Emanuel admonishes City Council divided on health care access abortion views
Emanuel
With  Mayor Rahm Emanuel  looking on from  his  perch at the front of council chambers  aldermen criticized and cajoled  trying to build support or stoke opposition among colleagues on the issue of giving Presence Health a $5.6 million tax subsidy to help pay for its downtown corporate headquarters.
 Emanuel   whoâs been trying to rebuild  his  standing among black voters ahead of a 2019 re-election bid  backed the tax subsidy. Even as the meeting was underway   his  aides arm-twisted aldermen  trying to keep down the number of ânoâ votes.
In the end  the mayor won  as has been the norm at City Hall in the decades since then-Mayor Richard M. Daley consolidated power on the fifth floor. But the 31-18 tally proved to be one of the closest margins  Emanuel  has faced during  his  nearly seven years as mayor  and following the roll call  he  took to the microphone and launched into an animated lecture.
Sweeping  his  arms out toward the aldermen and jabbing  his  finger on  his  desk   Emanuel  admonished those who opposed the deal for applying what  he  termed a sudden âlitmus testâ on abortion.
âWe never raised a question on (money for hospitals like) St. Anthony  Norwegian  Mercy  Swedish Covenant â said  Emanuel    his  voice rising as  he  listed earlier city financial help for private health care companies.
âNot a peep  not a sound about a litmus test â  he  added.
Still  even as  he  scolded aldermen who opposed  him    Emanuel  dedicated several minutes of  his  speech to bolstering  his  own bona fides on health care.
The mayor dipped back into his political history to mention his role as President Barack Obamaâs chief of staff in helping get the Affordable Care Act passed  though  Emanuel  had cautioned the president against pursuing what became Obamacare  warning he would lose the 2012 election if he pursued it.
 Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune Mayor Rahm Emanuel  holds a press conference after presiding over a Chicago City Council meeting on Jan. 17  2018.  Mayor Rahm Emanuel  holds a press conference after presiding over a Chicago City Council meeting on Jan. 17  2018. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)
 Emanuel  also touted  his  work to expand health care for children as an adviser in the Clinton White House. And  he  recalled  his  family history as the son of a pediatrician who  he  said ânever  ever turned away anyone who couldnât pay.â
In addition   the mayor  pointed to  his  own â100 percent recordâ on voting on reproductive rights while  he  was in Congress.  Emanuel  said supporting Presence wasnât an âeither-orâ vote on abortion rights but rather a question of giving people access to health care.
Ald. Ameya Pawar  however  said  Emanuel  portrayed the issue as exactly that.
The 47th Ward alderman said Emanuelâs argument that council members were hypocritical on the matter was âdisingenuous.â The other votes  the mayor  cited  Pawar said  did not involve taxpayer funding for a corporate office in the Loop. The Swedish Covenant example was not relevant because that hospital does not have the same abortion policy as Presence  the alderman added.
Asked about the relatively tight vote   Emanuel  replied that the measure âpassed by nearly 2 to 1.â
At a post-meeting news conference   Emanuel  said  he  thinks Presence opponents suddenly started complaining about the companyâs abortion policies to make political hay out of the issue in the February 2019 municipal elections  when all 50 City Council seats and the mayorâs office will be on the ballot.
Ald. Pat Dowell said she was called by Emanuel aides who tried to convince her to change her position after she voted against the subsidy at the Finance Committee meeting last week. âI was not swayed by those arguments â said the 3rd Ward alderman.
With   [TGT] looking on from   [TGT]   perch at the front of council chambers  aldermen criticized and cajoled  trying to build support or stoke opposition among colleagues on the issue of giving Presence Health a $5.6 million tax subsidy to help pay for its downtown corporate headquarters.
  [TGT] whoâs been trying to rebuild   [TGT]   standing among black voters ahead of a 2019 re-election bid  backed the tax subsidy. Even as the meeting was underway   his  aides arm-twisted aldermen  trying to keep down the number of ânoâ votes.
In the end  the mayor won  as has been the norm at City Hall in the decades since then-Mayor Richard M. Daley consolidated power on the fifth floor. But the 31-18 tally proved to be one of the closest margins   [TGT] has faced during   [TGT]   nearly seven years as mayor  and following the roll call   [TGT]   took to the microphone and launched into an animated lecture.
Sweeping   [TGT]   arms out toward the aldermen and jabbing   [TGT]   finger on   [TGT]   desk    [TGT] admonished those who opposed the deal for applying what   [TGT]   termed a sudden âlitmus testâ on abortion.
âWe never raised a question on (money for hospitals like) St. Anthony  Norwegian  Mercy  Swedish Covenant â said   [TGT]  [TGT]   voice rising as   [TGT]   listed earlier city financial help for private health care companies.
âNot a peep  not a sound about a litmus test â  he  added.
Still  even as  he  scolded aldermen who opposed  him     [TGT] dedicated several minutes of   [TGT]   speech to bolstering   [TGT]   own bona fides on health care.
The mayor dipped back into his political history to mention his role as President Barack Obamaâs chief of staff in helping get the Affordable Care Act passed  though   [TGT] had cautioned the president against pursuing what became Obamacare  warning  [TGT]  would lose the 2012 election if  [TGT]  pursued it.
  [TGT] holds a press conference after presiding over a Chicago City Council meeting on Jan. 17  2018.   [TGT] holds a press conference after presiding over a Chicago City Council meeting on Jan. 17  2018. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)
  [TGT] also touted   [TGT]   work to expand health care for children as an adviser in the Clinton White House. And   [TGT]   recalled   [TGT]   family history as the son of a pediatrician who   [TGT]   said ânever  ever turned away anyone who couldnât pay.â
In addition   the mayor  pointed to  his  own â100 percent recordâ on voting on reproductive rights while  he  was in Congress.   [TGT] said supporting Presence wasnât an âeither-orâ vote on abortion rights but rather a question of giving people access to health care.
Ald. Ameya Pawar  however  said   [TGT] portrayed the issue as exactly that.
The 47th Ward alderman said Emanuelâs argument that council members were hypocritical on the matter was âdisingenuous.â The other votes  the mayor  cited  Pawar said  did not involve taxpayer funding for a corporate office in the Loop. The Swedish Covenant example was not relevant because that hospital does not have the same abortion policy as Presence  the alderman added.
Asked about the relatively tight vote    [TGT] replied that the measure âpassed by nearly 2 to 1.â
At a post-meeting news conference    [TGT] said   [TGT]   thinks Presence opponents suddenly started complaining about the companyâs abortion policies to make political hay out of the issue in the February 2019 municipal elections  when all 50 City Council seats and the mayorâs office will be on the ballot.
Ald. Pat Dowell said she was called by  [TGT]  aides who tried to convince her to change her position after she voted against the subsidy at the Finance Committee meeting last week. âI was not swayed by those arguments â said the 3rd Ward alderman.