Chicago alderman candidate for 21st ward claims opponent was untruthful on resume

CHICAGO (WLS) -- One of the candidates in the runoff race to become alderman of Chicago's 21st Ward is calling for his opponent to withdraw, saying he wasn't truthful about his resume.

The newly mapped and much bigger 21st Ward includes seven South Side neighborhoods and comprises 600 blocks.

Ronnie Mosley and Cornell Dantzler are facing off in the runoff to succeed longtime and retiring alderman Howard Brookins.

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"Public safety is number one, we have to feel safe in our ward on our blocks," Mosley said.

"It is a very filthy ward and the first thing I'm going to put on agenda is bringing beauty and functionality to the ward," said Dantzler.

Dantzler, who is a Navy veteran and retired Chicago firefighter, said while cleaning up the ward is his priority, his biggest concern is his opponent's resume.

"He told some lies about graduating from Morehouse College a lie that didn't need to be told and when you tell lies what else are you going to lie about," he said.

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Mosley's campaign website says he's completed his studies at Morehouse but the 31-year-old admits he has yet to graduate.

"I attend Morehouse College, I'm proud of it, I'm been welcome by the Morehouse Alumni Association, I'm almost there. I'm going to cross the finish line that is my commitment to me," he said.

Making it a campaign issue, Dantzler is comparing Mosley to New York Congressman George Santos, who was caught lying about his background. Dantzler also doesn't believe Mosley worked 16 jobs in his 31 years.

"My story is not unique," Mosley countered. "There are more folks in this ward that have risked the same thing, working multiple jobs to make ends meet."

One of Mosley's jobs was doing community outreach for Governor JB Pritzker. Dantzler is asking Mosley, who received a bigger percentage of the vote on February 28, to withdraw from the race. Mosley has no plans to do that.

The 21st Ward is one of at least 12 aldermanic races headed to a runoff. Three more have yet to be decided. Many are open city council seats.