Johnson’s nomination of pastor to transportation board gets pushback, but advances

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed appointee to the Regional Transportation Authority’s board, a politically connected West Side pastor, struggled Wednesday to answer aldermen’s questions about the role and the looming financial difficulties facing the agency responsible for oversight of Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority.

The City Council Transportation Committee eventually advanced the mayor’s nomination of Ira Acree, pastor of Greater St. John Bible Church, but not before members...