Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) issued an apology on Tuesday for remarks made against City Clerk Devon Reid, which aldermen and residents said were racist. 

Rainey characterized Reid, who is challenging her for the Eighth Ward seat, as a “very scary person” at a Feb. 2 debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of Evanston. 

On Monday, all three mayoral candidates released statements condemning Rainey’s remarks, while residents  condemned Rainey during public comment at that evening’s City Council meeting. 

“I have known and worked with Clerk Devon Reid for the past 4 years. My recent comment about him was inappropriate and for that I apologize,” Rainey wrote in a Facebook post.  “While I feel Clerk Reid is not ready to effectively represent the residents of Evanston’s 8th Ward, in no way do I find him personally ‘scary.’” 

She extended her apology to any residents she has offended and added she would “be more thoughtful” with her words going forward.    

Reid has not publicly responded to Rainey’s apology.

In a Feb. 2 interview with The Daily, Rainey also criticized Reid for repeatedly referencing his parents’ incarceration throughout his campaign. “He needs to straighten out,” she said.  “Maybe he just needs to grow up, I’m not sure.”

Reid responded to Rainey’s remarks in a Feb. 4 Facebook post.

“Yesterday, I was scary. Today I’m not allowed to make reference to my lived experience and how childhood homelessness, foster care, and having both parents in prison inform my policy positions and help me relate to residents of our majority Black and Brown Ward,” he wrote. 

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Twitter: @joshuajirvine

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