Thread: Gutierrez won't run for Chicago mayor

Gutierrez won't run for Chicago mayor
Congressman says he's focused on immigration reform

By John Chase and Kristen Mack, Tribune reporters

9:13 PM CDT, October 14, 2010


U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, saying he can serve the nation as a leader on immigration reform better than he can Chicago as its mayor, announced Thursday that he would not run to be the city's top executive.

The decision clears a major Latino political figure out of the way in the pressurized race to replace Mayor Richard Daley, who is not running for re-election in February.

Gutierrez, 56, has become a national leader on immigration issues, including opposing a controversial Arizona crackdown on undocumented immigrants and fighting to extend legal status to more people.

"It is not easy to walk away from the possibility and the opportunity of leading this first-class city. It is a difficult and painful decision," the Democratic congressman said after a speech to about 100 supporters at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "But at the same time I believe the people of the city of Chicago deserve someone that isn't going to do it half-heartedly, that isn't going to have half of their interests somewhere else and the other half in the city of Chicago."

Before his announcement, Gutierrez said he met or called several of those vying for mayor but had not yet decided whom to support.

The decision by Gutierrez, a former alderman who is expected to be elected to a 10th term in Congress, comes amid lingering questions about his ties to convicted developer Calvin Boender.

In May, the Tribune reported that a former alderman convicted in a bribery probe told investigators Gutierrez boasted of helping Boender obtain a lucrative zoning change for a development on the city's West Side. The Tribune earlier reported Boender lent Gutierrez $200,000 months before the congressman began pushing Daley to support Boender's venture.

Gutierrez said that investigation had "absolutely nothing" to do with his decision not to run for the high-profile post of mayor. "I think the investigation is over unless you know of one," he told a reporter.

www.chicagotribune.com

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, saying he can serve the nation as a leader on immigration reform better than he can Chicago as its mayor, announced Thursday that he would not run to be the city's top executive.

Gutierrez isn't "serving the nation" in Congress, he is serving foreign nationals who have illegally invaded our country, and the foreign governments who encourage their citizens to invade our country. And Gutierrez is paid for serving these foreign interests with our hard-earned tax dollars.

I knew he wouldn't. Gutierrez's life mission is to sweet talk fellow congressmen to support CIR. he wouldn't be able to do that as a mayor.

It's pronounced "GUTIERRASS!"

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

I knew he wouldn't. Gutierrez's life mission is to sweet talk fellow congressmen to support CIR. he wouldn't be able to do that as a mayor.

I was SO hoping he would run for Mayor. Maybe Rambo Rahm had a dead fish delivered to him.

They want to give it to Obama's former chief of staff.

Originally Posted by builditnow

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

I knew he wouldn't. Gutierrez's life mission is to sweet talk fellow congressmen to support CIR. he wouldn't be able to do that as a mayor.

I was SO hoping he would run for Mayor. Maybe Rambo Rahm had a dead fish delivered to him.

No doubt about it.

Originally Posted by Judy

Originally Posted by builditnow

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

I knew he wouldn't. Gutierrez's life mission is to sweet talk fellow congressmen to support CIR. he wouldn't be able to do that as a mayor.

I was SO hoping he would run for Mayor. Maybe Rambo Rahm had a dead fish delivered to him.

No doubt about it.

I swear it wouldn't surprise me!