Sources said that in weekly calls this month with public information officers for city departments, Lurie’s communications director, Nina Negusse, and Press Secretary Charles Lutvak announced that all statements from city departments will have to be pre-approved by the mayor’s office. 

Additionally, departments must brief the mayor’s office on all media inquiries deemed politically sensitive, any request that mentions the mayor’s office, anything related to policy changes in the city, any criticism of the mayor or city, anything that would attract national media attention, and anything that touches the work of multiple departments.