U.S. Rep. Sean Casten says he’ll ignore Awake Illinois’ legal threat over alleged defamation

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten mentioned he gained’t maintain again from criticizing Awake Illinois, which espouses anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and rallied its supporters towards a drag-themed library occasion in Downers Grove, after the group final week threatened to take authorized motion towards him.

The Downers Grove Public Library on Monday mentioned it was canceling the Drag Queen Bingo occasion for teenagers scheduled for Oct. 11 “because of threats which can be beneath lively investigation by legislation enforcement.”

Casten, a two-term Democrat from Downers Grove, has been an outspoken supporter of the occasion, whereas his Republican opponent within the Nov. 8 normal election, Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau, joined Awake Illinois in calling for its cancellation.

The Naperville-based group, which received its begin opposing pandemic restrictions, final week despatched an electronic mail and letter to Casten alleging that he was “unlawfully exploiting the mission of Awake Illinois with defamatory claims.”

The letter — which included a “CC” to Republican legal professional normal candidate Thomas DeVore, an Awake Illinois ally — demanded that Casten “instantly stop and desist from additional acts of defamation to any third get together and take away dedicated acts of defamation from any third-party websites to which defamatory statements have been posted.” The group threatened doable authorized motion if Casten didn’t adjust to its calls for.

DeVore, who has a historical past of taking his critics to courtroom, mentioned he was not concerned in drafting or sending the letter to Casten on behalf of Awake Illinois.

Casten mentioned he has no plans to adjust to the group’s calls for.

“To be very clear, I don’t plan on ceasing nor desisting in supporting the pursuits of all people in the neighborhood I symbolize and ensuring that there’s house for decency and kindness and love, and I don’t give a rattling what Awake thinks on the contrary,” he mentioned in an interview Monday.

After the announcement that the occasion was being referred to as off, Casten backed his stance with a press release blaming Pekau and Awake Illinois for the cancellation.

“They need to be ashamed of themselves. They’ve used their platform to advertise hatred, homophobia, and bigotry,” Casten mentioned.

“Let’s be clear. This occasion was canceled as a result of, after my Republican opponent and his far-right allies at Awake Illinois publicly issued a call-to-action to their supporters, the library obtained extreme threats that endangered our group,” the congressman mentioned.

Awake Illinois didn’t reply Tuesday to a number of requests for remark. In its emailed letter to Casten, signed by Awake Illinois President Shannon Adcock, Vice President Josh McBroom and Director Steve Lucie, it didn’t specify which of Casten’s earlier statements the group thought have been defamatory.

Included with its electronic mail to Casten have been an Aug. 4 information launch from the congressman’s marketing campaign criticizing Pekau for accepting an award from the group final spring. The e-mail additionally included a Each day Herald article from late final month wherein Casten accused Pekau of “embracing and perpetrating the group’s homophobic, bigoted assaults on the Downers Grove Public Library. ”

Geoffrey Stone, a First Modification scholar on the College of Chicago Legislation College, mentioned the statements included with Awake Illinois’ letter present no authorized backing for a declare of defamation.

“They’re simply bizarre political statements which can be absolutely protected by the First Modification,” Stone wrote in an electronic mail. “Solely factually false statements made can represent defamation, and even then they must be both negligently or recklessly made.”

Casten stepped up his criticism of Pekau for his connections to Awake Illinois after the group in July used social media to focus on a child-friendly drag occasion on the UpRising Bakery in northwest suburban Lake within the Hills. The group, in its personal phrases, “blasted” the occasion on-line, warning in a single put up, “They’re coming on your children, McHenry County.”

The bakery was damaged into and vandalized with hateful messages the day earlier than the occasion was to happen. An Alsip man was charged with a felony hate crime in reference to the incident. Awake Illinois disavowed the assault.

In his early August information launch, a Casten spokesman criticized Pekau for accepting an award from the group final spring that cited his refusal to observe Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s coronavirus restrictions throughout the top of the pandemic.

The assertion additionally referenced the group’s opposition to the UpRising Bakery occasion.

Later in August, Pekau in a Fb put up criticized the Downers Grove library occasion as “inappropriate,” likened it to “a library introducing children to straight intercourse by holding a burlesque present,” and referred to as on Casten to hitch him in denouncing it.

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As a substitute, Casten informed the Each day Herald, “My opponent refused to sentence Awake Illinois within the aftermath of the assault they provoked on UpRising bakery, and now he’s embracing and perpetrating the group’s homophobic, bigoted assaults on the Downers Grove Public Library.”

A Pekau marketing campaign spokeswoman mentioned Tuesday that “threats and violence are by no means applicable and ought to be prosecuted to the total extent of the legislation.”

“For Sean Casten to accuse those that issued any objection to a drag present for teenagers at a public library of hate and violence is reprehensible,” mentioned spokeswoman Kathleen Murphy, who’s listed on Awake Illinois’ web site because the group’s director of presidency affairs and was the lieutenant governor candidate on a GOP major ticket with Petersburg enterprise capitalist Jesse Sullivan. “His view of these with whom he disagrees is the explanation our politics is so poisonous.”

However Casten mentioned it’s disingenuous for teams like Awake Illinois and their allies to generate unfavorable publicity for an occasion after which attempt to distance themselves when threats or violence happen.

“You possibly can declare that you simply didn’t know that these phrases have been going to incite individuals, however you knew,” Casten mentioned, drawing a parallel to the notorious December 2020 tweet wherein then-President Donald Trump wrote: “Large protest in D.C. on January sixth. Be there, can be wild!”

dpetrella@chicagotribune.com