Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa resigned Monday from his posts as chairman of the City Council’s Zoning Committee and as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Council floor leader days after being accused of “manhandling” the Council’s most senior Black woman.
“Because the position of Floor Leader especially requires the confidence of our colleagues, and because through my actions I lost that confidence, I have informed the mayor that I will be stepping down from that position. Furthermore, I am resigning as Chair of the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards effective December 1st, to allow time for an effective transition,” Ramirez-Rosa said in a statement.
“I cannot take away the mistakes I made last week. But I hope to be able to rebuild the trust we have in each other as we move forward as a Council that addresses the important issues impacting Chicago.”
Mitts could not be reached for comment. The Black Caucus stood behind her and demanded Ramirez-Rosa’s resignation as floor leader.
With historic political tensions between Blacks and Hispanics running high because of the migrant crisis, Johnson simply could not afford to stand behind Ramirez-Rosa after he had been accused of getting physical with Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) in an attempt to prevent her from entering a special City Council meeting on Thursday.
The special meeting was called in an attempt to approve an advisory referendum asking Chicago voters in March whether or not Chicago should remain a sanctuary city.
Ramirez-Rosa was frantically trying to persuade alderpersons not to enter the Council chambers to prevent alderpersons Anthony Beale (9th) and Ray Lopez (15th) from reaching the 26-vote quorum they needed to continue the meeting.
“Much has been reported about last week’s incidents at a special meeting of the Chicago City Council. Tensions were high at a chaotic meeting, and I let that get the best of me, leading me to act in a way unbecoming of a leader. I sincerely apologize to my colleague, Alderwoman Emma Mitts, for the disrespectful interaction outside of Council Chambers. I also apologize to other colleagues who I have heard also felt disrespected and harmed by my actions — Alderpeople Lee, Cardona, and Taliaferro.
“I feel awful about everything that happened. I have reached out to my colleagues to apologize directly and seek to make amends. I made mistakes, and I learned valuable lessons. I take full responsibility for what I’ve done. Our Chicago City Council does important work and, even when we strongly disagree on policy or approach, it is critical that we show each other respect. The people of Chicago deserve nothing less and have every right to demand that of us.”
Ramirez-Rosa’s resignation followed a weekend of frenzied negotiations aimed at finding a way to save his job.
Sources said Johnson spent several days attempting to reach Mitts to no avail.
When the mayor finally did reach her on Sunday, sources said Mitts told the mayor and her pastor that Ramirez-Rosa did not “put his hands” on her while attempting to prevent her from entering the chambers.
But when Mitts spoke to her colleagues in the Black Caucus on Sunday night, sources said she told a different version of events. She essentially backed Black Caucus Chair Stephanie Coleman (16th), who has been leading the incident in an attempt to get rid of Ramirez-Rosa.
“That just further inflamed people and it’s become a racial thing now” and a test of whether Johnson would stand with the Black community, said a source familiar with the behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
“People were saying, `Mr. Mayor, are you really going to protect this Brown man who assaulted a Black woman?’”