CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Chicago mayoral candidates Toni Preckwinkle and Lori Lightfoot are fiercely clashing over Preckwinkle's new TV ad, which criticizes Lightfoot's role in the investigation of a fatal fire back in 2004.
Preckwinkle has been using a new commercial and joint appearances to blast rival Lightfoot for allegedly mishandling evidence following a fire that left four children dead. It was the subject of a lawsuit about operations at the 9-1-1 center.
"You have to take responsibility and try to fix things and not cover up," Preckwinkle said. "In this instance, I think it's quite clear the judge felt that there was a coverup."
Lightfoot, onetime chief of staff of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, countered that using the deaths of children to score political points is beyond the pale.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything like it," she said. "Particularly disturbing to me is her representations of my role are completely false."
Regardless of what a judge felt, Lightfoot said she did all she could to get to the bottom of what happened.
Both candidates are featured in this weekend's "At Issue" program, which airs 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Tuesday is the runoff election for mayor.
