Politics
Probe Ongoing Into Whether Senior Adviser Violated Residency Rule by Voting in Texas, Johnson Says
Inset: Jason Lee (Chicago for the People, Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson's Transition Committee)
A probe is ongoing into whether Jason Lee, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s senior adviser, violated rules requiring employees of the city of Chicago to live in the city by casting a ballot in Texas during the November election, Johnson said Monday.
After an unrelated news conference, Johnson declined to say whether he still had confidence in Lee, who earns $189,324 annually, but praised his track record of helping progressive politicians get elected. Johnson declined to discuss the allegations against Lee, citing his policy of not commenting on personnel issues.
“Jason and I go back a little bit and he has been, I know, a tremendous advocate for working people in this city,” Johnson said. “He has got a tremendous resume of supporting labor. I know his value system in that regard. And I’m very, very much appreciative of him.”
It is unclear whether a Chicago agency is probing Lee’s conduct. Johnson said it would be up to the state of Texas to determine whether Lee was entitled to cast a ballot in Houston.
Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg declined to comment Monday when asked if her office was probing Lee. She is charged with enforcing the city’s residency rules and routinely conducts investigations into employees facing allegations that they do not live in Chicago.
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward), a frequent critic of the mayor, called on Witzburg to investigate Lee’s residency, calling his decision to vote in Texas “inexcusable.”
Employees who violate that rule can be fired, since city rules require them to sign a statement attesting to the fact that they live in Chicago. Lee has been a city of Chicago employee since May 2023, when Johnson took office.
Lee did not respond to a request for comment from WTTW News Monday, but told the Chicago Tribune he did nothing wrong by voting in Texas in November. Lee said he wanted to vote for his sister, Erica Lee Carter, for Congress. Lee Carter won her bid to complete the term of their mother, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in July.
Lee has played a major role during the past two months in negotiations over the city’s $17.3 billion spending plan. With just 22 days until the deadline set by state law for the City Council to pass a budget, those efforts remain mired in controversy.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
