left the Park District. The city has not yet been served with a complaint and will have no further comment as the matter is now in litigation, according to a Law Department spokeswoman. The July 2020 decision to remove Columbus statues from Chicago's public places was the subject of a lawsuit by Smyrniotis. In July of last year, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Park District, claiming that the district violated a deal to display the Columbus statue in Little Italy. The statue of Columbus in Grant Park was forcibly removed by activists, leading to violent clashes between police and protesters. Columbus statues in Grant Park and Little Italy were taken down by Lightfoot. There was a statue in the South Chicago neighborhood. Mirabelli said he believes Smyrniotis' allegations strengthen his case. Mirabelli said that her client's contract with the Chicago Park District was interfered with by the mayor. Ron Onesti, president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, said he was angry that someone in her position would ever use that kind of language. When will it end with disrespect? Onesti asked, referring to the mayor's alleged comments. Activists around the country condemn Columbus for his treatment of Indigenous people after he landed in the Americas in 1492. The statues of the explorer are seen as an expression of American identity by many Italian Americans. Columbus statues were resisted by Lightfoot initially. To not try to erase history, but to embrace it full-on, is what Lightfoot said she favors when comparing the debate over Columbus statues to the Confederate Army figures being removed in other cities. She ordered the removal of people from Grant Park. According to the lawsuit, the Columbus statue committee paid the Park District more than $10,000 in 1973. The Italian Americans committee argued that the mayor should be added to the lawsuit because of her actions, which a judge granted. She has interfered with the contract. She created a review process for controversial city monuments after removing the Columbus statues. The city's monuments commission has yet to issue its final report and recommendations, leaving the conversation in a state of limbo even though it was supposed to be done by December 2020. The committee is expected to finish its work in the first quarter of 2022. The mayor's commission on monuments flagged statues of Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley and Benjamin Franklin, as well as a police memorial tied to the Haymarket Riot. gpratt@chicagotribune.com During his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, President Biden broke with the progressive members of his party and said that the answer is not to defund police departments across the country. 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Do I need to retain a financial advisor for a 1% fee or do I only need an accountant? Understand the differences between an accountant and a financial adviser. Enjoy this stunning graphics and deep game-play. It was that sitting in the garage for a week of trash, and it was called "juvenile delinquents" by Jamie Harrison. The net proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC will be used to help victims. Chinese citizens express their political views by rejecting or purchasing certain goods.Chicago Tribune
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