Commissioner Lashes Out at Stroger
Steve Patterson, Chicago Tribune, Sept. 9
Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman stormed out of Thursday’s board meeting, exploding after county board President John Stroger accused her of racist criticism.
“You’re weak,” she said, pointing at him as she left. “You’re an insult. You’re a disgrace.”
Stroger had made several references to race throughout the six-hour meeting, insinuating that much of the criticism about operations at Provident Hospital and the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center were based on politics and race.
As Gorman criticized operations at the juvenile center, Stroger referred to a campaign flier distributed in Palos Township in the 2005 primary, promoting Gorman-backed candidates, including her mother, Carolyn Ann Doody. It pointed out that Stroger was backing former Commissioner Herb Schumann’s friends and relatives in the local race. With Stroger’s picture on it, the flier urged voters to “keep 8th Ward Chicago-style politics out.”
‘A cop-out to use the race card’
Stroger asked Gorman about the flier at the time, and she insisted she knew nothing about it or its contents. The two reportedly worked out their differences behind closed doors back in March, but he alleged racial overtones Thursday.
“It’s a cop-out to use the race card,” Gorman said during the meeting. “It’s a desperate and weak act. So much for your open-door bullcrap policy.”
Stroger said nothing as Gorman left, and neither he nor Gorman returned calls requesting comment. Gorman, a Republican, is a rumored challenger to Stroger for board president.
