Chicago City Wire

Brian Kasal, president of Northside Republicans, said that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is under increased scrutiny for hiring practices that Kasal alleges prioritize race and ideology over merit. He made this statement to Chicago City Wire.

"Mayor Brandon Johnson's hiring policies have finally triggered the accountability they deserve," said Kasal. "He's made it clear that race takes precedence over merit in his administration. This kind of blatant favoritism is not just irresponsible—it undermines public trust. Public service isn't a platform for social experiments in racial preference."

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Mayor Johnson's recent comments on the diversity within his administration have led to a civil rights investigation by the U.S. Justice Department. During a May 18 appearance, Johnson highlighted that a record number of African Americans hold top positions in his administration. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon referenced these remarks in a letter, stating that the investigation seeks to determine if hiring decisions were based solely on race, which would contravene Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Johnson has defended his record as being the most diverse in Chicago’s history.

In a May 19 letter addressed to Mayor Johnson, Dhillon said, "The Department of Justice is opening an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago, Illinois, is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…. In your remarks made yesterday at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, you ‘highlight[ed] the number of Black officials in [your] administration.’ You then went on to list each of these individuals, emphasizing their race."

The Illinois Policy Institute reported that from July 2023 to August 2024, Chicago experienced 29,677 violent crimes—the highest figure in five years. Robberies accounted for 35%, aggravated batteries for 30%, and aggravated assaults for 27%. Aggravated assaults rose by 5.3%, predominantly affecting Black victims and involving deadly force without contact. Arrests were made in only one out of six cases despite it being the second-highest arrest rate in five years. Assaults peaked at 5 p.m., mainly occurring on the West and South sides, particularly Austin—Mayor Johnson's neighborhood—which recorded the most aggravated assaults.

Kasal was first appointed as President of Chicago's Northside Republican Club in 2021. According to the organization’s website, he is "focused on boosting Republican voter turnout, growing the Party’s membership, and communicating the Party’s positions on issues that matter to Chicago Northside voters."