>> A CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN HOT WATER OVER THE FIRST AMENDMENT A FEDERAL JUDGE RULING JIM GARDNER VIOLATED THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

THIS WAS IN 2021.

OUR NEWS REPORTER JOINS US WITH MORE ON THE LATEST LEGAL TROUBLES WHAT PROMPTED THESE RESIDENTS TO SUE ?

>> THEY TOOK DELIGHT IN BLASTING ALDERMAN GARDNER , ACCUSING HIM OF BEHAVING IMPROPERLY AND SOON ENOUGH THEY FOUND THE COMMENTS HIDDEN, DELETED AND THEN THEY WERE ALL BLOCKED.

EVEN THOUGH THE BOARD OF ETHICS WARDENS WARNED THE ALDERMAN NOT TO DO THAT.

THEY SUED THEM IN FEDERAL COURT AND THEY RULED IN THEIR FAVOR YESTERDAY.

>> THE JUDGE SAID WHAT HE DID TO VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION.

>> THE JUDGE SHARON JOHNSON COLEMAN FOUND THE ALDERMAN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST THE POSTERS BECAUSE OF WHO THEY WERE, OPPONENTS AGAINST HIM POLITICALLY.

THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISCRIMINATE BASED ON THE CONTENT OF SPEECH OR WHO IT'S COMING FROM.

THE ALDERMAN DIDN'T PUT UP A DEFENSE IN THE FILINGS IN THE CASE BUT ARGUED HE WAS ALLOWED TO DO THIS AND THAT IF HE DID DO THIS HE WAS PROTECTED BY QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.

>> HE DOES HE DECLINED TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> HE CALLED ME BACK AFTER I SENT A TEXT MESSAGE.

HE SAID HE CALLED ME BACK BY MISTAKE AFTER HITTING THE WRONG BUTTON AND HUNG UP SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET COMMENT FROM HIM.

>> NO I DID NOT MEAN TO TALK TO THE REPORTER ASKING QUESTIONS SO WHAT'S NEXT IN THIS CASE?

>> THEY WILL HOLD A TRIAL ON WHETHER HE SHOULD PAY THE PEOPLE HE BLOCKED ON FACEBOOK DAMAGES.

I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SUED THE ALDERMAN AND SAID THE JUDGE WILL ORDER THE ALDERMAN TO COVER THE ATTORNEYS FEES THAT HE SAID ARE NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

>> THIS IS NOT THE ONLY LEGAL CHALLENGE THE ALDERMAN IS FACING .

THERE'S A NUMBER OF CRIMES THAT HE'S BATTLING SO WHAT ARE THE OTHER CASES?

>> WE REPORTED TWO YEARS AGO THE ALDERMAN WAS UNDER FBI INVESTIGATION FOR PAY TO PAY POLITICS AND HASN'T BEEN CHARGED IN THE CASE BUT IN A FEW WEEKS THE BOARD OF ETHICS WILL DECIDE WHETHER HE SHOULD BE FINED FOR VIOLATING THE CITY'S ETHICS ORDINANCE BY DIRECTING CITY EMPLOYEES TO ISSUE TICKETS THE SAME GUY FOR HAVING WEEDS IN HIS YARD WHEN HE HAD A RAIN GARDEN IN HIS YARD.

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL RULED THAT ACTION WAS RETALIATORY BECAUSE OF HIS CRITICISM OF THE ALDERMAN.

>> HE JUST WON REELECTION SO