Mayor Rahm Emanuel oversees civil union ceremony for top staffer
June 2, 2011 5:34PM
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chief Judge Tim Evans enjoy a laugh at the 'Unions in the Park' the cities celebration of the first day of civil unions in Illinois, officiated by volunteer judges. Thursday, June 02, 2011 | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times
Related Stories
Updated: July 8, 2011 3:06PM
With the new powers vested in him, Mayor Rahm Emanuel officiated Thursday at his first “marriage” ceremony as the city’s chief executive.
Actually, it was a civil union. David Spielfogel, the mayor’s chief of policy and strategic planning, and his partner, Lee Crandell, were among the first same-sex couples to tie the knot on the first day civil unions were allowed under a new state law.
Emanuel presided over the ceremony in his fifth-floor executive office at City Hall.
“I started this morning using my ceremonial office for the first time,” Emanuel said later at Millennium Park, where 33 same-sex couples participated in civil union ceremonies.
Emanuel also said he was “proud’’ of another administration official, Mona Noriega, commissioner of the city’s Department of Human Relations. Noriega and her partner, Evette Cardona, were among the couples who tied the knot at Millennium Park.
Lisa Donovan
Comments Click here to view or make a comment