CHICAGO – Ronnie Reese, the former communications director and one-time press secretary for Mayor Brandon Johnson, was fired late last month for failing to meet professional standards, according to a memo obtained by NBC 5 Investigates through a Freedom of Information Act request.
A copy of Reese’s termination letter shows while he was fired Oct. 23, an internal memo explaining to staff the reasons behind his termination wasn’t crafted until more than a week later – on Nov. 5 – which came after Reese’s departure had already been reported by news media.
Additional documents shared with NBC 5 Investigates and first revealed by the FOIA Bakery late Monday show Reese faced additional complaints about his alleged behavior for more than a year prior to his firing.
As far back as May 2023, a now-former employee complained to the Illinois Department of Human Rights that they were fired after complaining about Reese’s behavior to the city’s human resources department.
In the state EEOC complaint, the now-former city hall employee alleged that Reese and another top political aide to Johnson subjected the person to “unwanted and unwelcome” harassment. The staffer alleged in the filing that Reese treated male colleagues differently; and complained to the accuser’s director that she and another colleague “laughed all day” and that they needed to work harder and stop having fun.
A newer complaint filed by another employee filed is not dated, but references incidents from May of this year.
In it, the person alleges “Under Reese’s management, the Mayor’s Press Office has become a hostile workplace…” and that “I have personally experienced mistreatment by Reese in the form of sexual harassment, misogyny, and unfair treatment…”
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Among them, the employee alleges that at an after-work event, Reese “wrapped his right arm around me… pressed his thigh against mine” and reportedly said “love you,” which the staffer reported made them "severely uncomfortable…”
The employee also included screenshots of Microsoft Teams messages and texts where Reese allegedly wrote “… I have no problem making every decision since I’m the man…”
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The complaint further alleged that Reese had nicknames for his colleagues “to make fun of them behind their backs and demean them.”
The document further states that complaints about Reese prompted a meeting with the mayor’s chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, who reportedly suggested a restorative justice approach that included “peace circles,” which staff in attendance objected to “due to fear of retaliation.” After the meeting Reese reportedly told a colleague he "can't trust anyone."
The employee wrote in their complaint that the meeting “did not result in any additional clarity or changes” and that it ended “with a unanimous agreement that the present members of the Mayor’s Press Office team did not want to meet with the Chief of Staff and Reese to discuss the matter.”
The allegations raise questions about the work culture and alleged behaviors of Johnson’s staff.
In a statement to NBC 5 Investigates, Reese said:
“I strongly and unequivocally deny any allegations of wrongdoing. Throughout my career, I have carried myself with the utmost professionalism and respect for all of my peers, something to which many of my former colleagues at the City of Chicago and previous employers can attest,” Reese said in a statement. “There are many, many others who know my character, and who know the truth. I stand confident in that truth as I continue to prioritize my wife, my children, and the health of my family in the next chapter of my career.”
Records obtained by NBC 5 Investigates show the mayor’s office did not place Reese on a so-called “do not hire” list.
When we asked about this, the mayor’s interim communication director said: “We do not comment on personnel matters.”
