Deb Mell

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Deb Mell
File:Deb Mell.png
Mell in 2014
Member of the Chicago City Council from the 33rd ward
In office
July 24, 2013 – May 20, 2019
Preceded byRichard Mell
Succeeded byRossana Rodriguez-Sanchez
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 40th district
In office
January 14, 2009 – July 24, 2013
Preceded byRich Bradley
Succeeded byJaime Andrade Jr.
Personal details
Born (1968-07-30) July 30, 1968 (age 56)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2011; div. 2014)​
Parent(s)Richard Mell
Marge Mell
RelativesPatricia (sister)
Rod Blagojevich (brother-in-law)
Residence(s)Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materCornell College
Websitedebmell.org

Deborah L. "Deb" Mell (born July 30, 1968) is an American politician from Chicago. She is a Democrat and was formerly a member of the Chicago City Council, representing the 33rd ward. She previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2009 to 2013.

Early life, education and career

Mell is the daughter of long-time Alderman Richard Mell. Her sister, former Illinois First Lady Patti, is married to former Governor Rod Blagojevich. Mell was educated in Chicago, at St John Berchman’s Elementary School and St Scholastica High School. She then attended Cornell College with a dual major in political science and history, before earning a culinary arts degree from California Culinary Academy.

In politics

State legislature

On January 14, 2009, in one of her first votes in the Illinois House of Representatives, Mell cast the lone vote opposed to impeaching her brother-in-law, then-Governor Rod Blagojevich.[1] This was the second time the House had voted to impeach Blagojevich, and the tally was 117–1. In November 2008, Mell expressed interest in running in the special election to replace Rahm Emanuel, who would be resigning from the U.S. House of Representatives to serve as President Obama's White House Chief of Staff.[2] Several weeks later, she withdrew from the race.[3]

City council

In July 2013, Alderman Richard Mell, Deb Mell's father, retired from the city council after nearly 40 years. Mayor Rahm Emanuel was charged with appointing his successor and settled on Deb Mell. The appointment was announced on July 24 and confirmed by the city council later that day.[4] A member of the city council's Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Mell has been criticized by local activists for her financial ties to real estate developers and her involvement in allowing a developer to evict residents of her ward from their homes.[5][6] Mell's tenure in office ended after losing her 2019 reelection bid. After placing second in the general election round of the 2019 Chicago municipal election, Mell was narrowly defeated in a runoff by Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez.

Personal life

References

  1. ↑ "House votes to impeach Blagojevich again". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. January 14, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Emanuel departure starts race for vacant seat", The Hill, archived from the original on November 9, 2008, retrieved November 6, 2008
  3. ↑ Belluck, Pam (December 11, 2008), "Illinois First Lady Faces Scrutiny", The New York Times, retrieved December 11, 2008
  4. ↑ "Deb Mell faces skepticism about family ties: New alderman vows to win over critics with hard work". Chicago Tribune. July 25, 2013. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Campaign donors come first: The Silver Properties story". Deb Mell dot Money. Chicago Working Families. Archived from the original on January 31, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  6. ↑ Lopez, Lynda (December 4, 2017). "Latino Residents Are Being Displaced From Transit-Friendly Buildings in Albany Park". StreetsBlog Chicago. Retrieved January 31, 2019.

External links

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