Brannigan Quits Cook County Women's Commission Over Muslim Facebook Posts

COOK COUNTY, IL -- A Palos Township trustee accused of making disparaging remarks about Muslims on social media has tendered her resignation from the Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues. Sharon Brannigan, a twice-elected Palos Township trustee, found herself at the center of controversy earlier this month when she questioned the citizenship of the growing number of Middle Eastern students attending Palos Township schools on Facebook.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called for Brannigan’s resignation from the women’s commission after learning about the social media posts following a heated Palos Township board meeting, when Brannigan was confronted by hundreds of Arab American residents and their supporters. Preckwinkle issued a statement denouncing the embattled township trustee and calling upon the 17th District Commissioner Sean Morrison, a Republican, to seek Brannigan’s resignation.

“If these posts accurately reflect her views on diversity and inclusion, I believe she should step down from the Commission,” Preckwinkle’s statement read. “Such viewpoints certainly do not reflect our values nor, in my opinion, the kind of representation we want on the Commission.”

Morrison appointed Brannigan to the women’s commission last year, a committee of 21 women of various backgrounds and economic strata, who advise and help shape county government policy on concerns on issues facing women and girls.

According to Morrison, Brannigan came to him in February explaining that she no longer had time for the commission. He asked her to stay on until he could find someone else. She brought up the matter again in May and June. Morrisson said he was out of town during the raucous township board meeting. By then, Morrisson claims Brannigan had already resigned from the commission, which was in the process of being formalized.

“Toni Preckwinkle never to this day has never bothered to call and speak with me about it,” Morrison said. “She just wanted to use for political sniping.”

He added that in his opinion, he thought Preckwinkle’s statement after the July 10 township board meeting was political grandstanding.

“I read the press statement and its negative overtone, mentioning me,” Morrison said. “What any cordial colleague would do is call up another colleague and ask what’s up. [Preckwinkle] never called me.”

Brannigan could not immediately be reached for comment. Morrison said she has been working on a statement and is not planning to resign from the Palos Township Board.

“I’ve had a few conversations with her,” Morrison said. “She has a compelling side. I’m looking at her Tweets. I told her, ‘listen, I know you didn’t have any malintention or racist, but when people read a Facebook post or tweet, there’s so much context left out.”

Tr. Sharon Brannigan listens to angry Arab American residents at Palos Township board meeting on July 10, 2017.