Paul Vallas &
The Company He Keeps
Darren Bailey
Darren Bailey supports forcing survivors of rape or incest to carry their pregnancies to term, has called the City of Chicago a “hellhole,” and held Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.” It’s easy to get Vallas and Bailey confused—their rhetoric on topics from Democratic leadership to COVID mitigations has been nearly indistinguishable.
Paul Vallas and Darren Bailey
Jeanne Ives
Paul Vallas on Jeanne Ives Podcast
Vallas has been a repeat guest on the podcast of his friend Jeanne Ives, appearing on the show in March 2021 and February 2022. While on Ives’ show, Vallas has attacked COVID-19 mitigations. However, Vallas made no mention of his friend Jeanne’s disturbing rhetoric. Far-right former State Representative and perennial Republican candidate Jeanne Ives has called same-sex marriage a “completely disordered relationship” and has labeled transgender rights “junk science.”
Rudy Giuliani
Vallas hoped that Rudy Giuliani would win the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in the 2012 election. During a 2009 appearance on a political interview show, Public Affairs, Vallas said, “If I were to rank them [possible 2012 Republican candidates to challenge Obama], I say I would support Giuliani first..."
Trump, Cruz, and McConnell Donors
Donald Trump
Bruce Rauner
Mitch McConnell
Ted Cruz
To fund his campaign for Mayor of Chicago, Paul Vallas has accepted over $2 million from supporters who have also donated to Republicans (including Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, and Bruce Rauner).
Awake Illinois
Awake Illinois was founded in May 2021 to resist the “political indoctrination of our youth in the schools” and “harmful unnecessary school requirements of masking and social isolation without supporting peer reviewed scientific studies.” Their social media pages have repeatedly expressed homophobic and transphobic content. They have described protections for trans youth as something that “promotes grooming in schools” and entertained a conspiracy theory that Lurie Children's Hospital “wants to groom your kids.”
Paul Vallas helped Awake Illinois raise money to support their mission and continued operation. He served as an “expert panelist” on “An Evening of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” a $100+ ticket fundraiser to mark the organization’s first anniversary. Vallas appeared alongside panelists including Frank McCormick, who has repeatedly expressed homophobic and transphobic views. His name—and the names of the co-panelists—were advertised weeks before the event, making it extremely unlikely that Vallas was unfamiliar with the fellow extremists with whom he was choosing to appear.
Paul Vallas at an Awake Illinois Fundraiser
John Catanzara
& The Chicago FOP
Paul Vallas served as a pro bono advisor to John Catanzara, President of the Chicago Fraternal Order of the Police, during contract negotiations. An avid Trump supporter, Catanzara has called Muslims “savages," shared transphobic social media content, and was named in 50 police misconduct complaints during his time as an officer. Catanzara also compared the first responders COVID-19 vaccine requirement to the Holocaust. Like Catanzara, Paul Vallas vocally opposed the vaccine requirement for first responders.
Paid for by Lightfoot for Chicago.