(The Center Square) – According to O’Keefe Media Group, the Glenview Police sent a detective to an undercover journalist’s home after a hidden camera investigation into former State Farm executive Haden Kirkpatrick, citing a possible violation of Illinois’ eavesdropping law.
Glenview police spokesman David Just told The Center Square there’s an ongoing investigation and that no arrests have been made. OMG’s James O’Keefe made a social media post and urged Cook County defense attorneys to contact him.
“The vice president of State Farm was fired from State Farm for what he said on hidden camera,” said O’Keefe. “This is apparently over the Illinois eavesdropping law, the anti-recording law, but we recorded this in a place where there’s no expectation of privacy.”
Kirkpatrick was fired after an undercover video revealed his discussion of State Farm’s rate hike strategy in response to the Southern California wildfires. The company quickly confirmed his termination, stating his remarks were inaccurate and didn’t reflect its views on the wildfires.
Kirkpatrick criticized California wildfire victims saying, “People want to build in areas … for their ego. But it’s also a [expletive] desert,” and confirmed State Farm’s calculated exit from the state’s insurance market, citing a potential $5 billion shortfall.
“We’re overexposed here,” Kirkpatrick said. “So we’re going to cancel these policies.”
The journalist has declined to submit a statement, and OMG is preparing a legal response while requesting answers from the Glenview Police Department.
“This is a First Amendment issue. They’re trying to intimidate my team,” said O’Keefe.
OMG said the Glenview Police Department’s attempt to question an undercover journalist is a retaliatory act against constitutionally protected journalism and a threat to press freedom.
“They’re trying to scare our undercover journalists. We will have the backs of our reporters. We did not break the law. There’s nothing wrong with what we did,” said O’Keefe.
According to OMG, the detective that visited the reporters office has reportedly never charged this statute before, and is expected to explain its application to the state’s attorney.
OMG said the criminal complaint lodged cites a state law that makes it illegal to record someone’s private conversation without their consent. It applies to conversations that happen where the people involved expect privacy, such as in their homes or certain private settings.
“This is a powerful insurance company. The vice president of [Innovation and Venture Capital at] State Farm filed a complaint, but we’re going to have your backs, undercover journalists.I’m going to have your back no matter what,” said O’Keefe.
Violators of this eavesdropping law face a low-level felony charge.
