Police probe IL journalist over State Farm story, raising 1st Amendment
issues
[May 01, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(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.
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“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.
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