By Mary Ann Ahern, NBC Chicago
As the crowded race for Chicago mayor heats up – and with 21 candidates who hope to be on the ballot – those campaigns are hiring field staff for the work ahead. A political consultant firm working with Toni Preckwinkle’s campaign is recommending the current Cook County Board president hire workers from out of town.
An internal email was forwarded to NBC 5 from Democracy Partners Recruiting Services. It provides advice for interviewing field staff including going over job requirements, the possible seven-day workload and recommends:
“It will be so much better for the campaign if we can get out-of-towners instead of Locals, who have distractions, family, friends. If we need to fire someone for being trump-y with the ladies, or missing numbers, it’d be far better if they leave town than hang around to try to make trouble.”
A spokesman for the Preckwinkle campaign says “this is not our position, the majority of our staff is from right here; this does not represent our position.”
Preckwinkle’s currently has 33 staffers with three of them from outside Chicago.
“The consultant’s communication does not reflect the campaign’s policy or the makeup of our staff,” said campaign spokeswoman Monica Trevino. “We will be running a robust campaign in all fifty wards and our staff reflects the richness and diversity of Chicago’s voters.”
Democracy Partners provides political messaging, campaign planning, direct mail and web site development. Among its key staff members: Christine Pelosi, daughter of Nancy Pelosi.
There is an ad posted online from Democracy Partners looking for campaign staffers, while it does not name Preckwinkle, her campaign confirms it is a consultant working with the Preckwinkle campaign.
To read the original story, visit https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Firm-Recommended-Hiring-Out-of-Towners-to-Preckwinkle-Campaign-Email-Shows-502406331.html
