Lori Lightfoot was sworn in Monday morning as the 56th mayor of Chicago. Also sworn in were 50 aldermen, including a dozen new ones. 

Lightfoot’s inauguration speech touched on many issues, including corruption in City Council.

“When public officials cut shady backroom deals, they get rich and the rest of us get the bill,” Lightfoot said in her inauguration speech. “These practices have gone on here for decades. This practice breeds corruption.  Stopping it isn’t just in the city’s interest, it’s in the City Council’s own interest.”

After being sworn in, Lightfoot went to City Hall to sign an executive order limiting aldermanic privilege as her very first act.

Of the 50 aldermen, six are Democratic Socialists, 12 are Latinx and 19 are African Americans. How will veteran aldermen react to having limits placed on their decision-making abilities?

Will Lightfoot’s strong words and actions lead to another council war? And can everyone work together to fix the looming financial crisis and bring economic prosperity to all?

Joining Carol Marin to talk about the issues are 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack, who chairs the progressive caucus and is Lightfoot’s pick to head the powerful Finance Committee; 43rd Ward Ald. Michele Smith, who’s Lightfoot’s pick as chair of the Committee on Ethics and Good Governance; 15th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez, who was sworn in to his second term; and newly elected 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata, who’s one of the City Council’s Democratic Socialists.

Related stories:

Lightfoot Sworn in as Chicago Mayor: ‘This City Felt Like Where I Belonged’

Lightfoot Signs Executive Order Curbing Aldermanic Prerogative

Lightfoot Rewards ‘Reform’ and ‘Old Guard’ Alderman in Council Shake-Up

Lightfoot, Aldermen Battle Over Aldermanic Prerogative