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A Chicago-area broadcaster and the company she works for have filed a lawsuit against Gov. J.B. Pritzker in federal court over her exclusion from news briefings after the reporter spoke at a protest in Chicago in May.
Salem Media and AM 560 broadcaster Amy Jacobson filed a lawsuit against the governor in federal court on Monday.
“Attorneys also are asking the court to take immediate action to allow Jacobson back into the press briefings,” said Liberty Justice Center, the nonprofit organization that is representing Salem Media in the lawsuit.
Last month, attorneys representing Salem and Jacobson said Jacobson “broke the story that Pritzker’s family had traveled to their equestrian estate in Wisconsin amid Illinois’ stay-at-home order – weeks after it was reported that his family was at another estate in Florida.”
“The news raised questions about why the stay-at-home order did not apply to the governor’s family,” the statement said.
Last month the governor defended the decision to bar Jacobson from news briefings after she attended and spoke at a rally in Chicago focused on reopening Illinois.
“Look, when you’re standing up at a rally, where people are taking a political position, holding up Nazi swastikas, holding up pictures of Hitler and taking an extreme position as she did, it strikes me that that’s not objective in any way,” Pritzker said. “It’s not the way you act it’s not the way that your colleagues in the media act, who are reporters.
“That is not a reporter,” the governor said. “She represents a talk show that has a particular point of view, we allowed her to ask questions because once upon a time she was a reporter, but she proved that she is no longer a reporter.”
I don’t think the governor himself handled this very well and I said so at the time. To this day, Jacobson has access to the governor through the pool reporters, like I do, like we all do. Pritzker should’ve made that clear in public. Now her attorneys are trying to cast her as some sort of martyr.
I’ve been to press conferences where I couldn’t get my questions answered. I may have already told you this story, but Gov. Blagojevich tried that with me once, so I walked around the room and whispered questions to every Chicago TV reporter there. He had no choice but to answer questions from them.
* Robert Feder…
“The reason we sent Amy to these press briefings is because she is a dogged reporter with a reputation for holding public officials accountable,” said Jeff Reisman, regional vice president and general manager of AM 560 The Answer. “Over the last two months Amy has done her job well, asking the tough questions that are on the minds of so many of our listeners.
“We’re disappointed that the governor would retaliate against her and take the unprecedented step of blocking her from his press briefings. We had hoped litigation would not be necessary, but it’s imperative for Amy to get back into the room and keep doing her job.” […]
Jacobson and Salem are being represented by Liberty Justice Center, a Chicago-based non-profit conservative public-interest litigation center with ties to the Illinois Policy Institute.
Patrick Hughes, president and co-founder of the Liberty Justice Center, said: “It’s not up to Governor Pritzker to pick and choose which reporters can cover him based on how much he agrees with their coverage or their points of view. And keeping reporters out of the room because he disagrees with their line of questioning or point of view is a gross violation of the First Amendment.”
Um, she can’t get “back into the room” because access is being limited for everyone right now due to COVID-19.
And while Pritzker most certainly disagrees with her points of view, she did speak at a rally in opposition to his stay at home order. That goes well beyond attendance.
On the one hand, she’s a show-boating hyper-partisan. On the other, I’ve always been opposed to the government deciding who is and who is not a reporter, although it is indisputable that legislative leaders can limit access to their press boxes based on broad criteria (like working for a lobbying group). On the third hand, if reporters were really upset about this, they would’ve stood up for Jacobson and her access would’ve been restored by now.
Your thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:24 am
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It’s a shame that Amy Jacobson and AM 560 have to get pro bono representation.
Comment by The Way I See It Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:29 am
It’s all so murky these days with Fox News hosts stumping at Trump rallies.
I prefer freedom of the press, but I think the “press” has evolved into a much too loosey-goosey definition. Commentary and opinion is fine as a section in the news but should not be confused with the actual news.
Comment by DownStater Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:31 am
The question here is whether Pritzker is Constitutionally compelled to take her questions? If he is, how do you keep -any- “opinion journalist” out? Every Alex Jones type, every fringe blog editor, could sue and demand equal opportunity. And the same would apply to the President, which actually might be fun but ultimately would be chaotic. The First Amendment protects your right to speak, it doesn’t compel others to listen or speak to you.
Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:32 am
My take?
The governor has shown, with churches specifically, they will take this to the farthest point, then cut a deal fearing a ruling.
I’m not being cynical or angry or disgusted by this whole row, it’s so frivolous now, Jacobson isn’t a reporter, the administration should let the trade, the reporters call out her ridiculousness from now on.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:33 am
“Patrick Hughes, president and co-founder of the Liberty Justice Center, said: “It’s not up to Governor Pritzker to pick and choose which reporters can cover him based on how much he agrees with their coverage or their points of view. And keeping reporters out of the room because he disagrees with their line of questioning or point of view is a gross violation of the First Amendment.”
Umm nope it’s not a violation of the First Amendment, gross or otherwise. I really wish these so called First Amendment protectors would actually read the First Amendment.
Comment by Are Ya Kiddin’ Me? Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:37 am
” … a dogged reporter with a reputation … .”
Presently cleaning monitor of AM liquid caffeine.
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:39 am
Maybe she needs to go swimming.
Comment by Chuck Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:42 am
==Your thoughts?==
I think Sean Hannity should do extended shows, that way he can get both Bailey and Jacobsen on. The quicker they both get the 15 minutes they’re working so hard for, the quicker they both go away
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:42 am
Jacobson lacks credibility in any sense. But I think Rich is right that it’s tough to let the state define who is or is not a reporter.
She might get back into a press conference, but she won’t ever get her reputation back.
Comment by DuPage Dave Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:43 am
===Your thoughts?===
Unprintable.
She’s another in a long list of self-promoting hucksters who only care about themselves. When she isn’t using the tools of our government to enrich herself, she’s tearing it down so no one else can benefit. She is a symptom of the larger disease that is infecting out society.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:46 am
“Commentary and opinion is fine as a section in the news but should not be confused with the actual news.”
This reminds me of Walter Jacobson, when he would provide opinion and commentary pieces during his newscasts. To make the separation between the newscast and his commentary clear, he always made these presentations without a suit jacket and in a different studio.
Comment by Huh? Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:55 am
My thought is Greg Bishop now has his “story” the next couple of days.
Comment by efudd Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 10:59 am
Jacobson is a hack. She always will be. However, the governor’s press corps, like any politician, has their favorites and anyone who has attended the pressers would fully understand it. They prefer “their people” asking the questions, which is why they bullied a downstate newspaper and kept this hack with the rest of us non-”people” news sources in the back. He’s got a penchant for not liking adversity, as seen by the confrontation in the courts.
Comment by West Central IL Reporter Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:03 am
The “objective” style of journalism has been dying a slow death for the last 20 years and is being replaced - or more correctly, a return to - a more slanted form of journalism like Fox News and MSNBC. The lines between slanted journalism, political activism and even lobbying have become blurred. The IPI and BGA are good examples of these blurred lines. Even protesters using phones to film police to post on a blog might consider themselves “citizen journalists.” It will be hard for any state actor - with financial and technological barriers to entry to journalism so low - to define what is and is not “journalism.”
Comment by Hatch Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:03 am
She can’t be an advocate and a journalist at the same time. The Illinois Press Association should do an amicus and disown her.
Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:08 am
1. Amy Jacobson denounced Andrew Breitbart on the radio for “not being a real reporter” after he appeared as an election night commentator on ABC.
2. She has denounced other talk show hosts on her own station as “not being real reporters” for doing the same thing she did.
3. Salem/AM 560 has refused entry to other reporters and commentators at their events.
4. The ugly goose is good for the ugly gander.
Comment by bonnielass Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:10 am
With all that is going on I think that this lawsuit is what we need to take our minds off everything. /s
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:16 am
The executive branch isn’t the only one who “gets to decide” who qualifies as a reporter. The House and Senate have wielded that authority for years. Ask the Center Square.
Comment by Seeking context Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:19 am
I don’t think Amy is very bright or thoughtful. JB should have ignored her. He let her draw more attention to herself, which I suspect was her goal.
Comment by SSL Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:19 am
Amy Jacobson is not a journalist.
Comment by Northsider Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 11:40 am
1. Once you lead the cheer at a rally you have crossed the line from journalist to activist.
2. If you must, at least be honest about it; call it an opinion piece and don’t try to pass it off as journalism.
3. She wasn’t locked out. As Rich pointed out, she could still submit to pool reporters. (If anyone would take her questions is another story for another day)
4. Guess what - sometimes those of us from small local outlets get lost in the shuffle or gasp denied because it takes a day or so for our IPA stuff to clear. I too have had questions ignored, because I was “small potatoes” but guess what, there’s usually a big cheese in the neighborhood that will ask for you.
5. Everytime I think of her and the term pool reporter in the same sentence I can’t help but giggle and roll my eyes. (sorry it just happens!)
Comment by DownSouth Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 12:56 pm
Put her in the rotation and reply with “No comment” to every question.
Comment by northsider (the original) Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 2:02 pm
Amy Jacobson is no more a reporter than Dan Proft is a publisher. In both instances they’ve hijacked traditional forms of media to further their own interests. If Howard Stern showed up to cover a Pritzker presser would we be arguing that he has a right as a journalist? It’s been over a decade since Jacobson was actually employed as a reporter.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 2:10 pm
The Salem Radio Network provides news to Christian radio stations across the U.S., including WPEO in Peoria, which I listen to every morning.
Salem is similar to FOX News, in that they have a Republican slant, are very conservative, and Democrats can’t do anything right–in their opinion.
Ms. Jacobson made a poor choice by speaking at that rally, but it was her choice and she can’t blame Pritzker for the consequences.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 2:12 pm
At least Hannity admitted (on 4/14/19) that he was a talk radio host, NOT a journalist. Even Fox News had to admit he’s a an “opinion talk-show host”. I just wish Amy would do likewise.
Comment by Jocko Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 2:51 pm
“It’s a shame that Amy Jacobson and AM 560 have to get pro bono representation.”
To be fair, radio ad revenues have been down for past few months. /s
Comment by Huh? Monday, Jun 1, 20 @ 6:07 pm
My thoughts are this: a reporter is also a private citizen and as such has the freedom to speak at a protest rally. However I would venture to say the fact she IS a reporter was the reason she spoke or was asked to speak , which in my opinion may tarnish any impression of neutrality. In this day and age it may not be possible to be neutral, but I do believe credibility requires that media at least try to be fair. Neither side trusts the other hence our mutual polarity.
Comment by Kathiann Tuesday, Jun 2, 20 @ 6:23 am