Mayor supports activists' plans to sue Chicago Housing Authority over process used to select new CEO

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Some Chicago Housing Authority activists say they will sue the agency over the process the Board of Commissioners used to select a new CEO. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he will continue to fight the decision as well.

Claims of secrecy and deception are at the heart of the pending lawsuit against the CHA. The mayor says it is about transparency, and while he supports the private lawsuit, he would not say what steps the city might take to prevent the newly hired CEO from starting later this month.

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Activists gathered outside CHA headquarters on Tuesday morning to announce plans to sue the agency for violating the Open Meetings Act. It stems from the board's decision last month to hire Keith Pettigrew as the new CEO.

"There was not adequate or proper notification to the public about what they were doing. We believe this was done intentionally and deceptively," said Rod Wilson with the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.

The group points to the March 17 agenda, which did not specifically mention a hiring decision. Coming out of a closed session, it only referred to "Approval of Personnel Actions."

Last week, Johnson demoted Matthew Brewer from his role as board chairman because of that vote. But Brewer remains in his other role as operating chairman. Brewer defended the board's hiring process as standard practice for personnel, adding that it approved Pettigrew's hiring by a seven-to-two vote.

"I am a lawyer. I take process and rules seriously. I respect that, and what we did is consistent with what we have done. When I became operating chairman, it was listed on the agenda as a personnel item," Brewer said.

The mayor has been pushing for his political ally, former Ald. Walter Burnett, to be hired as CEO. But the board deemed him unqualified.

"This is not just about one individual. Let's keep in mind this is about some real, significant, serious concerns about the irregularities that occurred," Johnson said.

Johnson says he never personally met Pettigrew. But the CHA says members of Johnson's administration did interview Pettigrew and another unnamed finalist for the job. The mayor contends that there needs to be more transparency in the hiring process.

"It's my responsibility to find a pathway forward to course correct. The best way in which we can maintain the trust of the people of this city is to make sure that all of our government entities have an open and transparent process that did not occur in this instance," Johnson said.

Under the Open Meetings Act, the board is allowed to be vague about personnel matters. The law requires a general description for the subject matter to be discussed during closed session but does not require naming the employee or giving details. But the mayor and the community activists are challenging that.

Former Chair Brewer's public characterizations distort his involvement in the process while contradicting his prior actions.

Johnson's office issued a statement, saying, "The Mayor did meet with three finalists, but Keith Pettigrew was not one of them. Walter Burnett had earned enough support to be confirmed, leading Brewer to call a special meeting and begin negotiating a contract agreement with Burnett.

After HUD's local office requested a delay of the vote, Brewer continued to work with the administration to pursue standard waivers for Burnett's appointment. Brewer never expressed to the administration or the public any negative perceptions of Burnett or the process, only secretly submitting a letter to HUD which contradicted his formal effort to secure the waiver.

Brewer was required to conduct Board business within the legal bounds of the Open Meetings Act and other laws while adhering to ethical obligations which ensure business is carried out transparently and in accordance with the public interest. Ultimately, he failed to do so."