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Pritzker campaign says Bailey should call on Proft to stop running “Scream” ad

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* If you watched the Bears game yesterday, you may have seen that “Scream” ad put out by Dan Proft’s PAC. Click here if you missed it or didn’t see it posted on the blog last week. Gov. Pritzker was asked today about his thoughts on the ad…

Pritzker: Look, it’s terrible. It’s a terrible commercial. They’ve chosen a particular crime in which there was a white woman who is the victim and apparently Black perpetrators. That’s the ad they want people to see, particularly in the suburbs. That’s part of the entire racial tinge of everything that’s being put out by that PAC.

And let’s also take note, at least this morning, I think I read that the victim may not have approved of any of this and probably should have been consulted about her crime being put all over television, the crime that was perpetrated against her. I think it’s disgusting and I’ve said that before.

…You want to talk about crime? Let’s talk about crime. Darren Bailey sanctions these kinds of ads, thinks they’re okay, has accepted the support of that PAC. And Darren Bailey is the one who voted to defund police, literally voted against budgets that would fund State Police for Illinois, the increase in state police that we need, voted against providing new crime labs so we can solve crimes faster. Those crime labs are the ones that have eliminated the rape kit backlog in our state. Darren Bailey voted against all of the things that would reduce crime, preventing violent crime. So, you know, he talks out of one side of his mouth, and then he’s okay accepting support from people who were putting forward racially charged ads that are attacks about crime, that, frankly, he’s responsible more than many others for.

Q: Are you saying the commercial is racist?

Pritzker: I’m saying that the intent of the people who put it out, look at all the things that they’re involved in, clearly has a racial tinge to it.

This was an independent expenditure, so Darren Bailey is not supposed to play a role in the ad. The governor seems to be more than just suggesting otherwise, but hasn’t offered up proof.

* I told subscribers about this earlier today, but here’s Dan Proft’s response when I asked if he’d obtained permission to use the footage from either CWBChicago or from the victim featured in the ad…

Chicagoland news stations broadcast the same video. CWBChicago put it up on its site. That’s where we obtained it. It is public domain material just as is anything else posted by any media outlet so long as it is not being used by a third party for commercial purposes, which this isn’t.

Attribution is not synonymous with endorsement. This is well-established. You see proper attribution to media outlets as the source of material all the time in political ads. In fact, people get criticized when they air content that makes claims that doesn’t have attribution.

All PBR PAC did was air video aired by news stations across Chicagoland and connect the dots to the responsible parties for the unchecked violence in Chicago, and soon via the SAFE-T Act, the rest of Illinois.

It’s holding pols responsible for the violence and mayhem they induce through their anti-police, anti-prosecution policies that has their friends in the media doing their performative pearl-clutching. Period.

* From the Pritzker campaign…

Illinoisans of all backgrounds can agree that exploiting an act of violence without permission from, or any compassion for, the victim is reprehensible. Darren Bailey should call on Dan Proft to stop running these ads and he should demand that his largest donor, Dick Uihlein, stop funding them. Their complete lack of empathy is shameful and our state deserves better.

I’ve asked the Bailey campaign for comment and will post it if I receive one.

…Adding… Bailey campaign…

Rich, JB doesn’t want to face the fact that he is keeping Illinoisans less safe. That’s why he doesn’t like the AD on the air. Does he have a response to this [person] being robbed in the middle of the day at 11AM.

Video is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:21 pm

Comments

“It’s a terrible commercial. They’ve chosen a particular crime in which there was a white woman who is the victim and apparently Black perpetrators…part of the entire racial tinge of everything that’s being put out by that PAC.”

JB is one to bring up race. The ad is about crime.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:27 pm
Yes, I agree the ad should be pulled out of respect for the victim. Even creating it reflects poorly on the parties behind it.

I also think it should be pulled for the same reason there should not be ads with police sirens in them (especially radio ads heard in the car) - because they unnecessarily distress the listener.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:34 pm
==All PBR PAC did was air video aired by news stations across Chicagoland and connect the dots to the responsible parties for the unchecked violence in Chicago, and soon via the SAFE-T Act, the rest of Illinois.==

Vote Bailey, and Dan Proft will unleash his army of precogs to arrest criminals across the state before their crimes happen.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:34 pm
Solid response by Pritzker regarding Bailey’s voting record in regards to police funding

Saw the ad yesterday. Certainly was disturbing.

Comment by Sox Fan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:34 pm
I’d point out that there is a big difference between a news organization broadcasting this video in a report about the crime versus a political campaign using it as the centerpiece of a paid advertising strategy designed to inflame voters.

But I also know Proft doesn’t give a (blank) about this important difference.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:34 pm
==Does he have a response to this guy being robbed==

Whoa, look whose campaign embraced gender fluidity all of a sudden.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:45 pm
Maybe this is a tempest in a teapot, but Dan Proft’s claim that video footage used in an ad is in the “public domain” is incorrect. There are thorny issue of copyright protections that originators of the video could reasonably claim and seek damages for unauthorized use.

A TV or radio news broadcast or content in a newspaper is copyrighted and cannot be extensively used without permission and this particular video is NOT in the public domain.

However, the use of small portions from a video or newspaper article with attribution falls under the doctrine of “fair use.” That permits limited use for socially beneficial purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching and/or scholarship, according to Harvard University’s office of general counsel.

So Proft could make his case for use under that limited scenario, but claiming unfettered “public domain” access is wrong.

Harvard’s web site offers an excellent explanation of the differences: https://ogc.harvard.edu/pages/copyright-and-fair-use

Comment by jackmac Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:48 pm
what 47th said. I was horrified for the woman, from the crime, and hearing it on tv. Proft is shameless.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:49 pm
“This was an independent expenditure, so Darren Bailey is not supposed to play a role in the ad.”

Ok, but the pro-Bailey ad that the PAC put out was clearly produced in coordination with the campaign. It features Bailey’s logo. Bailey’s video which looks shot for the ad. It was a Bailey ad paid for by a so-called IE. IE ads generally attack one candidate but they don’t blatantly look like campaign ads for the other. I know what IE ads look like. This wasn’t that.

Comment by New Day Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:49 pm
This is who JB chose to help give oxygen to. Election day can’t get here soon enough. Love the smell of money in politics. Great for humanity. Billionaires, corporations, unions. The real sizzle.

Comment by Billions Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:51 pm
===which looks shot for the ad===

He coulda posted that elsewhere first. Happens a lot.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:52 pm
==Does he have a response to this guy being robbed in the middle of the day at 11AM.==

Was JB Pritzker robbing the person? If not then this is a nothing ad for me.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:53 pm
==This is who JB chose to help give oxygen to.==

Republican voters could have simply not voted for the candidate their sworn archenemy was “telling” them to vote for. 56 percent of them did, because Darren Bailey and Dan Proft are telling that portion of the electorate things they like to hear. Not because sinister Democrats forced their hands at the polling place.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:55 pm
Some risk for JB in deciding to call this out. First, it turns the ad into a news story, giving it plenty of free publicity. Second, what if the victim emerges and says not only is she okay with the ad, but she agrees with the message?

Comment by TNR Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:57 pm
==The ad is about crime. ==

Yeah, pull the other one, it lights up and makes noises.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 2:58 pm
===Second, what if===

Don’t think that’s gonna happen, but we’ll see.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:00 pm
“Does he have a response to this guy being robbed in the middle of the day at 11AM.”

So he either hasn’t seen the video or just assumes everyone is male. The victim screaming was clearly a woman.

Comment by New Day Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:04 pm
People are upset because the ad is effective (even though we all know Kim Foxx is a big part of the problem here). Has Pritzker gone after Foxx publicly? While Lightfoot certainly has, but she should be doing so on a daily basis.

Comment by ThePAMan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:07 pm
=Does he have a response to this guy being robbed in the middle of the day at 11AM.=

Yeah, call the CPD. That is what they are there for. JB isn’t a cop.

To suggest the Pritzker likes or supports crime is just ridiculous.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:07 pm
==People are upset because the ad is effective==

I think they’re upset because the ad is upsetting.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:11 pm
==Some risk for JB in deciding to call this out.==

Well, he was asked. But there is value in muddying up the opposition’s message.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:13 pm
-People are upset because the ad is effective-

I for one, and others, have expressed multiple criticisms of the ad having nothing to do with its effectiveness.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:14 pm
Two can play this game. The people behind this ad are quite okay with violent insurrection. If necessary, that could be a rebuttal TV ad, live footage of Capitol violence with no narration.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:14 pm
The ad is disgusting. They took this horrific event in this woman’s life and turned it into a political ad. I think JB was right to point it out. Anyone who would run this type of ad is seriously sick and twisted and has no place in running our state.

Comment by Vader Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:20 pm
= JB is one to bring up race. The ad is about crime. =

Right, because if you don’t actually say race, something can’t actually involve race? Let me guess, you wouldn’t know because you don’t even see race. Go pull on the other Willie Horton.

Comment by Narc Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:25 pm
== I for one, and others, have expressed multiple criticisms of the ad having nothing to do with its effectiveness.==

It was caught on video as it happened. The incident is horrifying. It is what it is. Whining about racism does not change what actually happened in broad daylight in part due to the policies of Kim Foxx and, in part, Lightfoot. It is fair game. Dems need to get off their butts and, like they did in the Bay Area, get tough on a county prosecutor who won’t do her job properly.

As someone who takes the Forest Park Blue Line each business day to the Loop (which is a complete and utter disaster), I sure would appreciate it if Lightfoot got cops on the CTA and Kim Foxx would do something to earn her paycheck. CTA personnel tell me CPD does not even bother responding to assault calls from CTA workers.

Comment by ThePAMan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:26 pm
=== CTA personnel tell me CPD does not even bother responding to assault calls from CTA workers.==

And yet you blame Foxx.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:28 pm
The ad is only effective if you’re hooked on fearmongering. Otherwise it’s invasive in my opinion.

Comment by Lake Villa Township PC Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:29 pm
I don’t understand the Guv’s reluctance to disassociate himself from the Mayor here? The Ad is effective because MLL is a smoldering train wreck. Chicago crime is a legitimate problem, but not because of KF, JB, ILGA, or the SAFE-T Act.

Comment by Truth Hurts Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:29 pm
I think it’s safe to assume Proft doesn’t have the victim’s permission. He doesn’t seem to have even asked for it.

This is one of those situations where the best political strategy actually does line up with being a decent human being. If Bailey and Proft actually cared about this woman’s experience, they would demonstrate that by seeking her permission to use this footage. If they felt empathy for her, they would have acted empathetically.

But they don’t. They don’t care about what happened to her and they don’t care how she feels now. They’re openly gleeful that her assault was cinematic enough for an ad. That’s the extent to which they’ve thought about her as a person. This ad would be a lot more effective if it had been paired with authentic demonstrations of care.

Without that key component, this is is transparent exploitation. Voters don’t like that. Dan Haynes’s anti-Quinn ad featuring Harold Washington was just as cinematic, and it backfired horribly. Voters know when the person on their screen is having their name taken in vain, and when that person can’t defend themselves. Voters aren’t as stupid as Proft thinks they are.

Comment by vern Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:30 pm
=I think they’re upset because the ad is upsetting.=

As well they should be. Not because of the alleged racism, but because government policies allowed for an environment where people are not afraid of engaging in such conduct in broad daylight.

We all know Pritzker is lucky Bailey is his opponent.

Comment by ThePAMan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:33 pm
=And yet you blame Foxx.=

CPD won’t waste time processing the paperwork because they know she won’t prosecute.

C’mon, we all know she has been a complete train wreck.

Comment by ThePAMan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:36 pm
Disagree. Foxx is doing fine. MLL is the problem.

Comment by Truth Hurts Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:46 pm
=Disagree. Foxx is doing fine. MLL is the problem.=

Dan Webb and the staffing levels in the State’s Attorney’s Office contradict that Ms. Foxx is doing fine. The Loop is not still desolate just because of Ms. Foxx though. They are both problematic.

Comment by ThePAMan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:54 pm
“The ad is about crime.”

Sure, Dan. Two thumbs up.

This exploitation is the worst I’ve ever seen in an ad and I wouldn’t be surprised that the victim was greatly retraumatized in the process. I hope she sues.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:59 pm
“The ad is about crime.”

Sure, Dan. Two thumbs up.

This exploitation is the worst I’ve ever seen in an ad and I wouldn’t be surprised that the victim was greatly retraumatized in the process. I hope she sues.

Comment by Politix Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:59 pm
Crime is a major issue in all neighborhoods of Chicago now. I’ve lived here 32 years and no longer take public transit or venture out after dark in my Lincoln Park neighborhood. Now I have to worry about going out during daylight hours.

States Attorney Fox and her lack of prosecutions reason for this uptick in these type of crimes.

Comment by JohninChicago Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 3:59 pm
ThePAMan, if you “sure would appreciate if Lightfoot did something, maybe move to the city so you can help vote her out? Your commute would be shorter and safer also.

Comment by low level Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:00 pm
“government policies allowed for an environment where people are not afraid of engaging in such conduct in broad daylight”

Crime happens regardless of government policies. So if Bailey were to be elected governor, every single crime that takes place in the state is his fault? And he will take responsibility?

And they’re running this during the Bears game? Shame on the TV station for even airing this garbage.

Comment by The Velvet Frog Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:00 pm
“the middle of the day at 11AM”

And the video says during the afternoon. Bizarre that their response would get so much wrong - it does seem like somebody responding without watching the video.

Comment by The Velvet Frog Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:04 pm
===The ad is about crime.===

Sure, Jan

There are no accidents in ads.

Like in “A Time to Kill”… the all white jury could only relate… by imagining the victim… was white.

Bring phony as to why Proft chose this crime and not a POC falling victim says more about the ones saying the ad is “merely about crime”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:06 pm
==CPD won’t waste time processing the paperwork because they know she won’t prosecute.==

Buddy, you should be aware of how much of the force doesn’t do their assigned jobs because they know there is no chance of consequence for not doing the hard parts of their jobs. In some instances, you have those in command specifically instructing officers not to do their jobs. If you want to find reasons for this real problem in CPD behavior, trust me, you don’t have to look outside of the department to find several. Though FOP Lodge 7 would certainly appreciate it if you kept looking elsewhere.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:09 pm
As for the ad itself, Im all for hard hitting commercials, and there absolutely is a hightened fear and awareness of crime in Lakeview and other well off communities surrounding the Loop. That said, this went way beyond that and may backfire on them.

Vern was spot on when he said “They’re openly gleeful that her assault was cinematic enough for an ad. ” and made the Hynes/Washington -Quinn comparison. Exactly correct.

Comment by low level Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:10 pm
==it does seem like somebody responding without watching the video==

Or someone going out of their way to make sure it seems like they’ve never seen or heard of this video. Dan who? U-what?

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:10 pm
Comparing to the original video, they’ve also edited the audio which I find dishonest and misleading.

Comment by The Velvet Frog Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:14 pm
==The Loop is not still desolate just because of Ms. Foxx though.==

ThePAMan, when was the last time you were in the Loop? How did Chicago lead the country in office space absorption in 2Q2022 with a “desolate” Loop?

https://cre.moodysanalytics.com/insights/cre-trends/chicago-office-market-outshines-other-us-metros-tops-q2-absorption/

Comment by supplied_demand Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:27 pm
As Rich so aptly said, people suck.

All of these people involved in this video suck. Much like all of the people involved in the governors race. And that goes for the Democratic funding of the Republican primary and the Republicans funding Bailey’s primary.

Again, it is a sad place we find ourselves.

Comment by DuPage Moderate Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:29 pm
This ad works and is effective. They blame Proft for editing a commercial, to make Lightfoot darker. He then posts an unedited video on a commercial. You keep crying wolf, people are going to stop listening. Pritzker should have let this commercial go, he’s going to win regardless. Let Lori and Kim Foxx answer.

I guarantee you in the Chicago mayoral primary a Democratic candidate will be talking about this same incident.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:37 pm
===He then posts an unedited video on a commercial===

It is edited. They moved up the screams.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:40 pm
===Pritzker should have let this commercial go===

Any time you let the worst of racism go because there’s a fear of blueback… by letting it go one is allowing racist thinkers to win.

A white female victim was chosen.

There are no accidents

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 4:41 pm
Is there a similar crime caught on camera with light-skinned european-americans, that Proft could have used instead?

Comment by We've never had one before Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:03 pm
I meant “light-skinned european-american perpetrators”

Comment by We've never had one before Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:04 pm
===As someone who takes the Forest Park Blue Line each business day to the Loop===

Tell me you don’t live in the city without saying you don’t live in the city. Take your trash suburban opinions about our great city elsewhere

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:07 pm
Most crime in the city is black on black offenses. If Proft were so worried about crime in the city he’d have shown a video depicting that. He didnt. He is only concerned about inner city crime insofar as it helps his political goals.

Comment by low level Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:09 pm
@We’ve never had one before

Ya dude, just check security cameras in Wrigleyville after like 9 pm. You’ll find plenty

Comment by Commissar Gritty Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:11 pm
https://youtu.be/PhAjxEaG2z4

An add created by the DGA, sometimes visuals are more powerful than words. They opened the can of worms on crime. Pritzker can’t cry that this is unfair.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:11 pm
===Crime is a major issue in all neighborhoods of Chicago now. I’ve lived here 32 years and no longer take public transit or venture out after dark in my Lincoln Park neighborhood. Now I have to worry about going out during daylight hours.===

Clutch your pearls much? If - big if - you’ve lived in the city 32 years, then you know that 32 years ago, the city was much less safe, and Lincoln Park was extremely not safe. Take a nap

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 5:12 pm
Setting aside the very real issues of re-traumatizing this poor woman without her consent, the other point here remains that Darren Bailey isn’t running for Mayor.

Comment by ZC Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 6:02 pm
=Tell me you don’t live in the city without saying you don’t live in the city. Take your trash suburban opinions about our great city elsewhere=

Kim Foxx is a pox on all of Cook County. Meanwhile, the Loop was pretty deserted as I left it at 625pm.

Comment by ThePAMan Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 6:35 pm
==Kim Foxx is a pox on all of Cook County.==

This is bang-on messaging from the Proft campaign. The one person in the comments who got most enthused up about the ad is laser-focused on the County State’s Attorney who isn’t mentioned or pictured in it, and who Proft isn’t targeting to unseat with the ad. Right whistle, wrong frequency.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 6:51 pm
==This is who JB chose to help give oxygen to. ==

Do you honestly believe that Proft wouldn’t use this ad if Irvin was the nominee?

Comment by G'Kar Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 7:47 pm
===Proft wouldn’t use this ad if Irvin===

1) This isn’t a dorm room;

2) Proft wouldn’t be supporting Irvin.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 9:43 pm
==a rebuttal TV ad, live footage of Capitol violence with no narration.==

My thought exactly.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Sep 12, 22 @ 11:36 pm