Proco Joe Moreno

Proco Joe Moreno III (born May 19, 1972) is a Chicago politician. He served as alderman from the 1st ward in the Chicago City Council starting in 2010 when he was appointed to replace Manny Flores on March 26, 2010. His term ended on May 20, 2019, after his loss to Daniel La Spata in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic elections. The 1st Ward of Chicago incorporates areas including: Wicker Park, Bucktown, East Village, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square and the southeastern tip of Roscoe Village.

Proco Joe Moreno
City of Chicago Alderman
In office
March 26, 2010 – May 20, 2019
Preceded byManny Flores
Succeeded byDaniel La Spata
Constituency1st Ward, Chicago
Personal details
Born
Proco Joe Moreno III

(1972-05-19) May 19, 1972
Moline, Illinois
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materDePaul University

Early life and education

Moreno was born in Moline, Illinois and moved to Chicago after graduating from Augustana College, with a B.A. in Business and Art. Moreno has an M.B.A. from DePaul University and was vice president at a printing company before becoming Alderman.[1] Moreno graduated from the Metropolitan Leadership Institute of United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), which seeks to develop political leaders within the Hispanic community.[2]

Political career

In 2008, Moreno ran in the Democratic primary election against incumbent Illinois State Senator Willie Delgado in District 2 and lost.[3]

2008 2nd District State Senator Democratic Primary
CandidateVotesPercentage
Proco "Joe" Moreno994540.43%
William "Willie" Delgado1465359.57%[4]

Appointment to City Council

After 1st ward alderman Manny Flores was appointed by then Gov. Pat Quinn to lead the Illinois Commerce Commission, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley appointed Moreno to fill the rest of his term as alderman in March 2010.[5]

2011 1st Ward Alderman Election
CandidateVotesPercentage
Proco "Joe" Moreno724373.56%
Ronald J. Baltierra4574.64%
Deborah Lopez214721.80%[4]

Moreno won his first full term in the February 22, 2011 Chicago municipal elections, after receiving the endorsements of the Chicago Tribune[6] and Chicago Sun-Times. It was during this term that Moreno attempted to block a Chick-fil-a chicken restaurant from being built in his ward due to the company's political views. Moreno demanded the company change its discriminatory policies while critics questioned his commitment to free speech, religious liberties and the first amendment.[7]

2015 1st Ward Alderman Election
CandidateVotesPercentage
Proco "Joe" Moreno420551.08%
Anne Shaw203724.74%
Ronda Locke168020.41%
Andrew Hamilton3103.77%[4]

Moreno's bid for a second full term proved to be a greater challenge than his first, as he drew three challengers: Anne Shaw, an attorney; Andrew Hamilton, also an attorney; and Ronda Locke, a former staffer to the Alderman. Moreno won the election with over 51% overall vote.[8]

2019 1st Ward Alderman Election
CandidateVotesPercentage
Proco "Joe" Moreno463538.75%
Daniel La Spata732561.25%[4]

In 2019, Moreno lost to political newcomer Daniel La Spata.

Chick-fil-A and gay marriage

In July 2012, Moreno said he denied the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A a permit to open a restaurant on North Elston Avenue. His stated reason was because the company's president held different beliefs on gay marriage (opposition) than Moreno. In September of that year, Moreno said he spoke to Chick-fil-A executives and that they told him they would distribute a "statement of tolerance" to their employees and operators.[9]

After speaking with the executives, Moreno said he would allow Chick-fil-A to open the restaurant. Later in October, Moreno again said he would block the permit after saying he heard the company president state on cable TV that the company's policies on gay marriage have not changed.[9]

Controversies and Scandals

In May 2017, Moreno was caught on video threatening a property owner with zoning changes after a rent dispute at the former Double Door nightclub. [10]

In June 2018, Moreno was accused of impersonating a police officer after flashing the badge distributed to aldermen as “peace officers” to compel a woman to move her car, so he could take the parking spot in the Wrigleyville neighborhood.[11]

In January 2019, the Chicago Police Department opened an investigation into whether Moreno filed a false police report.[12] Moreno had reported his car was stolen, and police found the car and arrested the woman behind the wheel. However, she had proof that Moreno had loaned her the car, with text messages to back up her story.[13]

On May 14, 2019, Moreno turned himself in to local authorities after a warrant was issued for his arrest, reportedly for filing a false police report and for insurance fraud.[14][15][16][17] He plead "not guilty" to the charges in June 2019.[18]

In February 2019, a former staffer accused Moreno of inappropriate behavior. She said in 2015 Moreno said to her and other aides, “OK, we’re gonna have a contest. Everyone’s gonna have to take off their shirts. The girls can keep their bras on. And if your body is better than mine, then you get a raise.”[19]

Moreno's name came up in the federal investigation of Ald. Ed Burke and Ald. Danny Solis, when a campaign donor said Moreno had steered property zoning tax work his way in exchange for support.[20]

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References
  1. "About Alderman Proco Joe Moreno". Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  2. "Chicago's Latino leadership group molds next generation". Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  3. "Illinois Senate And House Results". The Chicago Tribune. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  4. "http://www.chicagoelections.com". External link in |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. "Mayor Richard Daley names 2 to City Council". The Chicago Tribune. 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  6. "For the city council". The Chicago Tribune. 2011-02-07. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  7. "http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-19/news/ct-met-chick-fil-a-chicago-0919-20120919_1_gay-marriage-moreno-first-proco-joe-moreno". External link in |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  8. Hauser, Alisa. "Former Staffer to Ald. Joe Moreno, Ronda Locke, to Run Against Him in 1st". DNA Info Chicago. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  9. Yue, Lorene (2012-10-19). "Ald. Moreno dumps Chick-fil-A, again". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2019-02-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ald-moreno-accused-impersonating-police-officer-parking-motorist-badge-city-council/
  12. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-chicago-alderman-joe-moreno-false-police-report-investigation-20190205-story.html
  13. https://wgntv.com/2019/02/04/a-chicago-alderman-a-stolen-car-and-the-single-mother-he-claims-he-was-trying-to-help/
  14. FOX. "Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno in custody for reportedly filing false police report". WFLD. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  15. "Ald. Proco 'Joe' Moreno Turns Himself In To Authorities". 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  16. "Ald. Proco 'Joe' Moreno charged with insurance fraud, obstruction of justice". 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  17. Crepeau, Megan (15 May 2019). "Ald. Proco 'Joe' Moreno charged with falsely reporting car stolen, trying to collect $30,000 in insurance". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  18. Crepeau, Megan (18 June 2019). "Ex-Ald. Proco 'Joe' Moreno pleads not guilty to insurance fraud". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  19. https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/chicago-alderman-told-staff-to-take-off-shirts-for-contest-says-exaide/66b313a9-a6ee-4c9a-a55d-a25f142ab0c5
  20. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/danny-solis-chicago-city-council-fbi-victor-reyes-zoning-campaign-contributions/
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