>> GOOD EVENING , AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

>> ON THE SHOW TONIGHT .

>> WE ARE GOING TO PURVEYING A REVIVAL .

>> COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER BRANDON JOHNSON , THE LATEST CANDIDATE TO ENTER CHICAGO'S MAYORAL RACE.

>> A CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER WITH TIES TO THE PROUD BOYS IS ALLOWED TO STAY ON THE FORCE.

THEY LOOK AT THE FAR RIGHT GROUP CONNECTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMBERS.

>>> NEW TWITTER OWNER ELON MUSK SPARKS CONTROVERSY BY SHARING A CONSPIRACY THEORY ABOUT THE ATTACK ON PAUL PELOSI.

>>> WITH ELECTION DAY JUST A WEEK AWAY, WE DISCUSSED MISINFORMATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON ELECTION JUDGES AND WORKER RECRUITMENT.

>> MOST GOOD ELECTION REFORM IS GUARANTEED TO REACH VOTER PARTICIPATION.

>>> A CHICAGO SUBURB COULD BE THE FIRST TO IMPLEMENT RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

>> EARLY LIFE IN CHICAGO, THOUGH BRIEF , HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRECIOUS TO ME.

>>> THE LEGENDARY PATTY SMITH ON PERFORMANCE AND HER EARLY LIFE IN CHICAGO.

>> WE NEED TO BRING THIS TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> AND HOW ONE LOCAL RESIDENT IS CELEBRATING CHICAGO TONIGHT.

>>> BUT FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

>>> POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR TWO GUNMEN WHO SHOT 14 PEOPLE AT A VIGIL IN EAST GARFIELD PARK LAST NIGHT.

>> JUST A SHAME THAT WE CANNOT GATHER OUTSIDE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE LIFE AND CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT BEING TARGETS , TARGETED BY GUN SHOOTERS FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

>> POLICE SAY THE TWO SUSPECTS SHOT OUT OF A DARK SUV FOR ONLY THREE SECONDS.

OUT OF THE 14 PEOPLE HURT, THREE KIDS AND FOUR ADULTS ARE LISTED IN SERIOUS TO CRITICAL CONDITIONS.

A 15th PERSON WAS STRUCK BY A CAR WHILE RUNNING FROM THE GUNFIRE.

>>> MEMBERS OF MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT'S POLICE DETAIL ENGAGED IN AN EARLY-MORNING SHOOTOUT.

IT HAPPENED IN THE 1800 BLOCK OF NORTH MONTICELLO IN LOGAN SQUARE.

SEVERAL OFFICERS REPORTEDLY EXCHANGED GUNFIRE WITH THREE ARMED ASSAILANTS WHO ATTACKED AND ROBBED A 77-YEAR-OLD MAN AT GUNPOINT.

THE MAN WAS IN HIS CAR WAITING TO TAKE HIS SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON TO SCHOOL.

THE SUSPECTS FLED THE SCENE, AND POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.

SURGICALLY MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING SEVEN PEOPLE AND WOUNDING DOZENS MORE AT THE HIGHLAND PARK FOURTH OF JULY.

IS BACK IN COURT.

THIS WAS ROBERT CREAM OF THE THIRDS FIRST COURT APPEARANCE THAT HE WAS INVITED ON 117 FELONY COUNTS.

DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WERE GIVEN 2500 PAGES OF EVIDENCE AGAINST THE ALLEGED GUNMAN.

HE ENTERED A NOT GUILTY PLEA IN AUGUST.

HE'S BEING HELD IN THE COUNTY JAIL IN LIEU OF BOND.

>>> AND COMING UP IN THE PROGRAM, RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

HOW IT WORKS, AND WHY SOME WANTED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>>> BUT FIRST, ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE LATEST CANDIDATE ENTERING THE RACE FOR CHICAGO MAYOR.

STAY WITH US.

>> CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALEXANDRA AND JOHN MITCHELL.

THE GYM AND CAME MAY BE FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

THERE >>> OUR MINDS MIGHT BE ON THE NEXT WEEK'S MIDTERM, BUT FEBRUARYS MAYORAL ELECTION IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

THE CROWDED FIELD IS SHAPING UP, WITH 13 DECLARED CANDIDATES SO FAR, THE LATEST BEING BRANDON JOHNSON.

HE'S A COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER WHO ALREADY RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BACKING FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL TEACHERS UNIONS.

HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS PRIORITIES OF THE CANDIDATE IS BRANDON JOHNSON.

WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> GET YOUR REACTION TO THE SHOOTING IN GARFIELD PARK LAST NIGHT THAT HAS LEFT A REPORTED 15 WOUNDED PIT >> YEAH, THIS IS A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

MY WIFE AND I ARE RAISING OUR CHILDREN ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO IN AUSTIN, AND WE THINK ABOUT THIS, AND WE DEAL WITH THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT -- THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE FAILURES OF THIS PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION , TO BRING THE TYPE OF HOPE AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITIES LIKE THE WESTSIDE, THE SOUTHSIDE OF CHICAGO NEED.

OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, OF COURSE, ARE NOT JUST WITH THE FAMILIES, BUT WE, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE ACTUALLY.

>> AND THEN THE MAYOR HAS MADE THINGS LIKE INVEST SOUTHWEST A MAJOR PILLAR OF HER AGENDA , INVESTING IN PLACES LIKE AUBURN, GRESHAM.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT'S NOT ENOUGH?

>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IT'S TOO SLOW, AND IT'S TOO SHORT.

THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO OVER DECADES NOW REALLY REQUIRED SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL, AND IT ACTUALLY HAS TO, RIGHT?

WE HAVE SEEN, UNFORTUNATELY , UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION'S INABILITY TO ACTUALLY CLOSE ON DEALS THAT SHE HAS PROMISED TO RENDER.

AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE LOSING -- ALL THE FOLKS WHO CONTINUE TO LOSE.

>> YOU RECENTLY MENTIONED A CANDIDATE KICKOFF, WINDOW IN YOUR HOME STRUCK BY A BULLET, ONE OF YOUR KIDS BEDROOM.

YOU FEEL SAFE RAISING YOUR KIDS IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW?

>> LOOK, THIS IS THE ISSUE.

FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY OF CHICAGO ARE CONFRONTED WITH ON IT EVERYDAY BASIS.

ABSOLUTELY, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE , THAT FAMILIES HAVE, IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY NEGOTIATING OUR SURVIVAL , AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE GUARANTEES, AND I HAVE THREE CHILDREN, EIGHT, 10, AND 14.

ONE OF THE BULLETS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH OUR HOME HAS BEEN, IT'S , IT'S BEEN HARD.

MY SON IS A STUDENT AT KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE ONE OF HIS CLASSMATES , OUT TO LUNCH, WAS GUNNED DOWN AND MURDERED.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TOO OFTEN, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN THIS RACE THAT THINKS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IS MUCH AS I DO.

AGAIN , AUSTIN IS A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY.

IT'S THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MORE VIOLENT COMMUNITIES, BUT HAS BEEN THIS INVESTED IN FOR DECADES.

THAT'S THE TYPE OF LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO DESERVES.

>> YOU'VE BEEN IN LEADERSHIP AS AN ORGANIZER.

YOU WERE A FORMER TEACHER.

YOU WERE SERVING YOUR FIRST TERM AS THE ELECTROLYTE COMMISSIONER IN COOK COUNTY BOARD.

WHY ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON AT THIS TIME FOR THAT JOB?

>> LOOK, THE BEST JOB THAT I'VE EVER HAD IS THAT OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.

I TAUGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL , SEVENTH, EIGHTH GRADERS, AND THAT WAS A POSITION THAT REALLY TRANSFORMED AND CHANGED MY LIFE.

THE CHALLENGE, THOUGH, WITH TEACHING IN CHICAGO WAS, MY STUDENTS WOULD WAKE UP EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY WOULD LOOK OUT THE BACK WINDOWS, AND THEY WOULD SEE THE LARGESS OF THIS ECONOMY, AND THEY'RE CHASING AND RUNNING DOWN AN ECONOMY THAT'S BEHIND THEM WHILE EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM , WHEN THEY WOULD WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, WERE BULLDOZERS PREPARING TO DESTROY AND DISMANTLE THE PUBLIC HOUSING.

THAT TALE OF TWO CITIES, THE DIVIDED CITY THAT WE LIVED IN FOR TOO LONG IN THIS CITY, THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING, IS TO BRING THIS CITY TOGETHER, TO UNITE OUR CITY AROUND A SET OF VALUES THAT SPEAK TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE, THAT SPEAKS TO THE NEEDS THAT WORKING FAMILIES HAVE IN THIS.

IT'S, IT'S A SHAME, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT THIS MAYOR HAS BROKEN MULTIPLE PROMISES, THAT SHE RENDERED WHEN SHE WAS ELECTED FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THOSE BROKEN PROMISES HAVE LEFT MANY OF OUR PEOPLE -- >> WHICH PROMISES, AND HOW WOULD YOU KEEP THEM?

YOU'VE GOT A BUDGET, YOU'VE GOT LIMITED RESOURCES.

HOW DO YOU KEEP THOSE PROMISES?

>> LOOK, SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO REOPEN OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

SHE FAILED TO DO THAT.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE DESPAIR THAT FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO RIGHT NOW, THE OVERWHELMING ISOLATION THAT FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING, THE TYPE OF DEPRESSION THAT FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING IN THIS CITY.

WORKERS, FAMILIES , WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY ROBUST OPERATION THAT TREATS THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH MANY FAMILIES ARE ENDURING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THAT PROMISES OF FAILURE.

SHE ALSO BROKE A PROMISE WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO BRING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TO THIS CITY.

LITTLE VILLAGE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WHEN HER ADMINISTRATION WARNED HER MULTIPLE TIMES WITH WHAT HELGA WAS DOING, AND SOMEHOW, THAT FAILURE LED TO AN EXPLOSION IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.

SHE ALSO WAS OKAY WITH A TOXIC WASTE DUMP BEING MOVED INTO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF CHICAGO.

>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE FORMER -- THE CITY DID EVENTUALLY FIX THAT DEAL.

>> SHE WAS PUSHED AND FORCED TO DO IT.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND THIS ADMINISTRATION IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO FORCE ME TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR WORKING PEOPLE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

BECAUSE WORKING PEOPLE ARE A REFLECTION OF WHAT MY WIFE AND I ENDURE AND EXPERIENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AGAIN.

YOU SAID YOU WANT TO FREEZE THE CPD BUSTED, INVEST IN DATA PROOF AND CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES.

WHAT ARE THE STRATEGY?

>> VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS REALLY THE THEME OF, OF THIS, THIS BATTLE HERE THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

AND THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA ARE CITIES THAT HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, PARKS , TRANSPORTATION, JOBS.

IF WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN THOSE CRITICAL NEEDS, THEN WE'RE NOT HAVING A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A SAFE COMMUNITY.

THE BEST THING THAT MY FATHER HAS EVER DONE FOR ME , ME AND MY NINE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HE'S A PASTOR, IS THAT HE GOT UP AND WENT TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THE W-2, IN FACT, THE TWO W-2s THAT MY FATHER HAD, PROVIDED SECURITY AND SAFETY FOR MY FAMILY.

THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF INVESTMENTS THAT PROVIDE NOT ONLY OPPORTUNITY , BUT IT PROVIDES THE NECESSARY SECURITY THAT FAMILIES DESERVE .

WITHOUT A REAL COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC JUSTICE ACROSS THIS CITY, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIND OURSELVES INTO SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL VIOLENCE.

>> AND I'LL GO BACK TO SAYING THAT THE MAYOR HAS FOCUSED ON THAT WITH INVEST SOUTHWEST, SO IS THERE MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND THEN SHOULD BE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, AT THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY, THERE'S MORE TO BE DONE.

THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, PARTICULARLY FOR BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS, THAT IS REACHED A GREAT DEPRESSION ERA NUMBERS, RIGHT?

UNTIL WE SOLVE THAT CRISIS, WE SHOULDN'T BE PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK, RIGHT?

AND SO I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS, IS THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO FAIL, THE EXPECTATIONS THAT SHE ESTABLISHED.

AND WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN THIS MOMENT IS YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT -- >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT REALLY QUICKLY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE CONGRESSMAN GARCIA NOW HINTING THAT HE IS GOING TO GET IN THE RACE.

ARE YOU THE BETTER PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE?

>> WELL, LOOK.

40 YEARS AGO, HE HELPED LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR AN INDEPENDENT POLITICAL MOVEMENT THAT LED TO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE FOR THAT PARTICULAR SEASON.

THAT MOVEMENT HAS SET THE GROUNDWORK FOR MY CANDIDACY, AND THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF PIONEERS FROM THAT GENERATION, BUT ALSO SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THIS MOVEMENT TODAY, LIKE CONGRESSWOMAN RAMIREZ , LETICIA COLLINS, ALL THE , CARLOS ROSA , OLDER WOMAN RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ , I HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CHICAGO'S TEACHERS UNION.

INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THIS CITY HAVE SURROUNDED THEIR SUPPORT AROUND MY CANDIDACY, AND I'M DEEPLY HUMBLED AND EXCITED.

>> MISSION OF BRANDON JOHNSON, NOW RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> DIVE INTO RIGHT WING EXTREMIST GROUPS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BRANDIS.

>>> PEREZ, THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT IS UNDER FIRE OVER ITS DECISION TO NOT FIRE AN OFFICER WHO LIED ABOUT TIES TO THE FAR RIGHT PROUD VOICE.

SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN SAYS INVESTIGATORS, QUOTE, WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVE BY A PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE THAT THIS OFFICER WAS A MEMBER OF, OR WAS ASSOCIATED WITH, THE PROUD VOICE OR ANY OTHER HATE GROUP.

SO JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE PROUD BOYS AND ITS RECRUITMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMBERS ARE KEVIN RUBY, A SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, AND JARED HOLT, SENIOR RESEARCH MANAGER AT THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC DIALOGUE .

WE DID REACH OUT TO THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMENT, AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE.

KEVIN AND JARED, THANKS TO THE TWO OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

KEVIN, LET'S START WITH YOU.

PLEASE, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION THAT THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT ISN'T FIRING THIS OFFICER?

>> I THINK IT'S SURPRISING, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR LINKS BETWEEN THE OFFICER AND , AND THE PROUD BOYS AND I MEAN, WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR THAT THE PROUD BOYS ARE A VIOLENT , FAR RIGHT EXTREMIST GROUP .

THAT IS, PERHAPS, NOW BEST KNOWN FOR ITS ROLE IN THE JANUARY 6 CAPITAL INSURRECTION.

AND SO THOSE LINKS ARE NOT , TO THAT GROUP ARE NOT , ARE NOT BENIGN AND SHOULD BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.

>> JARED HOLT, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROUD BOYS, PLEASE.

HOW BIG IS THIS GROUP, AND WHAT WAS THEIR ROLE IN THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION?

>> YEAH, THE PROUD BOYS, YOU KNOW, CROPPED UP AROUND 2016, 2017 AS THE PROJECT OF GAVIN McGINNIS, WHO IS KIND OF A SHOCK JOCK, FAR RIGHT RADIO PERSONALITY , ENTERTAINER, FORMER , YOU KNOW, COFOUNDER OF VICE.

AND SINCE THEN , THE PROUD BOYS HAVE KIND OF EVOLVED, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CHAPTERS NEARLY EVERY STATE THAT OPERATE ON DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AUTONOMY .

A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN FAR RIGHT IDEOLOGY , AND CONSIDER THEMSELVES ALMOST ENFORCERS OF , YOU KNOW, VIOLENT ENFORCERS AT THINGS LIKE TRUMP RALLIES, OR , YOU KNOW, OTHER CONSERVATIVE RALLIES AND CAMPAIGNS.

YOU KNOW, THERE TO PROTECT CONSERVATIVES AGAINST A PERCEIVED THREAT, WHETHER THAT IS LGBT PEOPLE, OR ANTIFOG, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

AND THAT ULTIMATELY CULMINATED , YOU KNOW, THE PARTICIPATION IN THE JANUARY 6 CAPITAL RIOT, WHICH WAS NOT A SMALL ROLE.

LEADERS IN THE ORGANIZATION , YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN REVEALED, OVER TIME, WERE IN COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER EXTREMIST GROUPS, YOU KNOW, COORDINATING AND FORMULATING WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO , WHICH, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS REALLY UGLY.

>> KEVIN RUBY, WHAT IS THE APPEAL OF PROBABLY MEMBERSHIP, OR AFFILIATIONS, AND VICE VERSA , WHY DO GROUPS LIKE THE PROUD BOYS AND THE OATH KEEPERS RECRUIT SO HEAVILY FOR MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT?

>> WELL, THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD INTERESTING QUESTION, AND I SUSPECT THAT THE, THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT ATTRACTS LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO THE OATH KEEPERS, WHICH IS AN OVERLY MILITARY STYLE GROUP THAT EXPLICITLY RECRUITS AMONG MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ORDER TO SORT OF BOLSTER ITS, IT'S RANKS AND EXPERIENCE IN THE MILITARY DOMAIN , VERSUS, VERSUS THE PROUD BOYS, WHICH , TO MY KNOWLEDGE , DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY RECRUIT AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, IN THE MILITARY, BUT, BUT IS ATTRACTIVE TO MEN , ESPECIALLY, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN REPRESENTING A PARTICULAR VIEW OF OLD-SCHOOL MASCULINITY, I GUESS, AND, AND WHO ARE ANGRY AT THE , AT WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS THE CULTURE WARS OF THE PROGRESSIVES, PROGRESSIVE AGENDA, WHICH REALLY PUTS LGBTQ AND , AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, MINORITIES , LIKE, IN, IN THE CROSSHAIRS.

>> JARED, HOW PERVASIVE WOULD YOU SAY IS THE ISSUE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE PROUD BOYS, OR SIMILAR GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

>> I DON'T THINK THE EXTREMISM IN THE RANK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS AN OVERWHELMING ISSUE, BUT EVEN A FEW OFFICERS BEING INVOLVED IN THESE KIND OF GROUPS CAN CAUSE REAL PROBLEMS, AND THE GRADE TRUST THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH , IN RECENT YEARS, HAS ALREADY BEEN RIGHTFULLY FRAUGHT, IN MANY CASES.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGING WITH WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS IN THE PAST, ENGAGING WITH PROUD BOYS, MILITIA GROUPS LIKE OATH KEEPERS, AND IF OFFICERS OR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL ARE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE CONNECTIONS , THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE NOT APPROPRIATELY CONSIDERED A RISK TO THE MISSION OF POLICE , OF, YOU KNOW, WANTING, AT LEAST IN THEORY, TO HAVE EVEN AND FAIR POLICING , THAT CAN ALSO CAUSE SOME ISSUES, TOO.

IT COMPROMISES THE MISSION AND, YOU KNOW, OUTCOMES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> KEVIN, THE FBI DOES NOT DESIGNATE DOMESTIC GROUPS AS HATE GROUPS, WHICH WAS PART OF THE ARGUMENT THAT THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY MADE WHEN DECIDING NOT TO FIRE THAT OFFICER.

WHY DOES NOT THE FBI DESIGNATE THOSE GROUPS AS HATE GROUPS?

>> WELL, I THINK IN THE UNITED STATES, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT .

IT PROTECTS FREE SPEECH, AND I THINK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE FBI ARE VERY WARY OF TRANSGRESSING AGAINST THE, THE FIRST AMENDMENT .

AND SO THEY'VE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON THE BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN THE IDEOLOGY.

SO IT IS THE CASE THAT IF YOU ENGAGE IN A HATE CRIME, YOU WILL BE CHARGED , YOU KNOW, FEDERALLY.

BUT IN TERMS OF ESPOUSING, OR EVEN BEING A MEMBER OF A GROUP THAT HAS A PARTICULAR IDEOLOGY, THAT'S PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT , AND THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR, FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO, TO ADDRESS IT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS WAY.

>> SO, THE CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN, HE HAS WALKED A LINE ON THIS, SAYING THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ANY MEMBERS, BEING ENGAGED WITH ANY HATE GROUPS LIKE THIS, AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY COMPLETED A VERY THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND COULD NOT CONCLUDE UP TO THE STANDARD OF PROOF THAT WAS NECESSARY THAT THIS OFFICER WAS A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION.

JARED, YOU KNOW, CPD ISN'T TAKING ANY ACTION HERE.

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO FIRE AN OFFICER SUSPECT OF ENGAGING IN THESE KIND OF GROUPS ?

IN ABOUT 45 SECONDS.

>> I MEAN, THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD QUESTION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

YOU KNOW, GIVEN WHAT WE DO KNOW, THAT THIS OFFICER WAS INTERROGATED, OR MET WITH THE FBI ABOUT HIS CONNECTIONS TO THIS GROUP, THAT HE WAS DISHONEST ABOUT HIS CONNECTIONS TO THOSE GROUPS WHEN HE WAS INVESTIGATED BY THE CITY, WHICH WOULD SEEMINGLY BE ENOUGH CAUSE TO REPRIMAND AN OFFICER ALONE , IT'S, IT'S CONFUSING, RIGHT?

AND IT SEEMS LIKE CHICAGO IS TRYING TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF TONGUE-IN-CHEEK, OR COYLY DEFENDING THE PROUD BOYS ON MERIT, BUT THAT ALSO SAYING THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE OFFICER.

>> OKAY.

THAT'S WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

IN SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND NOW, PARIS, WE TOSSED IT BACK TO YOU.

>>> THANKS, BRANDIS.

WE HEARD EARLIER FROM A NEW CANDIDATE FOR CHICAGO MAYOR, A CONTEST THAT WILL BE DECIDED IN A RUNOFF IF THERE'S NO CLEAR WINNER IN THE INITIAL ELECTION NEXT FEBRUARY.

AND, OF COURSE, THE MIDTERM GENERAL ELECTION IS A WEEK FROM TODAY.

WHICHEVER CANDIDATE GETS THE MOST VOTES WILL BE ILLINOIS NEXT GOVERNOR AND U.S.

SENATOR.

PRETTY SIMPLE THERE.

NATIONALLY, HIS MOVEMENT IS SPREADING THAT WOULD DECIDE ELECTIONS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

AND IT'S ON THE BALLOT THIS CYCLE FOR SOME SUBURBAN VOTERS.

WHERE IS THIS ON THE BALLOT?

>> YEAH, PARIS, SO THEY SUBURBAN VOTERS WILL NOT BE JUST DECIDING WHO TO VOTE FOR, THEY'LL ALSO BE DECIDING HOW TO VOTE IN THE FUTURE.

IN THE NORTHERN SUBURB, BY THE WAY, SEEKING TO BECOME THE FIRST COMMUNITY IN ILLINOIS TO USE RANKED CHOICE VOTING FOR FUTURE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

>> AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> SO RANKED CHOICE VOTING, YOU RANK YOUR CHOICES .

SO VOTER PICKS WHOEVER THEY WANT TO WIN, THEY ALSO HAVE THE OPTION TO MARK A SECOND CHOICE, THIRD CHOICE, THROUGH HOWEVER MANY CANDIDATES ARE ON THE BALLOT, AND THEN IF ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES CLEARS 50%, THAT CANDIDATE WINS OUT RIGHT.

BUT IF NOT -- >> WHOEVER GETS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF FIRST-ROUND VOTES , THAT CANDIDATE DROPS OFF, AND THEIR VOTE, THEIR VOTERS VOTES GET REASSIGNED TO THE SECOND , TO THEIR SECOND-PLACE CHOICE.

AND THEN WE GO THROUGH THAT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS OVER 50% OF THE VOTE.

>> BELIEVES THAT THEY SYSTEM THAT WILL REAP BENEFITS.

>> THE OUTCOME OF ALL THAT IS THAT THE PERSON IS EVENTUALLY SELECTED ISN'T JUST THE PERSON WHO HAS THE MOST VOTES IN THE FIRST ROUND.

MAYBE THEY HAVE 30% OF THE VOTE, BUT UNDER 70% OF THE COMMUNITY HATES THEM.

INSTEAD , THE PERSON ELECTED IS SOMEBODY WHO A MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY FEELS THE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.

>> WHEN HE WAS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THIS ACTUALLY SPONSORED LEGISLATION THAT ONE OF THEM LAMENTED RANKED CHOICE VOTING IN ILLINOIS, BUT IT DID NOT GAIN TRACTION.

HE IS THE MAYOR, BUT HE'S NOT SEEKING IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY WHEN IT COMES TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

THERE IS AN ETHICS ORDINANCE HERE.

SO HE AND COUNCIL MAYOR GAVE THE PERSONAL AND CONTRARY POINTS OF VIEW.

THE CHANGE WILL HELP NONTRADITIONAL AND DIVERSE CANDIDATES GET ELECTED , AND GIVE THOSE WITHOUT DEEP POCKETS AND DEEP CONNECTIONS A CHANCE.

>> I FEEL LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE, I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE , SOME VOTERS AND SOME NONVOTERS, WHO SAY , I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO VOTE.

I DON'T LIKE THESE TWO OPTIONS, BUT THEY'RE THE ONLY TWO.

I LIKE THIS OTHER ONE BETTER, BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE.

I'M THROWING AWAY MY VOTE IF I VOTE FOR HER.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEEL WELL REPRESENTED IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM, AND RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS FOR THEM.

RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S EVER FELT LIKE, DO I HAVE TO VOTE STRATEGICALLY, OR CAN I VOTE MY CONSCIENCE?

>> RANKED CHOICE VOTING LET SOMEONE DO BOTH, VOTE THEIR CONSCIENCE AND STRATEGY.

BUT COUNCILMEMBER REID SAYS THIS WILL DILUTE THE VOICE OF THE VOTERS OF COLOR, LIKE THOSE WHO MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF HIS WORK.

EVANSTON CURRENTLY CHOOSES ITS COUNCILMEMBERS, MAYOR, AND CITY CLERK IN NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS.

THEY'RE HELD WHAT'S CALLED OFF CYCLE, AS IN, ON A DIFFERENT TIMELINE THE PRESIDENTIAL AND STATEWIDE RACES.

READ SAYS THAT ALREADY MAKES EVANSTON SELECTIONS EXCLUSIVE, WITH HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT FROM AFFLUENT VOTERS, WHITE VOTERS, AND SENIORS.

>> THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE ALREADY FORMALLY, IN A WAY THAT TENDS TO EXCLUDE MINORITIES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

I THINK LAYERING RANKED CHOICE VOTING WILL ONLY DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY IN EVANSTON AND DISSUADE MORE FOLKS FROM COMING OUT , OR, YOU KNOW, DILUTE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS.

>> HE SAYS RANKED CHOICE VOTING MAY MAKE MORE SENSE ON A LARGER SCALE , SAY, FOR CONGRESSIONAL OR PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST, BUT HE SAYS HOW EVANSTON DOES IT NOW WORKS .

THE TOP TWO CANDIDATES IN MULTICANDIDATE PRIMARIES MOVE ON TO CONSOLIDATED RACES .

HE SAYS THE TIME FOR CANDIDATES AND VOTERS TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER.

>> I CAN KNOCK ON EVERY DOOR IN MY COMMUNITY.

WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, YOU'RE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, YOU CANNOT GET OUT AND ACTUALLY MEET THE VOTERS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AT THEIR DOORS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU HAVE HERE ON, ON THE LOCAL LEVEL.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY BENEFITS US TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS WHERE IT ALLOWS THE TIME FOR FOLKS TO HAVE TWO ROUNDS, NARROW IT DOWN .

>> REED ALSO SAYS RANKED CHOICE VOTING PUTS A BIGGER MENTAL LOAD ON VOTERS, AND THAT, TOO, COULD LEAD TO DISENFRANCHISEMENT.

THIS MESSAGE WON'T JUST CHANGE HOW VOTING HAPPENS.

HE SAYS IT COULD CHANGE THE TENOR OF POLITICS.

TO WIN IN A RANKED CHOICE ENVIRONMENT, THE CANDIDATE IS STILL MOTIVATED TO WIN LOYAL BACKERS, OF COURSE, BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO TRY TO APPEAL TO AN OPPONENT SUPPORT BASE AS THE SECOND BEST OPTION.

THAT WILL MAKE CAMPAIGNS AND POLITICS LESS NASTY.

>> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ATTACK THE OTHER CANDIDATE SO MUCH, BECAUSE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT WOULD NEVER PICK ME AS THEIR SECOND CHOICE.

SO NOT ONLY WILL THE CAMPAIGNS BE MORE POSITIVE AND MORE CONSTRUCTIVE, BUT ALSO THAT ELECTION SYSTEM TENDS TO PICK ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE BETTER AT WORKING WITH OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH OTHERS WHO DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH THEM.

>> IF THE REFERENDUM IN EVANSTON PASSES NEXT WEEK, RANKED CHOICE VOTING WOULD FIRST BE USED IN EVANSON IN THE SPRING OF 2025.

NOW, THERE IS NO ORGANIZED OPPOSITION, BUT SOME BIG NATIONAL GROUPS BACKING THE RANKED CHOICE MOVEMENT ARE POURING MONEY INTO THE EFFORT.

A BALLOT INITIATIVE COMMITTEE , THAT SAY YES BALLOT INITIATIVE COMMITTEE, HAS $31,000 IN THE BANK, AND THE BULK OF THAT COMES FROM GROUPS CALLED UNITE AMERICA AND RANK THE VOTE.

>> THANKS VERY MUCH.

>>> AND UP NEXT, MUSICIAN PATTY SMITH TALKS ABOUT POETRY, PERFORMANCE , AND CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF CHICAGO, RIGHT AFTER THIS.

THERE >>> AND THERE'S MUCH MORE AHEAD ON THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING A LOOK AT THEM STRUGGLES POLL WORKERS ARE FACING THIS ELECTION SEASON.

BUT FIRST, ONLY ONE MEMBER OF THE ROCK 'N ROLL HALL OF FAME ALSO WON A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD.

PATTI SMITH WON FOR HER MEMOIR JUST A KID, RECOUNTING HER LIFE WITH ARTIST ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE.

NOW SHE HAS A NEW PRIZE FROM CHICAGO BEATS POETRY FOUNDATION.

PATTI SMITH SATILLA CHICAGO TONIGHT TO TALK POETRY, PERFORMANCE, AND HER EARLY YEARS IN CHICAGO.

>> [ MUSIC ] >> POETRY, WHICH HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO MY EVOLUTION AND LEARNING TO SPEAK, LEARNING TO READ, LEARNING TO WRITE, AND WHICH PERMEATED, YOU KNOW, MY PERFORMANCES , PROPELLED MY ENTRANCE INTO ROCK 'N ROLL, PART OF EVERYTHING I DO, I'VE NEVER RECEIVED AN ACCOLADE FOR POETRY, AND THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ONE , AND CAME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE.

>> [ MUSIC ] >> OF COURSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHETHER IT WAS BOB DYLAN OR JIMI HENDRIX OR, YOU KNOW, JIM MORRISON, OR WHOEVER , YOU KNOW, HAS INCORPORATED POETRY IN MY TIME, AND IN OUR PRESENT, AND, AND THEN WE HAVE THE WHOLE CANON OF POETRY, FROM THE PSALMS OF DAVID TO, YOU KNOW, ARTHUR AND BOAT TO SYLVIA PLATH, YOU KNOW?

IT'S, IT'S , IT'S A -- I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS LANGUAGE, THIS SECRET LANGUAGE THAT IS ALSO , CAN BECOME A UNIFYING ASPECT OF EXPRESSION.

>> [ MUSIC ] >> YES, I WAS BORN IN THE OLD GRAND HOSPITAL THAT I THINK IS BEEN DEMOLISHED.

YOU KNOW, OUR EARLY LIFE IN CHICAGO, THOUGH BRIEF , HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRECIOUS TO ME.

WELL, I HAVE A YOUNG MEMORY OF PARK, MY MOTHER TAKING ME AND SEEING A SWAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I STILL CAN REMEMBER THAT.

I WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG, JUST LEARNING TO TALK.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, AND MY MOTHER TOLD ME IT WAS A SWAN, BUT TO ME, SWAN SEEMED SUCH A LITTLE WORD FOR SUCH A MAG FIZZING CREATURE.

I LEARNED VERY EARLY ON THAT PEOPLE HAD TO WORK FOR A LIVING, THAT YOU HAD TO WORK NOT ONLY FOR A LIVING, BUT WORK TOWARD ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO.

ANYTHING, ANY OF YOUR GOALS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO WORK HARD, AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR UP RINGING, AND SO I'VE ALWAYS WORKED.

I ALWAYS HAD , YOU KNOW, UNTIL I STARTED TOURING, WHICH IS ALSO A JOB , I, I HAD JOBS IN FACTORIES, I PICKED BLUEBERRIES, I BABYSAT, I WORKED IN A BOOKSTORE.

BUT WHEN I WAS ABLE TO DEVOTE MYSELF ENTIRELY TO , TO HARD, CREATING, TO PERFORMING, TO WRITING , I KEPT THAT WORK ETHIC.

I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE PART OF OUR DAILY PRACTICE.

IT MAKES LIFE MORE, TO ME, MORE, MORE WONDROUS, TO BE, YOU KNOW, TO -- HAVING GRATITUDE AS PART OF YOUR DAILY PRACTICE.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY TOOTHBRUSH, YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE IT MAKES BRUSHING MY TEETH EASY.

SOMETIMES I DO A REALLY GOOD BRUSH, AND I'LL SAY, THANK YOU, REALLY, SAYING THANK YOU ONLY TAKES A SECOND.

I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, LEARNING EVERY DAY, LEARNING THESE THINGS, TRYING TO KEEP IN STEP WITH NEW GENERATIONS, WHICH IS PRETTY HARD, AND THE OF SOME USE TO THEM.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I WAS READY TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

NOW I'M JUST , YOU KNOW, MY ROLE IS DIFFERENT.

I'M READY TO BE HERE IF PEOPLE NEED AN ABSTRACT TREND.

SO HERE I AM.

>> THE POETRY FOUNDATION'S PEGASUS AWARD, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RUEFULLY POETRY PRIDE, WERE AWARDED TO 10 PEOPLE THIS YEAR.

ALONG WITH PATTI SMITH, THE WINNERS INCLUDED SON IS A DARA'S AND NIKKI GIOVANNI.

A COMPLETE LIST IS ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE YOU'LL ALSO FIND 10 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT PATTI SMITH.

>>> STILL TO COME ON CHICAGO TONIGHT, WHAT WILL THIS UPCOMING ELECTION LOOK LIKE FOR ELECTION JUDGES AND POLL WORKERS?

AFTER FINALIZING HIS TAKEOVER OF TWITTER, ELON MUSK SPARKS CONTROVERSY BY RETREATING A CONSPIRACY THEORY ABOUT THE ATTACK ON PAUL PELOSI.

>>> AND WE HAD TO BE BUILD A NEIGHBORHOOD TO SHOW HOW A LOCAL WOMAN IS GETTING CREATIVE FOR MEXICAN TRADITIONS.

>>> BUT FIRST, SOME MORE OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

MICHAEL MADIGAN WAS ARRAIGNED TODAY IN HIS FEDERAL RACKETEERING CASE, HOWEVER, THE FORMER ILLINOIS HOUSE SPEAKER WAS ALLOWED TO SKIP THE PHONE HEARINGS.

MADIGAN'S LAWYER ENTERED A PLEA OF NOT GUILTY TO THE SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT WHICH ADDS CONSPIRACY ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING AT&T ILLINOIS.

MADIGAN NOW FACES 23 COUNTS OF RACKETEERING AND CORRUPTION.

STARTING IN DECEMBER, THE COVID-19 PROTOCOLS OF THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE WILL BE LIFTED , AND MANY JUDGES WILL BEGIN REQUIRING CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS TO APPEAR IN PERSON RATHER THAN BY PHONE.

THE FORMER SPEAKER IS FREE ON BOND SINCE BEING CHARGED EIGHT MONTHS AGO, AND HAS YET TO APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE.

>> VOTERS BUT WHERE.

THE NEW TEXTING SCAM MAY TRY AND TRICK YOU.

THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WARNS THAT ILLINOIS VOTERS ARE RECEIVING UNSOLICITED TEXT MESSAGES WITH INCORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTION DAY POLLING PLACES.

THE BOARD SAYS IT DOES NOT COMMUNICATE WITH VOTERS IN TEXT MESSAGE.

THE MESSAGES ARE FROM A GROUP CALLED VOTING FUTURES.

VOTERS WHO RECEIVE SUSPICIOUS ELECTION RELATED TEXT MESSAGES OR EMAILS WITH POTENTIAL MISINFORMATION SHOULD FORWARD SCREENSHOTS OR LINKS TO SCAM ALERT AT ELECTIONS.I/O.GOLF.

AND TO FIND THE CORRECT POLLING PLACE INFORMATION, YOU CAN USE THE POLLING PLACE LOCATOR 12 ON THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE.

>>> WHITE SOX MIGHT HAVE A NEW MANAGER.

REPORTS SAY KANSAS CITY ROYALS BENCH COACH WILL SUCCEED TONY LEROUX SAID TO HEAD SOUTH SIDERS.

THE MIAMI NATIVE IS 52 YEARS OLD AND HAS BEEN NEARLY 10 YEARS.

THE TEAM COULD MAKE AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT LATER THIS WEEK.

>>> AND OUT OF HARRIS, A SHORTAGE OF ELECTION WORKERS.

PARIS.

>>> T MINUS ONE WEEK UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2022, AND ELECTION AUTHORITIES ARE SCRAMBLING TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE ELECTION JUDGES AND POLL WORKERS READY TO WORK.

CONSPIRACIES AND ATTACKS ON HAVE HAD A CHILLING EFFECT ON RECRUITMENT, AND JUST TODAY, THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS WARNED OF A TEXT MESSAGE THIS INFORMATION CAMPAIGN.

JOINING US ARE MAX BEVER , DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS , STEVIE VIAS, CODIRECTOR OF CHICAGO VOTES, AND HERNANDEZ, ELECTION DOES SUPERVISOR .

WELCOME ALL OF YOU HERE TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

MAX BEVER, I WANT TO START WITH THIS NEWS THAT CAME THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WARNING OF A GROUP CALLED VOTING FUTURES SETTING ROBO TEXTS CONFUSING VOTERS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS?

>> WE JUST RECEIVED A FEW COMPLAINTS OURSELVES, AND THAT'S BEEN INCREASING OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.

VOTERS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A TEXT MESSAGE SENDING THEM TO A WRONG PULLING LACE LOCATION, SENDING THEM OUT OF THE CITY .

THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD KNOW, IS THAT CHICAGO VOTERS, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT POLLING PLACE.

SO THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS , IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ELECTION INFORMATION, ALWAYS GO TO YOUR ELECTION AUTHORITY FIRST.

THAT'S CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OR YOU CAN GO TO THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OR WHATEVER YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY IS, WHETHER THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE FIRST STOP SHOP FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION.

>> ANY CLUE WAS BEHIND THIS CAMPAIGN?

>> I'M AFRAID NOT.

WE REPORTED OUR COMPLAINT OVER TO THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD, AND WE HOPE WE CAN FIND WHO'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SPIRIT >> AND IS THE PROBLEM HAPPENING NATIONALLY, AS I UNDERSTAND?

BEEN SEVERAL AUTHORITIES LOOKING INTO THIS.

STEVIE VIAS, WHAT KINDS OF MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS ARE YOU SEEING, AND WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT THEM?

>> YEAH, JUST IN GENERAL, I SEE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION THAT'S INACCURATE COMING FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SOURCES AROUND WHEN YOU CAN VOTE, WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, WHAT YOU NEED TO VOTE, WHERE TO GO VOTE, AND, OBVIOUSLY, THIS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO VOTER APATHY AND DIMINISH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CAST THEIR BALLOT, WHICH DOES NOTHING GOOD FOR ANY OF US.

A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IS AROUND PRESENTING ACCURATE INFORMATION , TO SPECIFICALLY YOUNG VOTERS, BUT THE INFORMATION WE PRESENT IS ALSO HELPFUL TO VOTERS OF ALL AGES .

WE PUT TOGETHER A VOTER GUIDE THIS YEAR IN ORDER TO HELP PEOPLE KNOW WHEN TO VOTE, WHERE TO VOTE, HOW TO VOTE, AS WELL AS A LIST OF ALL OF THE CANDIDATES, THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE ON THE BALLOT, AND THE ISSUES THOSE CANDIDATES HAVE DIRECT INFLUENCE OVER.

SO HOPEFULLY , WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COUNTER THE MISINFORMATION WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION , AND WE'LL CONTRIBUTE TO MORE VOTERS BEING ABLE TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS, NOT LESS.

>> THE OTHER QUESTION THIS YEAR, WILL THERE BE ENOUGH ELECTION WORKERS , JUDGES, POLL WORKERS TO STAFF ELECTIONS?

UP IN LAKE COUNTY, ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH UP THERE ON ELECTION DAY?

>> WELL, WE HAVE ENOUGH JUDGES FOR ALL OF OUR POLLING PLACES, BUT IT'S NOT WHERE WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.

IT'S NOT OPTIMAL.

TYPICALLY AROUND THIS TIME , WE'RE AIMING TO HAVE ABOUT 1100 JUDGES.

RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT INCLUDES , YOU KNOW, JUDGES TO ALLOW FOR A ROTATION, AND ALL THE JUDGES TO TAKE A BREAK THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE AT ABOUT 900 JUDGES, SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT OPTIMAL, BUT WE CONTINUE TO RECRUIT UP UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY .

WE REACH OUT TO ALL OF OUR JUDGES TO SEE WHO MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.

BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IT'S DOABLE, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT OPTIMAL.

>> WHAT YOU THINK IS HARDER THIS YEAR TO GET THE FULL STAFFING?

>> THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS.

COVID CONTINUES TO COME UP , SO COVID CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN FOR OUR ELECTION JUDGES, ESPECIALLY THE POPULATION OF JUDGES THAT WE HAVE .

THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED, VERY AFRAID OF COVID STILL.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME CONCERN ABOUT BEING HARASSED AT THE POLLING PLACES.

FROM VOTERS .

AND AGAIN , GOING BACK TO THAT MISINFORMATION , THE JUDGES OF THIS THERE TO FACILITATE THE PROCESS.

WE CAN INFORM THE, THE VOTER AS TO PROCEDURES AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WHEN IT GOES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE TAUGHT THEM , IT, IT'S DIFFICULT.

AND THEN SOMETIMES, WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO JUDGES, WE'RE NOT THERE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS TO BECOME A CONFRONTATION.

IF YOU NEED TO SEEK OUT ASSISTANCE, CALL THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

>> COMING FROM 2020, FALSE CLAIMS OF A STOLEN ELECTION FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT, AND THEN IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHAT ABOUT IN CHICAGO?

ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED, AND HAVE YOU SEEN JUDGES WORRIED ABOUT HARASSMENT >> WE ARE FULLY STAFFED.

IN FACT, OVERSTAFFED AT THIS MOMENT.

WE'RE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN WE WERE IN THE LAST PRIMARY ELECTION, AND THAT'S DUE TO RECENT REDISTRICTING AS WELL AS CONSOLIDATION.

WE NEED 6450 SO WE'RE GOOD.

ALMOST TO 1500 OVER THAT NUMBER, BUT WE ARE PREPARING FOR RESIGNATIONS , LAST-MINUTE DROPOUTS.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING -- BUT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN.

>> IT DOES ALWAYS SEEM TO HAPPEN.

ELECTION JUDGES ARE THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY, BUT UNLIKE JURY DUTY, IT'S NOT MANDATORY , SO IT IS BASICALLY A VOLUNTEER SYSTEM.

ELECTION JUDGES ARE PAID UP TO 230 IN CHICAGO, BUT IT'S A LONG DAY, AND IT REQUIRES A LOT OF TRAINING TO DO SO, AND IT IS SOMETHING WHERE ELECTION JUDGES CAN MAKE A SNAP DECISION AND SAY MAYBE THIS ISN'T WORTH IT FOR ME TODAY, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE READING THE NEWS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE FEELING INSECURE ABOUT BEING IN A POLLING PLACE.

BUT THIS IS WHY WE WANTED TO OVERSTAFFED OUR POLLING PLACES AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION IN CHICAGO, MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ENOUGH STAFF, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH SUPPORT, AND THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE.

>> SPEAKING OF FEELING SAFE, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS NATIONALLY ABOUT INTIMIDATION HAPPENING AT PLACES LIKE BALLOT DROPBOX.

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT VOTER INTIMIDATION HERE, AND HAVE YOU HEARD ANY SPECIFIC THREATS?

>> I THINK VOTER INTIMIDATION IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE DILIGENT ABOUT TRYING TO PREVENT, NO MATTER WHERE THE ELECTION IS HAPPENING AND WHEN THE ELECTION IS HAPPENING.

OUR CITY, THE STATE, THE COUNTRY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF VOTER INTIMIDATION, AND WE REMAIN DILIGENT.

ENSURING THAT THE BECOME SOMETHING THAT A PART OF OUR VOTING CULTURE.

I THINK THAT , YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE ELECTION JUDGES ARE TRAINED IN SUCH A WAY TO SUPPORT AND ENSURING THAT VOTER INTIMIDATION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS PERSISTENT AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE WE DO , LIKE 866 HOUR VOTE IN THE ELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE, AND THE LAWYERS OVER A CHICAGO LAWYERS COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS TO ENSURE THAT VOTERS KNOW THEIR RIGHTS, AND THEY AREN'T BEING TOLD THE WRONG THING AT POLLING LOCATION, AND DETERRING THEM FROM CASTING THEIR BALLOT.

THIS IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR REPORTS OF EVERY ELECTION CYCLE , BUT I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE PROACTIVE AND MAKING OUR SYSTEMS MORE FREE, FAIR, AND SAFE BY EITHER PASSING POLICIES, DOING MORE INTENTIONAL TRAINING, AND ENSURING THAT BAD POLICIES THAT PUT PEOPLE MORE AT RISK DON'T GET PASSED IN THE FUTURE.

>> AND INDEED, THE FBI AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAVE A HOTLINE SET UP FOR ELECTION DAY AS WELL.

PARTIES TALK ABOUT HAVING WATCHERS AT THE POLLS.

WHO'S ALLOWED TO WATCH, AND WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO DO?

>> POLL WATCHERS ARE ALLOWED TO OBSERVE THE PROCEDURES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE POLLING PLACE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER .

THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HANDLE MATERIALS .

THEY CAN CHALLENGE A VOTER, BUT THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE DECISION PROCESS.

THAT'S LEFT UP TO THE JUDGES.

THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ASSIST THE VOTERS WITHIN 100 FEET OF ELECTIONEERING ZONE.

SO THERE ARE, THERE MORE FOR OBSERVATIONAL PURPOSES AND -- BUT AGAIN , NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE VOTING PROCESS.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO WE WISH YOU ALL A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL ELECTION DAY , AND THEN, MAX, IN CHICAGO, YOU GOT TO TURN AROUND AND GET READY FOR THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IS A COUPLE MONTHS LATER.

>> WE DO.

IF YOU ALLOW ME JUST ONE MORE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR BILINGUAL ELECTION STAFFERS, SO IF YOU SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE THAN ENGLISH, PLEASE SIGN UP.

>> BUT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, FEWER PRECINCTS WITH MULTILANGUAGE SERVICES FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS.

SO THAT IS A PROBLEM.

THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP, AND OUR THANKS TO MAX BEVER'S.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND WITH ELECTION DAY A WEEK AWAY, BE SURE TO VISIT THE ONLINE VOTER GUIDE, WE'LL FIND A RUNDOWN OF LOCAL RACES AND CANDIDATES IN YOUR OWN WORDS ON WHY THEY WANT YOUR OWN VOTE.

WTTW.COM/VOTER GUIDE.

SO TO END UP NEXT, A LOOK AT THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING ELON MUSK'S TWITTER PURCHASE.

SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

THERE >>> IT'S BEEN JUST DAYS SINCE THE WORLD'S RICHEST MAN, ELON MUSK, OFFICIALLY TOOK OVER TWITTER.

THE SELF-DECLARED FREE SPEECH ABSOLUTIST IMMEDIATELY DECLARED ON HIS TWITTER PAGE, QUOTE, THE BIRD IS FREE .

SINCE MUSKS TAKE OVER, THE USE OF THE N-WORD ON THE PLATFORM HAS REPORTEDLY SURGED 500% , AND MUST CONSULT HAS FACED BACKLASH FOR RETREATING AND THEN DELETING A CONSPIRACY THEORY ABOUT THE HAMMER ATTACK ON PAUL PELOSI, THE HUSBAND OF U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI.

JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE IMPLICATIONS OF MUSKS TWITTER TAKE OVER OUR JESSICA GONZALES AND ATTORNEY RACIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE AND CO-CEO AT MEDIA ADVOCACY GROUP FREE PRESS, AND HAROLD GRANT, PROFESSOR OF LAW AT ILLINOIS TECH CHICAGO , KENT COLLEGE OF LAW, AND PREVIOUSLY THE LONGTIME DEAN AT THE LAW SCHOOL.

THANKS TO YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

JESSICA, LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE PRINT YOUR ORGANIZATION, FREE PRESS, IS PART OF A BROAD COALITION OF CONSUMER AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS BUT JUST LAST WEEK PUBLISHED A REPORT ON THE FAILURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES, INCLUDING TWITTER, TO FIGHT THIS INFORMATION AHEAD OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT OUR ELECTIONS COULD AGAIN BE UNDERMINED BY THE FALSE REPORTS THAT WE SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

>> VERY CONCERNED INDEED.

LISTEN, WE RELEASED A REPORT ON THURSDAY , THE DAY BEFORE ELON MUSK'S ACQUIRED TWITTER, SHOWING THAT ACROSS-THE-BOARD , SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES HAVE FAILED TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT ELECTION INTEGRITY ON THEIR SITE.

THAT'S NOT JUST TWITTER.

THAT'S META-, THAT'S INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK , PRODUCTS THAT THEY HAVE, YOUTUBE, AND TICK-TOCK.

WE FOUND THAT NOT ONLY ARE THESE COMPANIES NOT ENFORCING CONTENT MODERATION RULES AT SCALE, THEY'RE NOT DOING SO WELL ENOUGH IN LANGUAGES OUTSIDE OF ENGLISH , AND THEY'RE MAKING SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FOR VIP ACTORS ON THEIR SITES.

>> SO ON SUNDAY, ELON MUSK RETWEETED THIS FALSE CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT THE ALLEGED , WELL, THAT ALLEGED THAT PAUL PELOSI KNEW AND WAS IN SOME SORT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAN WHO BEAT HIM WITH A HAMMER AT HIS HOME LAST WEEK.

HERE'S HOW SAN FRANCISCO'S POLICE CHIEF RESPONDED TO THAT CONSPIRACY THEORY YESTERDAY.

>> THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE THAT MR. PELOSI KNEW THIS MAN.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THE EXACT OPPOSITE.

IT REALLY IS SAD THAT THESE THEORIES ARE BEING FLOATED OUT THERE, BASELESS, FECKLESS THEORIES THAT ARE BEING FLOATED OUT THERE.

AND THEY'RE DAMAGING.

THEY'RE DAMAGING TO THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, THEY'RE DAMAGING TO THIS INVESTIGATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE RUNNING WITH THIS STUFF, AND WHETHER THEY BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THESE THEORIES CAN INFLUENCE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED HERE.

>> SO JESSICA, BACK TO YOU.

HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION AND COALITION C MUSKS TAKE OVER OF TWITTER?

WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS NOW THAT HE'S IN CHARGE?

>> LISTEN, WE NEED A RESPONSIBLE, CONSISTENT PERSON THINKING DEEPLY ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE CONTENT MODERATION SYSTEMS.

LIKE I SAID, EVEN BEFORE MUSKS TOOK OVER, THE COMPANY WAS VERY , VERY MUCH IN BAD SHAPE IN THIS REGARD , AND NOW WITH MUSKS TAKE OVER, WE'RE SEEING THESE EXAMPLES OF NOT JUST OTHERS SPREADING CONSPIRACY THEORIES, BUT HERE TAKING THEM ON HIS OWN.

I'M REALLY CONCERNED, FRANKLY, THIS WAS AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF THE PERSON WHO'S THIRD IN LINE TO THE U.S. PRESIDENCY.

THIS IS SOMETHING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

IT'S NOT A JOKE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT BOTH ELON MUSK AND THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MODERATING CONTENT ON TWITTER HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO WEED OUT CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND TO PROTECT USERS AND OUR DEMOCRACY FROM, FROM HATE SPEECH AND LIES.

>> THE FIRST AMENDMENT DOESN'T APPLY TO TWITTER , AS THEY'RE A PRIVATE COMPANY, BUT WHAT LEGAL RECOURSE MIGHT SOMEONE LIKE PAUL PELOSI OR ANYONE ELSE WHO FEELS THEY'VE BEEN DEFAMED OR HARMED IN SOME WAY BY SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT RECOURSE DO THEY HAVE IF THEY WANTED TO SEEK JUSTICE?

>> VERY LITTLE RECOURSE UNDER CURRENT LAWS.

THE CONGRESS PASSED AN ACT IN 1996 WHICH IMMUNIZES PLATFORMS SUCH AS TWITTER OR FACEBOOK FROM ANY KIND OF DEFAMATION , OTHER KINDS OF ACTIONS THAT WOULD FACE AS A PUBLISHER.

OBVIOUSLY , MR. PELOSI CAN GO AGAINST THE ATTACKER AND , BUT IN TERMS OF LEGAL REMEDIES, IF THERE'S BEEN SOME PROPOSALS TO AMEND THIS IMMUNITY , BUT THEY HAVEN'T GONE VERY FAR.

AS JESSICA SAID, THE DIFFICULTY IS TO PUT AN ONUS ON THESE COMPANIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S TRUTHFUL ABOUT COVID, WHAT'S UNTRUTHFUL, WHAT'S TRUTHFUL ABOUT THE DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN, WHAT'S NOT.

THIS PUTS A HEAVY BURDEN ON THOSE PLATFORMS .

THEY COULD OBVIOUSLY DO BETTER, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF CONTENT MODERATION CONTINUES IN TWITTER , DESPITE WHAT MUSK HAS SET OFF AND ON, BUT IT'S NOT AN EASY ROAD TO TRAVEL ON.

>> SO HAROLD , THERE'S A SECTION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT, SECTION 230, BUT STATES, QUOTE, NO PROVIDER OR USER OF AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER SERVICE SHALL BE TREATED AS A PUBLISHER OR SPEAKER OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY ANOTHER INFORMATION CONTENT PROVIDER.

NOW, THAT CLAUSE IS AN EFFECTIVE AT PROVIDING LEGAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES FROM BEING SUED FOR CONTENT PUBLISHED ON THEIR SITE.

DOES THIS LAW NEED TO BE REVISITED?

>> THERE HAVE BEEN PROPOSALS, AND , INDEED, PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS SUGGESTED GETTING RID OF 230 FROM TIME TO TIME , BUT IT HASN'T GAINED TRACTION, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T, IT WOULD REALLY STYMIE, I THINK, THE ONLINE PLATFORMS IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO IN TERMS OF SOMETHING THAT WAS QUICKLY EMERGING STORY.

WHAT'S TRUTHFUL, WHAT'S NOT TRUTHFUL IN TERMS OF PEOPLE REMARKING UPON MOVIES , THE KYRIE IRVING STORY JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO, VERY DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO PERHAPS MIRROR THIS IDEA , TAKE, TAKE THAT SITUATION, COPYRIGHT SITUATION.

WE HAVE A SEPARATE CONGRESSIONAL LAW THAT SAYS IF SOMEONE INFORMS AN ONLINE PLATFORM THAT THERE'S A COPYRIGHT VIOLATION, THEY HAVE A DUTY TO TAKE IT DOWN, TO INVESTIGATE AND TAKE IT DOWN.

MAYBE WE SHOULD, TOO, IF SOMEONE SAYS THIS IS DISINFORMATION, IT'S UNTRUE, IT'S HARASSMENT, THERE SHOULD BE A DUTY UPON TWITTER OR META-TO INVESTIGATE AND TAKE DOWN THE MATERIAL.

>> AND, JESSICA, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HEARD FROM HAROLD ABOUT KYRIE IRVING.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 45 SECONDS LEFT.

LeBRON JAMES IS ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED THIS IN THE USE OF THE N-WORD ON TWITTER SINCE MUSKS TAKE OVER.

ONE WAY THAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO HOLD TWITTER ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH ADVERTISERS.

TELL US IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, IF YOU CAN, ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN THAT WAS LAUNCHED TODAY TO GET ADVERTISES OF OUTFITS >> WE'RE WORKING WITH MEDIA MATTERS, AND FOUR DOZEN ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING PROMINENT CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COLOR OF CHANGE AND NAACP.

AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS REALLY SIMPLE.

TWITTER ADVERTISERS , WE NEED YOU TO ASK ELON MUSK TO MAKE SOME FIRM COMMITMENTS AROUND CONTENT MODERATION .

THIS ISN'T JUST FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY.

IT'S ALSO TO PROTECT BRAND SAFETY.

WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE HATE SPEECH AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES RUNNING RAMPANT .

THE ADVERTISERS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY HERE, AND OUR COALITION IS CALLING ON THEM TO NOT -- A >> TO NOT ADVERTISE.

>> JUST TO SAY, WE WILL NOT BE ADVERTISING HERE IF YOU DON'T GET THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL.

>> THAT'S WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

MY THANKS TO JESSICA GONZALES AND HAROLD FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> UP NEXT, HONORING DEPARTED LOVED ONES IN A DAY OF THE DEAD ALTAR.

STAY WITH US.

>> TODAY MARKS THE START OF DIA DE LOS MUERTOS , OR THE DAY OF THE DEAD, A TRADITIONAL MEXICAN HOLIDAY HONORING LOVED ONES WHO HAVE DIED .

CHICAGO TONIGHT'S JOANNA HERNANDEZ WENT TO PILSEN TO VISIT A CHICAGO RESIDENCE WHOSE TRANSFORMED HER BACKYARD INTO AN ALTAR.

>> WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE BACKYARD, YOU'RE TRANSPORTED INTO AN EXPERIENCE.

YOU'LL FIND SCHOOLS, FLOWERS, AND ALL KINDS OF OBJECTS OFFERED TO THOSE WHO ONCE LIVED.

>> PEOPLE DIE WHEN THEY ARE FORGOTTEN.

SO THEY, THEY WILL ALWAYS GO ON LIVING IN OUR HEARTS.

>> FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, ISABELLA HERNANDEZ HAS SPENT WEEKS BUILDING ELABORATE DAY OF THE DEAD AUTHORS.

>> THIS IS MY WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT I LOVE TO DO AND I CAN DO FOR THEMSELVES, NOT JUST ME.

I'M HAPPY WITH IT.

>> DIA DE LOS MUERTOS TRANSLATES TO THE DAY OF THE DEAD.

IT'S A MEXICAN TRADITION.

FOR TWO NIGHTS, IT'S BELIEVED THE BORDER BETWEEN THE REAL WORLD AND SPIRIT WORLD MERGE.

DURING THOSE NIGHTS, THE SOULS RETURN TO CELEBRATE IN PEACE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THIS IS SOMETHING EVIL, BECAUSE WE'RE REMEMBERING THE DEAD.

NO.

THIS IS CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ANYMORE WITH US.

WHEN WE MAKE OUR ALTAR WITH ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT DIED, THEY NEVER MET THE FAMILY MEMBERS, THE UNCLE OR GRANDPARENTS, WHATEVER, THIS IS OUR HISTORY.

AND SOMETIMES WE FIND OUT THAT THERE'S SOMETHING COMMON WITH SOMEONE , RELATIVES, OH, MY UNCLE LIKED THE SAME THINGS THAT I DO.

>> THIS YEAR, HERNANDEZ'S THEME IS THE CYCLE OF LIFE , A TRIBUTE TO MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE AND PETS WHO ONCE CALLED PILSEN HOME.

>> WAS GOING TO PUT OUT VERY YOUNG PEOPLE, EVEN BABIES THAT THEY JUST LIVED ONE DAY , THEN THE MIDDLE-AGED PEOPLE AND THE SENIORS, AND FINALLY THE COFFIN, WHICH IS THE END OF LIFE.

>> SHE HAS NEVER CONSIDERED HERSELF AN ARTIST, GET MOSTLY EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS HANDMADE.

>> WHEN YOU FINISH AND YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU CREATED, I MEAN, HOW DO YOU FEEL?

>> I FEEL, I AMAZE MYSELF.

I LOOK AT IT , I MADE HIM IN THE BASEMENT, AND I LOOK AT IT, AND I'M LIKE -- I NEVER HAD A BUTTERFLY.

SOMETHING BIG, AND IT HAS TO BE SEPARATED.

>> DESPITE DEALING WITH CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME , SHE SAYS HER PASSING TO DESIGN HELPS WITH THE PAIN.

>> WHEN PEOPLE , THEY ARE HAPPY , I SAID TO MYSELF, I HAVE TO KEEP DOING IT.

AND IT'S -- I ALWAYS, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE PEOPLE -- IS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

>> AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO VISIT , SHE PLANS TO TAKE ON THE ALTAR TOMORROW TO START PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

AND WE'RE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS .

THE GYM AND K MAY BE FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

>> THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS TUESDAY NIGHT.

DON'T FORGET TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US BY SIGNING UP FOR OUR DAILY BRIEFING.

STRAINS ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, AND OUR WEBSITE WTTW.COM/NEWS.

>> YOU CAN ALSO GET THEY SHOW VIA PODCAST, AND PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT LIVE AT 7:00.

NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> AND ON PARIS SCHUTZ.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE , AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.