Chicago Politician Willie Wilson Gives Away $200,000 In Free Gas, Jamming City's Streets With Traffic And Twitter Feeds With Memes

Chicago businessman and perennial political candidate Willie Wilson announced a giveaway of $200,000 worth of gasoline in Chicago today, leading to a citywide traffic jam and a slew of memes in response. The gas was donated to anybody who showed up to one of 10 stations around the city, with no strings attached.

Gas prices right now are higher than they’ve ever been in the U.S., and the extra cost is causing financial difficulty for many people who rely on cars to get around. As a result, a great number of Chicagoans reacted with joy to the possibility of filling up their tanks for free.

How can people still hate Willie Wilson.. My man's out there giving people 200k worth of free gasolineGod bless than man! #freegas #Chicago https://t.co/J17CHnq7t2

— prayers for Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@oyebee) March 17, 2022

While many praised the idea in theory, in practice Wilson’s publicity stunt inconvenienced many Chicagoans. Massive traffic jams, reportedly leading the city to deploy helicopters and half of its police force to the streets, made it difficult for many people to even get to work this morning.

Just thinking about how much $$ this Willie Wilson gas stunt is costing the city and how much gas everyone stuck in the traffic it is causing is burning. ⛽💸

— The Nattiest of Daddies (@NatTheYounger) March 17, 2022

I tried to line up for Willie Wilson's gas and almost ran out of gas in line for the free gas🥴. I just went to the next gas station and paid myself. Pumped that thing and didn't even look at the total price because what's the point 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/NGEb5lvitT

— Kyles (@lilginapamish) March 17, 2022

How y’all boss gon be lookin at y’all when y’all show up late for work cause you was getting that Willie Wilson gas pic.twitter.com/VDFmDVFnKV

— #RollUpTho (@TY_rollinUP) March 17, 2022

Some commentators pointed out that because of the long wait time in traffic jams, many of those who left their homes in search of the free gas ended up burning more gas on the way to fill their tanks than they actually got once they arrived at the filling stations.

Wtf traffic is fucked up due to willie Wilson taking care of the poor folk giving away free gas 🤦🏻🤷🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/ESHQs4BK8z

— pinche franky flowers🌱 (@BIGHURT) March 17, 2022

Cars wait in a line that stretches for 3+ blocks in multiple directions for free gas from businessman & former mayoral candidate Willie Wilson at the Marathon gas station, 340 S. Sacramento Blvd.3/17/2022Garfield Park, Chicago#OnAssignment with mack_liederman</a>/<a href="https://twitter.com/BlockClubCHI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">BlockClubCHI pic.twitter.com/YNQ5IUOM7q

— Colin Boyle (@colinbphoto) March 17, 2022

Willie Wilson is giving away 200k in gas at 7am ($50 a car at 10 Chicago gas stations). If you are thinking about going,you’re already about 4 hours too late. These are the lines on the south side for stations at 91st & Stony and 95th & Constance. 😳 pic.twitter.com/hyE06ofNVy

— Jeanette Hudson (@JHudsontraffic) March 17, 2022

Some political commentators in the city speculated that Wilson, an independent Democrat who has run in the past for Mayor of Chicago, Governor of Illinois and President of the United States, is preparing the way for another political campaign. His approach of giving something to people directly and for free in a highly public spectacle was praised as an example of good politics by some users who connected Wilson’s move to the tradition of “old dope boy” party bosses in the late nineteenth-century, who earned support in urban centers like Chicago and New York through similar handouts of food and other essentials.

I don't agree with Willie Wilson's political stances, but a LOT of politicians/activists could learn from what he's doing. He's putting something tangible in the hands of people in the Black community. Not the "promise" of something, actually useful today. That's smart politics. https://t.co/wgOvvrR25G

— MLKendricks (@MLKendricks) March 17, 2022

Willie Wilson just won his mayoral nomination bid, cuz one thing people in Chicago gon do is vote for can who help the most and Willie giving away free gas is a old dope boy move like turkeys during the holidays

— 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 (@HennyTrapGawd) March 17, 2022

Willie Wilson openly bribing voters is hilarious and frankly no more or less ethical than the finance methods if your average GOP candidate’s fundraising https://t.co/S9HfU4uwq6

— abolish the senate (@CityGooner) March 17, 2022

Willie Wilson, who made his money running McDonald’s franchises and a medical supply company, has managed to become the top story in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day. Whether he runs for something in the future or not, his free gas giveaway has succeeded in placing him at the center of the conversation — and the foreground of this morning’s memescape.

The disorganization & incompetence with Willie Wilson's giveaway stunts shows how disastrous of a mayor or governor he would be. No consideration of unintended consequences. No attention to planning or coordination.https://t.co/Kir2tAD7gWNot to mention his xenophobia & bigotry.

— Jacob Peters (@ArchiJake) March 17, 2022

Guys maybe, just maybe the huge Willie Wilson gas lines this AM only signify that people really like free shit? And maybe that people are bad at understanding the money value of their time?

— Chicago Bars (@chicagobars) March 17, 2022