One of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's closest confidants, who served as his communications chief throughout his mayoral campaign and term, will leave his position effective immediately, according to a spokesperson for the mayor's office.
It's unclear why Ronnie Rees is stepping down as communications director, but it comes amid a series of high-profile departures from the mayor's top team, and after a difficult year and a half of communications strategy. Reese did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A source with direct knowledge of Reese's departure, who was not authorized to speak about personnel matters publicly, said the exit “was not voluntary.”
Press Secretary Erin Connelly will now serve as acting communications director in Reese's place. She confirmed to WBEZ that Reyes no longer works for the mayor's office but did not say whether Reyes had resigned or been fired. Representatives of the city's Human Resources Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I will be running the press office going forward,” Connelly said. “I am truly honored to take on this role.”
Connelly previously worked as a consultant on several political campaigns, including with U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, Illinois State Sen. Robert Peters, and the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, according to her LinkedIn.
Reese helped propel Johnson into the mayor's office. He ran campaign communications after spending more than a decade as deputy press secretary at the Chicago Federation of Teachers where Johnson was a paid organizer.
But under Reese's leadership, the mayor's press office has seen rapid turnover in Johnson's first year and a half in office and several communications hiccups. The press office was without an official communications director for nearly a year until Reese was officially appointed to the position in March. He was paid $189,324 per year.
Some former press office employees have complained of mistreatment under Reese, including being yelled at by senior leadership, being reduced to job responsibilities and being exposed to conflict due to previously working under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
In one case, two months into Johnson's tenure, staff showed a 60-second video recapping the week's events, citing the success the strategy had had under Lightfoot, records obtained by WBEZ show. Rees said the idea was banned.
“As a general rule, anything that follows ‘under MLL…’ would not be a good idea for this administration,” Reyes wrote in response, according to a copy of the letter obtained by WBEZ.
Reese referred three former press office employees to be placed on the city's no-employment list, which is usually reserved for cases of severe misconduct. The placements raised concerns from the chairman of the City Council's Ethics Committee, 47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin, who called for hearings on the mayor's office's use of the list.
Reese was also named in a former employee's complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights alleging harassment and retaliation. An IDHR spokesperson said last week that the case was pending.
The mayor's office previously said they “strongly reject all allegations of hostility.”
For his first eighteen months in office, Johnson's inner circle consisted of people who had been in the organizing trenches with him before he became mayor, and with whom he remained close despite public obstacles and lack of governing experience. Reese, who often points out that he has known the mayor for years and is his close friend, was one of the most important.
Jason Lee, who helped Johnson secure his seat as Cook County commissioner, also serves as one of Johnson's closest advisors, despite accusations by one alderman of engaging in pay-to-play politics. Johnson also stuck by her top aide Kennedy Bartley amid calls for her resignation after comments resurfaced over insulting language she used about police. Bartley has apologized.
Reese's departure marks the second attempt to reset the mayor's communications strategy. In March, Johnson appointed a new top aide, Joe Calvillo, who previously served as communications director for US Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa).
That's when Johnson appointed Rees to the permanent position of communications director as well. Calvillo's appointment came after complaints about a lack of media availability and Johnson's failure to answer questions directly. The changes — permanently appointing Rees to the position and bringing in Calvillo — appear to have made a difference, with Johnson taking media questions more often and answering those questions more directly.
Rees' exit comes after several high-profile departures from Johnson's senior leadership.
Deputy Mayor for Education, Youth and Human Services Jane Johnson told WBEZ she is taking a leave of absence due to health and personal issues. Johnson was recently involved in the mayor's replacement for the entire Chicago Public Schools Board of Education, and previously served as chief of staff for the Chicago Federation of Teachers before joining the administration.
Several leaders of Johnson's intergovernmental affairs team, which will be key during upcoming budget negotiations with local councillors, have also recently departed. Johnson's first chief of staff, Rich Guidice, a City Hall mainstay, left earlier this year and was replaced by Johnson's former first deputy chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas.
Maria Wilfel and Tessa Weinberg cover Chicago politics for WBEZ.
