Chris Kempczinski: McDonald’s CEO Accused Of Racist Text

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Chris Kempczinski
Chris Kempczinski

Chris Kempczinski, CEO for McDonald’s, is being accused of sending a racist text. The text in question was sent to Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Chris Kempczinski Racist Text Controversy

Kempczinski Sent Text About Shooting Victims Jasyln Adams, Adam Toledo. “In the messages from 19 April, Mr Kempczinski referred to the shootings of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams and 13-year-old Adam Toledo to Ms Lightfoot and said: “P.s. tragic shootings in last week, both at our restaurant yesterday and with Adam Toldeo [sic]. With both, the parents failed those kids which I know is something you can’t say. Even harder to fix.”” [The Independent]

Lightfoot Spokesperson: Kempczinski Guilty of “Victim Shaming.” “As the Mayor has said previously, families do everything they can — moms, dads, grandparents — to love and support their children, and tragedies can still happen. Victim shaming has no place in this conversation.” [Statement from Lightfoot Spokesperson]

Kempczinski Text Exposed Through Freedom Of Information Act Request. “The texts were released through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Michael Kessler, a Vancouver man requesting records as part of an inquiry into a Portland, Oregon, police matter, working with Lucy Parsons Labs, a nonprofit transparency organization. An image of the portion of the FOIA records including Kempczinski’s texts was shared on Twitter.” [Yahoo]

McDonald’s Employee Slams Kempczinski Text. “McDonald’s employee Adriana Sanchez says she was angered by Kempczinski’s comments. “He doesn’t know the circumstances of these parents,” Sanchez said in Spanish. “A large number of them are single mothers who are just doing their best and sacrifice.”” [WBEZ]

Kempczinski: Tone Of Text Was “Wrong.” ““When I wrote this, I was thinking through my lens as a parent and reacted viscerally. But I have not walked in the shoes of Adam’s or Jaslyn’s family and so many others who are facing a very different reality,” he said. “Not taking the time to think about this from their viewpoint was wrong, and lacked the empathy and compassion I feel for these families. This is a lesson that I will carry with me.”” [Chicago Tribune]