Chicago's top female lawmaker caught sending VERY unladylike texts to rival... but insists she has nothing to apologize for

Published: 18:24, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 18:24, 24 August 2026 Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said she will not apologize for sending expletive-filled messages to her former colleague after he accused her of intimidating him and being racist. Former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin filed a complaint with the inspector general alleging intimidation and official misconduct after Pappas sent the messages earlier this month. Boykin leaked their private conversation, which appears to have been prompted by his support for Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson. He criticized other candidates, including Pappas, who has not officially entered the race but is expected to join. 'Why a f***ing turn coat after all I did for you u piece of s**t Pappas I am not a declared candidate a**hole what a user u are,' wrote the treasurer. 'You have no character maybe it's how you were raised boy how stupid am I to have bet on you this ain't over Richard.' He went on, 'Withdraw the release I am going after you and Willie (Wilson) and it will be enough to bring him down you ungrateful a**hole.' Earlier this year, Tyler Technologies, a tech company, refused to work directly with Pappas after accusing her of bullying its team. Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas joined CBS News Chicago on Monday and said she will not apologize for sending expletive-filled messages to former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin Boykin filed a complaint with the inspector general alleging intimidation and official misconduct. He also accused her of using the word boy in racist manner  Boykin said he was offended by Pappas's racially charged use of the word 'boy' and did not appreciate her mentioning his upbringing. 'I was raised by a single parent, my mother, Burnette Boykin, who happened to die on August 29, 2023, and quite frankly, it's unacceptable that she would invoke my mother and the way that my mother raised me,' said the former commissioner. 'Quite frankly, my mother raised me very well. We grew up in Englewood, in a single-parent home. Went to high school, CVS. Went to college, Central State. Then I went off to law school. And so, my mother would expect me to be out here fighting against injustice. What this lady has done is an injustice.' He demanded an apology, which was brushed off by Pappas, who claimed they were friends and that she was not racist. Pappas joined CBS News Chicago on Monday and denied that she meant to use the word 'boy' in a racial manner. She also noted that she hosts the show Black Houses Matter on WVON radio. 'I'm the least likely person to be attacked as somebody racist,' she said. Pappas called out Boykin for leaking their private messages and said she thought they were friends, noting that she previously endorsed his run for Congress. She added that she hasn't apologized because there is no need. 'No. There's no apology necessary here. This is two people having a spat. Why would you release a text that's private between two people?' she said. Pappas denied that she meant to use the word 'boy' in a racial manner and claimed she was 'the least likely person to be attacked as somebody racist' Boykin leaked their private conversation, which appears to have been prompted by his support for Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson 'You don't get into it with your friends. You don't have a spat with your friends, your girlfriends, your boyfriends... and then you release it to the public? You know what this is? Hey Richard, it's grandstanding. Nobody knows who you are or what you do.'  The treasurer said that her name was being used to create publicity for politicians no one knows. 'So you know what? You want to get in the news? Come after Maria Pappas. Say she said something, she looked the wrong way, she did this, she blinked. OK. They get in the news,' she said. 'Nobody knows who Richard Boykin is. But you know what? 'Maria Pappas!' The guy's 50 years old. He's got a 77-year-old grandmother beating up on him? What's the matter with you, Richard?' Pappas also called out Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, for suing her, which she claimed would be tossed out of court. The Chicago Teachers Union and the Illinois Federation of Teachers filed the lawsuit in July, demanding that Pappas' office release property tax bills and compensate school districts affected by delays in the release of the bills, according to CBS. Chicago is holding a general election for mayor in 2027.