CHICAGO — Cook County has pulled the plug on one of its federally funded small business grant programs after being sued over its constitutionality.
The suit, filed in December on behalf of Chicago chiropractor Domenic Cusano Jr., alleged the Small Business Source Grow Grant program treated applicants “differently based on their owners’ race, and specifically prioritizes ‘persons of color.’ ”
The lawsuit claimed that was a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, “discriminating against individuals on the basis of their membership in a racial group,” and that Cusano, who “identifies as white and Caucasian,” would not be “on equal footing” with other applicants. The suit was filed by the California-based law firm Pacific Legal Foundation, which “defends Americans’ liberties when threatened by government overreach and abuse,” according to its website.
