Mary Ann Smith's politics

Mary Ann Smith, who later served as 48th Ward Alderman, had been a longtime Independent political activist.

After she backed Arnold Levy in his unsuccessful effort to unseat incumbent 48th Ward Democratic Committeeman Martin Tuchow (who was later jailed for corruption) in 1980, a representative of Cook County State’s Attorney Bernard Carey said he would not bring vote fraud charges against Tuchow campaign workers because it was unlikely that a Circuit Court Judge would convict them.

Angered by the Carey office’s unwillingness to try, Smith declared, “I’ve been Walkered and Cartered, and now I’ve been Careyed,” referring to her disappointments after campaigning for Dan Walker for Governor, Jimmy Carter for President, and Carey for State’s Attorney.

When she became Alderman, she allied herself with Mayor Richard M. Daley and voted with his administration on most City Council matters. She focused her energies on environmental issues and Daley didn’t interfere.