Ald. James Gardiner called Ald. Scott Waguespack Friday morning to apologize for referring to his chief of staff in a disparaging and misogynistic way in a private text exchange.
“He said he shouldn’t have done it and even though it happened a couple years ago he was calling to apologize to me and my chief of staff Anne Emerson,” Waguespack told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Gardiner, who wasn’t immediately available for comment, refers to Emerson as Waguespack’s “b----” in an exchange with a former aide that was part of a series of profane texts made public by the anonymous blog The People’s Fabric, which bills itself as a Northwest Side political watchdog.
Gardiner is alderman of the 45th Ward, which includes portions of Jefferson Park and Old Irving Park.
Waguespack said Gardiner seemed sincere during the phone call.
“I was kind of surprised, I was actually not expecting too much but he was very cordial and contrite, but I really think it’s up to Anne to accept the apology,” said Waguespack, who gave Gardiner a number where he could reach Emerson.
The Sun-Times could not immediately reach Emerson for comment.
Waguespack, who is alderman of the 32nd Ward, said Gardiner told him the words he used were “out of place for this day and age and time.”
The leaked texts were published on the blog Thursday and also included an exchange in which Gardiner referred to Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) as a “b----” and said “f--- him.”
Tunney told the Sun-Times that Gardiner called him Thursday afternoon to apologize.
“I accepted it, and we’re moving on. How about talking about violence now? Name-calling is not a good thing, but I am moving on,” Tunney said Friday morning.
Others in the Democratic Party are not moving on, including state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who also serves as 49th Ward Democratic committeeperson.
Cassidy has reached out to Cook County Democratic Party leadership to ask about possibly censuring Gardiner.
“It is something I think we should contemplate,” Cassidy said Friday. “We should look into this and ask our leadership to push back on his behavior.”
Cassidy said her request, so far, is informal but she expects to make it official at some point Friday.
“The two sort of shock factors that are biggest here: treating staff that way is such a complete no-fly zone for me, that crosses a major line, but also talking about your constituents like that is mind-boggling,” she said, referring to other leaked texts in which Gardiner disparages several residents of his ward.
