By: Diane Benjamin
This story is a follow-up to: https://blnnews.com/2017/01/04/does-media-violate-campaign-laws/
Prior to the Coliseum, the BCPA, and Uptown events the local media didn’t reap huge profits from government advertising.
Should it be legal for the Pantagraph to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars from government and then print editorials supporting their benefactors?
If the Pantagraph can print editorials without disclosing money they get from government, why can’t I take money from opposing candidates and do the same thing?
I asked the State Board of Elections if paid off media is allowed to participate in local elections while claiming to be impartial.
Below is the first email I received in response to complaint. (See story above) Click on any of the pics below to enlarge.
Notice “legitimate news source”? Is bought and paid for legitimate? I then asked more questions:
He responded, but got the answer wrong. The Supreme Court ruled even blogs are legitimate media!
I tried one more time to get an answer:
I finally got to a lawyer who claims they don’t prosecute election fraud – the State’s Attorney does! Read the following three emails. I never got a clarification on local media raking in dollars from government and then endorsing the providers of their wealth.
Today the anonymous editorial writer at the Pantagraph urged the City of Bloomington to move rapidly on a new NE fire station.
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Since public safety doesn’t rank high with developer and downtown addict Tari Renner, who the Pantagraph endorses for the primary may clarify what advertising dollars buy.
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Stay tuned!
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You REALLY think you’ll get a GOOD answer out of the “scamagraph” or ANY Illinois politician? You have a better chance of glaciers coming back through Illinois before midnight!!
I wish I had a law degree. Does Tari meet with a Pantagraph reporter on a weekly basis? Is there a law about equal coverage for candidates? Can media be fined for giving one candidate more time than another?