Forest Lombaer, a City of Chicago lawyer, probably didn't anticipate much in the way of fireworks when he appeared before the City Council's Finance Committee this morning to talk about a $1.5 billion bond issue to fund the O'Hare International Airport modernization program.
But the discussion soon became a heated examination of whether the city does enough to give lucrative bond business to minority law firms, with aldermen stopping just shy of accusing Lombaer of racism.
Lombaer told aldermen that bond buyers typically make decisions based on the reputation of the bond firm that's provided advice on the deal; He added that minority law firms sometimes don't have the same reputation as other firms in that area.
Alderman Ray Suarez (D-31) quickly countered: "So if you're a minority company, you don't have a good reputation?"
Lombaer, though he's spent nearly two decades at the Law Department, couldn't seem to lawyer his way out of that pickle.
"I'm not saying minorty firms aren't well qualified. i'm saying they're not as well known in the marketplace," said Lombaer.
Alderman Fredrenna Lyle (D-6) said she's heard the same obstacles placed between minority law firms and the city's bond business for years.
"You're still telling the same lie. if we do not use them, then they never get known. it'd be comfortable saying they could match lawyers in big firms any day of the week, dollar for dollar," she said. "The fact that you're willing to accept, hook line and sink, the same garbage used to perpetuate this system for years is offensive to me.
As tempers rose, aldermen postponed further discussion of the issue until Corporation Counsel Mara Georges could appear before them. She arrived shortly thereafter -- and the grilling resumed.
"I was extremely torubled by the comments your assistant made," said Alderman Manny Flores (D-1). "A reputation that's associated with the color of someone's skin is troubling. i'm not saying your assist was racist. But the reality is that it has the practical affect of discriminating against people of color. This industry is a very closed group. "
Earlier, Lombaer and Chief Financial Officer Gene Saffold outlined the bond team on the O'Hare deal, noting that it included many minority businesses.
I'll update here as soon as I can get my hands on the complete list of team members.