Chicago suburb issues citations to local journalist for being too persistent in his reporting

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A suburban Chicago newspaper employee was issued citations for contacting an elected official too many times over an issue regarding local floods. Concerns quickly surfaced, as critics worried about the message the citations would send to other journalists over their ability to investigate public matters. 

Key Players

Hank Sanders is a reporter for the Daily Southtown, a local Illinois newspaper owned by the Chicago Tribune Media Group. He covers politics and previously interned at the Chicago Tribune, where he helped cover the 2023 mayoral race.  

State Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D), whose district encompasses southern Chicago, is also the mayor of Calumet City, which is located 24 miles south of the city. Jones’ website emphasizes his priority to forge connections with the citizens of Calumet City, stating that “it is [his] goal to rebuild and reconnect residents to their government.” 

Further Details

On Oct. 30, 2023, Calumet City officials sent Sanders three citations over alleged infringement of local ordinances. Per the Chicago Tribune, the citations claimed that the reporter had interfered with city employees, further citing that Sanders sought contact with Calumet City officials 14 times over the course of nine days. However, Sanders noted that his 14 emails were dispersed among various government employees.

Before the citations, the Daily Southtown published an article on Oct. 19, in which Sanders reported that consultants had warned that Calumet City lacked protection against storms ahead of its flooding disaster a month prior. Even after his initial article on the subject was published, however, Sanders continued investigating the issue and attempted to gain contact with local government officials. 

Mitch Pugh, executive editor of the Tribune, noted that Sanders had reason to continue communicating with city officials, as he was in the process of writing a follow-up story. 

In the citations, Calumet City officials and attorneys expressed their dismay. 

“Despite all [Freedom of Information Act] requests being filled, Hank Sanders continues to contact city departments and city employees via phone and email,” one of the citations stated. “Despite request from Calumet City attorneys to stop calling city departments and employees, Hank Sanders continues to do so,” it went on. 

Pugh asserted that this attempt to prevent a journalist from finding information mirrored other attacks against journalists and newspapers in the United States, saying there seemed to be a “real lack of understanding of what the First Amendment protects, what a journalist’s job is, what our role is.” 

Illinois Press Association General Counsel Don Craven also admonished the Calumet City officials. “We’re talking about a reporter who is doing his job, and instead of saying ‘We’re working on the problem,’ the city’s response is, blame the reporter,” Craven said. 

Outcome 

Citations revoked, Sanders continues reporting 

On Nov. 6, the city revoked the citations, allowing Sanders to avoid making an appearance in court. Calumet City prosecutor Patrick Walsh told the Chicago Tribune Media Group in an email that the officials would drop the citations against Sanders, rather than get into a public quarrel over the issue. 

“As you know, I was not a witness and have no interest in bickering,” he wrote to the group. 

Sanders expressed relief that the conflict was resolved. “I’m just happy both sides were able to get to an understanding and resolve this process without too much pain,” he told The New York Times. “Reporters don’t like being the center of the stories, so I am happy that I can go back to my job.”

The Chicago Tribune Media Group echoed this relief, while asserting that Sanders should not have been issued citations in the first place.