Kenya Merritt’s appointment to be Chicago’s next cultural commissioner advanced out of a City Council committee Thursday, but a whistleblower lawsuit filed against Merritt and the city by a former top deputy dominated much of the hours-long questioning from alderpersons.
The lawsuit was filed last month in Cook County Circuit Court by Rosalyn Kimberly (“Kim”) Grigsby, the cultural department’s former first deputy, alleging that her February termination was in retaliation for filing complaints about alleged wrongdoing within the department to the city’s inspector general and Department of Human Resources.
Earlier this week, lawyers for Grigsby announced they had amended the complaint, adding allegations that Merritt made false statements about Grigsby to City Council members ahead of the confirmation process.
Grigsby, herself a lawyer, began in her role at the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events last summer. In a statement, her attorney said, “This case is about accountability. When public employees speak up about misconduct, they should be protected — not punished.”
The lawsuit is the latest development in what has been a tumultuous period at DCASE, which oversees large Downtown events and administers millions of dollars in arts grants annually.
Mayor Brandon Johnson selected Merritt to be interim commissioner last October, after his first hand-picked cultural commissioner resigned amid allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.
At the Thursday meeting...
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