Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., told Newsmax on Monday that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot should resign after doubling down on her ''no white reporter'' interview policy.
''Mayor Lightfoot should step down. This is the last of many reasons why she should step down,'' Donalds said Monday on ''The Chris Salcedo Show.'' ''Let's be very clear on this, for her to come out and consistently say this just shows how radical the Democrat party has become.''
In May, at the start of her second two years in the mayor’s seat, Lightfoot announced that she would grant one-on-one interviews only to journalists of color because she felt the Chicago press corps was too white and did not reflect the true diversity of the city.
She was roundly criticized for that move and is being sued by reporters who allege racial discrimination.
When asked if she would do it again on the New York Times’ Kara Swisher podcast ''Sway'' on Monday, Lightfoot doubled down on her position.
''I would absolutely do it again. I would absolutely do it again. I’m unapologetic about it because it spurred a very important conversation, a conversation that needed to happen, that should have happened a long time ago,'' Lightfoot said. ''But I don’t want just a conversation. I want results. I want to see these networks, these companies, these producers, the decision-makers take this seriously, because it’s a serious issue.''
Donalds said he didn’t feel these were the ''values'' shared by the rank-and-file Democrats and independent voters in Chicago.
''Is this the type of leadership you're looking for? Are these the values that you say you will ascribed to? Because I know that you don't. ... You have radicals who run your party. What Lori Lightfoot has done with Chicago is outrageous, but that is the tip of the iceberg, because a lot of that same thought and sentimentality actually exists in that party. It's so sad to see, but it's important that the American people understand what they're dealing with,'' he said.
The lawsuit generated by her policy involves a Daily Caller reporter, Thomas Catenacci, who emailed the mayor on May 20 seeking an interview, which Lightfoot’s office never responded to, or the two follow-up emails.
The Judicial Watch group filed suit and accused Lightfoot of deliberately discriminating against the white reporter.
''I’m just saying, we need to have a variety of voices bringing different perspectives to interpreting events of the day so that we have a balanced, diverse approach to issues,'' Lightfoot said Monday. ''If we only have a perspective that doesn’t share the lived experience of a city that’s two-thirds people of color, that does a disservice to our city.''
Donalds said voters should look at crime the next time a mayoral election comes around.
''People in Chicago, next time you have a chance to vote for mayor, it's time to send a strong message that you're not going to tolerate this,'' he said. ''Oh, and by the way, let's make sure you have safe streets, because safety is a mayor's primary concern.''
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