Judge denies Chicago workers’ bid to halt vaccine mandate

By DON BABWIN
Associated Press

A federal judge has denied a motion by 130 Chicago firefighters and other city employees to temporarily halt enforcement of the city’s requirement that all of its workers report whether they’ve received the COVID-19 vaccination. U.S. District Judge John Lee on Friday methodically dismantled arguments made in the lawsuit, starting with the contention that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker had exceeded their authority when they imposed mandates earlier this year to slow the spread of the deadly virus.  The judge did not dismiss the lawsuit but said he did not see a likelihood that it would be successful in any of the suit’s claims.