Chicago City Wire

Despite a statewide mandate, Chicago Alderman Tom Tunney was seen seating people indoors in a restaurant he owns.

Despite indoor dining being banned on Oct. 30, the Ann Sather Restaurant was still seating people in December, Block Club Chicago reported.

Tunney released a statement regarding the restaurant being caught red-handed.

“On a sporadic basis, we have allowed a very limited number of our regular diners to eat inside the restaurant while observing social distancing and mask-wearing rules. This was [an] error in judgement (sic) and won’t happen again,” the statement read.  

The restaurant activity was first reported by a blog known as Second City Cop, which showed photos of people dining in the restaurant, along with other restaurant patrons.

Four days after the photos were taken, a reporter went to the restaurant and was told they were no longer seating people inside and that it was outdoor dining only.

“Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, (the business department) has worked hard to hold all businesses accountable to the COVID-19 regulations designed to keep our community safe. While our focus has always been on education, we have not hesitated to take appropriate enforcement action when necessary,” a statement from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection said. “This matter is under investigation and the department will handle the investigation in the same manner as we have handled thousands of investigations throughout the pandemic.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that any restaurant found violating the guidelines would be held accountable and there would be no exceptions, the news media reported.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that Tunney was responsible for his “error in judgment” and that elected officials should be setting good examples instead of creating bad ones.

“We have mitigations in place for a reason,” Pritzker said, Block Club Chicago reported. “We have asked everybody to follow them and, frankly, most restaurants and bars have followed them. They’re doing the right thing. I think that the alderman has said, properly, that it was an error in judgment and I think it was a tremendous one.”