Craig Wall

2 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Craig Wall

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Dozens of Black pastors gathered Friday in a show of solidarity with Mayor Brandon Johnson after his hiring practices came under fire. The U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation earlier this week after Johnson bragged about how many Blacks he has hired in his administration. The pastors gathered at the historic Quinn Chapel to rally to Johnson's defense in a coordinated event designed to present a unified message.

2 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Craig Wall

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is apparently getting closer to a decision on his political future and whether he will run for a third term or seek higher office instead. The governor sat down for an exclusive interview with ABC7 Chicago Monday. Pritzker is still walking the political future tightrope, with a reelection campaign on one side and a possible presidential run on the other.

3 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Craig Wall

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson, on the eve of his second anniversary in office, is talking about lessons learned from a year filled with conflicts. The mayor is dealing with battles over the city budget, school funding and the Trump administration. But, he also had some wins, including seeing violent crime continue to go down. The mayor spoke one-on-one with ABC7 Chicago political reporter Craig Wall for his year two in review.

3 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Craig Wall

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Former Ambassador and Mayor Rahm Emanuel established a new ROTC scholarship Monday. And he's naming it after former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was fired by the Trump administration. The announcement was made at Rickover Naval Academy on the Northwest Side, with former Admiral Franchetti on-hand to present the scholarships, which are named in her honor. She stayed out of the political fray, but former Ambassador Emanuel had no qualms stepping into it.

1 month ago | abc7chicago.com | Craig Wall

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois politicians reacted Friday to the death of 91-year-old former Illinois Governor George Ryan. The embattled Republican served as governor from 1999 to 2003. Ryan's legacy is mixed, and it depends on who you talk to. The side of the former governor that sent him to prison is the dark side of his history, but that stands in stark contrast to the gratitude people have for his work to end the death penalty in Illinois.