A Chicago reporter accused the city of trying to muzzle him following a series of heated conversations with the mayor’s office in which he frequently questioned her performance and filed a federal lawsuit against Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot for removing his press credentials.
The lawsuit was brought by American journalist William J. Kelly. Lightfoot and Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown are accused of violating his First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights, according to a lawsuit filed in late August in the Northern District of Illinois, “They have done this for the most cynical and contemptible reason that can be imagined, to prevent Lightfoot from being questioned about their failures in the performance of the public offices they currently occupy.”
The contributing reporter for the Daily Mail claimed that by reporting the truth and asking probing questions during press conferences, he has utilized his position to hold Lightfoot responsible for her appalling performance in government. He claimed that the mayor is doing everything possible to keep him out of the room since Lightfoot is up for re-election and there is growing criticism of her leadership.
Kelly said in the lawsuit that Brown instructed a police officer working for Lightfoot’s security team of 70 people to create a report stating Kelly had run into him on July 19, 2022, at Lightfoot’s request. On August 8, 2022, Brown subsequently revoked Kelly’s press credentials using this fake claim as justification.
He can be heard pursuing Lightfoot in a recording Kelly made of the incident on July 19 after she dodged his question at a news appearance and was physically obstructed by her staff.
The Daily Caller earlier released a video of Kelly constantly yelling, “Don’t touch me” to her staff. The staff member immediately denied touching the journalist.
As Chicago’s crime problem persisted, Kelly pointed out that the event happened just one day after an argumentative discussion with Lightfoot at a different news conference, during which he questioned her about her taxpayer-funded business trip to Paris with your donors.
