Proco Joe Moreno III (born May 19, 1972) is an American politician who served as alderman from the 1st ward in the
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is gaveled into session regularly, usually mont ...
starting in 2010 when he was appointed to replace
Manny Flores on March 26, 2010. His term ended on May 20, 2019, after his loss to
Daniel La Spata
Daniel La Spata (born February 26, 1981) is a Chicago politician. He has served as the alderman of Chicago's 1st ward since May 2019. He won election to that office after defeating incumbent Proco Joe Moreno in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic electio ...
in the
2019 Chicago aldermanic elections
The 2019 Chicago aldermanic election took place in two rounds on February 26 and April 2, 2019, to elect 50 aldermen to the Chicago City Council. Each alderman represents one of Chicago's 50 wards. The elections are non-partisan and use a two-ro ...
. The 1st Ward of Chicago incorporates areas including:
Wicker Park,
Bucktown,
East Village,
Ukrainian Village
Ukrainian Village is a Chicago neighborhood located on the near west side of Chicago. Its boundaries are Division Street to the north, Grand Avenue to the south, Western Avenue to the west (although some maps extend to Campbell Street to the ...
,
Logan Square Logan Square may refer to:
* Logan Square, Chicago, a neighborhood on the north side of the city
* Logan Circle (Philadelphia) or Logan Square, a park in Philadelphia
**Logan Square, Philadelphia
Logan Square is a neighborhood in Philadelphia. Bou ...
and the southeastern tip of Roscoe Village.
Early life and education
Moreno was born in
Moline, Illinois
Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline, Illinois, East M ...
and moved to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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after graduating from
Augustana College, with a B.A. in Business and Art. Moreno has an M.B.A. from
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private university, private, Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-centu ...
and was vice president at a printing company before becoming Alderman. Moreno graduated from the Metropolitan Leadership Institute of
United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), which seeks to develop political leaders within the Hispanic community.
Political career
In 2008, Moreno ran in the Democratic primary election against incumbent Illinois State Senator
Willie Delgado in District 2 and lost.
2008 2nd District State Senator Democratic Primary
Appointment to City Council
After 1st ward alderman Manny Flores was appointed by then Gov. Pat Quinn to lead the Illinois Commerce Commission, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley appointed Moreno to fill the rest of his term as alderman in March 2010.
2011 1st Ward Alderman Election
Moreno won his first full term in the February 22, 2011, Chicago municipal elections, after receiving the endorsements of the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' and ''
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
''. It was during this term that Moreno attempted to block a Chick-fil-a chicken restaurant from being built in his ward due to the company's political views. Moreno demanded the company change its discriminatory policies while critics questioned his commitment to free speech, religious liberties and the first amendment.
2015 1st Ward Alderman Election
Moreno's bid for a second full term proved to be a greater challenge than his first, as he drew three challengers: Anne Shaw, an attorney; Andrew Hamilton, also an attorney; and Ronda Locke, a former staffer to the Alderman. Moreno won the election with over 51% overall vote.
2019 1st Ward Alderman Election
In 2019, Moreno lost to political newcomer Daniel La Spata.
Chick-fil-A and gay marriage
In July 2012, Moreno said he denied the fast-food chain
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A ( , a Word play, play on the American English pronunciation of "wikt:filet#Pronunciation, filet") is an American fast food restaurant chain which is the country's largest which specializes in chicken sandwiches. Headquartered in Coll ...
a permit to open a restaurant on North Elston Avenue. His stated reason was because the company's president held different beliefs on gay marriage (opposition) than Moreno. In September of that year, Moreno said he spoke to Chick-fil-A executives and that they told him they would distribute a "statement of tolerance" to their employees and operators.
After speaking with the executives, Moreno said he would allow Chick-fil-A to open the restaurant. Later in October, Moreno again said he would block the permit after saying he heard the company president state on cable TV that the company's policies on gay marriage have not changed.
Controversies and Scandals
In May 2017, Moreno was caught on video threatening a property owner with zoning changes after a rent dispute at the former
Double Door
Double Door, a concert hall and nightclub, was located in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The venue was first opened on June 12, 1994, and was co-owned by Andrew Barrett, Sean Mulroney and Joe Shanahan. On Ju ...
nightclub.
In June 2018, Moreno was accused of impersonating a police officer after flashing the badge distributed to aldermen as “peace officers” to compel a woman to move her car, so he could take the parking spot in the Wrigleyville neighborhood.
In January 2019, the Chicago Police Department opened an investigation into whether Moreno filed a false police report. Moreno had reported his car was stolen, and police found the car and arrested the woman behind the wheel. However, she had proof that Moreno had loaned her the car, with text messages to back up her story.
On May 14, 2019, Moreno turned himself in to local authorities after a warrant was issued for his arrest, reportedly for filing a false police report and for insurance fraud. He pleaded "not guilty" to the charges in June 2019.
In February 2019, a former staffer accused Moreno of inappropriate behavior. She said in 2015 Moreno said to her and other aides, “OK, we’re gonna have a contest. Everyone’s gonna have to take off their shirts. The girls can keep their bras on. And if your body is better than mine, then you get a raise.”
Moreno's name came up in the federal investigation of
Ald. Ed Burke and
Ald. Danny Solis, when a campaign donor said Moreno had steered property zoning tax work his way in exchange for support.
In December 2020, Chicago police reported that Moreno had sideswiped eight cars over four street blocks.
In 2021 he pleaded guilty to filing a false report.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moreno, Proco Joe
1972 births
Living people
American people of Mexican descent
American politicians of Mexican descent
Augustana College (Illinois) alumni
Chicago City Council members
DePaul University alumni
Illinois Democrats
21st-century American politicians
Chicago City Council members appointed by Richard M. Daley
Illinois politicians convicted of crimes