Protesters Want McDonald's CEO to Resign After 'Racist' Text to Lori Lightfoot

News

By Teddy Grant Published: November 4, 2021

Protesters Want McDonald’s CEO to Resign After ‘Racist’ Text to Lori Lightfoot

FILE - This June 25, 2019, photo shows the sign outside a McDonald's restaurant in Pittsburgh. The McRib, the fast food sandwich that went viral before viral was a thing, is back. For the first time in eight years, McDonald's announced Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, that it was bringing its barbeque slathered sandwich with the cult following back nationwide starting Dec. 2, and of course, for a limited time. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

In Summary

Chris Kempczinski texted Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot a day after a meeting, saying, "With both, the parents failed those kids, which I know is something you can't say. Even harder to fix."

Protesters called for the resignation of McDonald’s CEO on Wednesday after he blamed the parents of two murdered children for failing them in a text message to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

CEO Chris Kempczinski referenced the fatal shootings of Adam Toledo, who was gunned down by police after he ran down an alley with a gun in his hand but who dropped it before being shot, and Jaslyn Adams, who was killed in a McDonald’s drive-thru in April.

Kempczinski texted Lightfoot a day after a meeting, saying, “With both, the parents failed those kids, which I know is something you can’t say. Even harder to fix.”

Lightfoot reportedly responded, “terrible tragedy.” In a statement to ABC 7, her spokesperson said, “Victim shaming has no place in this conversation.”

“It is unacceptable, ignorant and racist that the CEO of McDonald’s can put this responsibility on the families,” 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez told ABC 7 Chicago.

Kempczinksi acknowledged that his text message was void of empathy and compassion for Toledo’s and Adams’s families in an email to McDonald’s employees.