Judge Robert Gettleman dismissed a case that has been brewing for months against public television giant, WTTW in Chicago.

WTTW, the largest public broadcasting company serving the Chicago area broadcast a series of debates including one for gubernatorial candidates and candidates for the U.S. Senate; however, Green Party candidates were not allowed to participate. Rich Whitney, Green Party candidate for governor and LeAlan Jones, the party's U.S. Senate candidate sued the station for violating their free speech rights since at the time, the Green Party had attained statewide established party status.

In the ruling above, Judge Gettleman ruled that since WTTW is a private non-profit corporation it was their decision alone that kept the Green Party candidates from participating and not a governmental agency of Illinois; therefore the decision did not violate the candidate's rights.