Lawsuit alleging rampant racism at Chicago Water Department cleared for trial

A federal judge has cleared the way for a high-profile trial this summer over allegations that Black employees at the Chicago Department of Water Management were subjected to years of racist and sexist slurs, including some by politically connected top-level supervisors. In his 54-page ruling on summary judgment issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly said there was sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to find “that the city had a custom or policy of condoning racial harassment and discrimination at (the Water Department) as well as inaction in the...