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☆ Opinion: Here’s what’s at risk if Big Tech doesn’t address deceptive AI content
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Opinion Timothy Karr | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In response, the platforms have pledged to set high expectations in 2024 for how they “will manage the risks arising from deceptive AI election content,” according to the joint accord. This included rolling back election misinformation policies designed to limit “Big Lie” content about the 2020 vote. Their role as conduits of misinformation will likely increase as the sophisticated AI tools needed to create deepfakes of politicians become more widely available to users of social media. As we learned in the aftermath of the 2020 vote, there are dangerous, real-world consequences when platform companies retreat from commitments to root out disinformation. Unless the companies permanently restore election integrity teams and actually enforce rules against the rampant abuse of AI tools, democracy worldwide could well hang in the balance.

Persons: Timothy Karr, ” Timothy Karr, Joe Biden’s, they’ve, Paul Vallas, Vallas Organizations: Free Press, CNN, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Building, YouTube, Chicago mayoral, Federal Trade Commission Locations: United States

The recordings immediately went viral on social media, and the candidate, who is pro-NATO and aligned with Western interests, was defeated in September by an opponent who supported closer ties to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin. AI images that falsely depicted former President Donald Trump sitting with teenage girls on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane circulated on social media last month. And once a deepfake appears on social media, it can be nearly impossible to stop its spread. Šimečka said his team and others complained to social media platforms and law enforcement. He said social media platforms need to “put measures in place” to prevent attempts to meddle with an election.

Persons: he’d, Vladimir Putin, ”, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein’s, Trump, “, Subrahmanian, Alex Curtas, Curtas, Jared DeMarinis, ’, ” DeMarinis, Chelsea Carattini, Ilana Beller, haven’t, ” Beller, Paul Vallas, Sean R, Clark, ” Vallas, Vallas, Brandon Johnson, ” “ We’ll, Slovakia Michal Šimečka, ” Šimečka, Šimečka, ” Daniel Milo, Milo, it’s, ” Milo, Janis Sarts, ” Sarts Organizations: CNN, NATO, Northwestern University, Senior, Twitter, Democratic, Chicago, Political, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Public Citizen, State’s, Republican Party, Commission, Progressive, YouTube, Facebook, Slovakia’s Ministry, Meta, NATO Strategic Communications, of Excellence, Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Intelligence Locations: Slovakia, Moscow, Europe, States, New Hampshire, Russia, China, Russian, Northwestern, American, California , Michigan, Minnesota , Texas, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho, Chicago, Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia’s, Latvia

☆ What Chicago’s New Mayor Says About the City’s Biggest Challenges
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Julie Bosman | Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It wasn’t long ago that Brandon Johnson, 47, was a county commissioner and teachers’ union organizer, unknown to many Chicagoans. On Monday he was sworn in as the city’s 57th mayor. He knocked out the incumbent mayor, Lori Lightfoot, in the first round of balloting in February, then beat Paul Vallas, a far more conservative and well-funded Democrat, in the runoff last month. Chicago’s downtown is emptier, its public schools have fewer students, and crime rates remain far higher than before the pandemic. In an interview last week at his transition office along the Chicago River, Mr. Johnson said he was cleareyed about the scope of the challenges awaiting him but confident about the city’s trajectory.

☆ Progressives to Challenge Adams Over Cuts to Schools and Libraries
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Emma G. Fitzsimmons | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The fight is similar to others being waged across the country, as cities weigh the best approach to address crime, homelessness and poverty. In Chicago, Brandon Johnson, the progressive Democratic candidate for mayor, won this month on a public safety message that went beyond policing, and focused on youth employment programs and mental health services. Mr. Adams and his top political adviser, Evan Thies, each discounted the notion that the mayoral election in Chicago was a sign that Democratic values had shifted to the left, and that New York may follow suit. When Lori Lightfoot, the outgoing mayor of Chicago, lost in the first round of voting last month, Mr. Adams said he did not view her loss as a warning sign for himself. “Both Mayor Adams and Mayor-elect Johnson ran campaigns that prioritized safety and justice, and were supported by large Black electorates,” Mr. Thies said in a statement.

☆ Democrats choose Chicago, a target of years of GOP attacks about crime, for 2024 convention
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

With Chicago, Democrats chose a 2024 convention site that signals the significance of the Midwest. But the city has also been at the center of Democrats' weakest spot with voters: crime. Crime was a defining issue of the city's latest mayoral election that upended the city's Democratic leadership. And Republicans have long hammered the city's crime rates to put Democrats on the defensive. "Chicago is a vibrant, metropolitan city with neighborhoods that reflect the diversity of America," said Natalie Edelstein, a spokesperson for the city's convention bid.

☆ Chicago, the Second Tough-on-Crime City?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( William A. Galston | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Democrats who still deny the political potency of crime should take a hard look at the race for mayor of Chicago. The incumbent, Lori Lightfoot , mishandled the issue so badly that her re-election bid collapsed in the first round of voting. Mr. Johnson, an unabashed progressive, is a former social-studies teacher and organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union. Mr. Vallas has made a crackdown on crime the centerpiece of his campaign; Mr. Johnson once appeared to support reduced funding for police but now denies he ever did. Mr. Vallas is white and Mr. Johnson is black, which matters in a city whose long history of racial divisions has shaped disputes about law enforcement.

[1/2] Cook County commissioner and mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson campaigns a day ahead of the runoff election in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. April 3, 2023. REUTERS/Jim VondruskaCHICAGO, April 4 (Reuters) - Brandon Johnson was elected Chicago mayor on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, defeating Paul Vallas in a runoff between two Democrats to take over a city grappling with crime, an issue that dominated the race. Johnson, a 47-year-old Cook County Commissioner, becomes the 57th mayor of the third-largest U.S. city, after incumbent Lori Lightfoot was eliminated from the race in February. Vallas called for more police officers, while Johnson suggested more mental health support and opportunities for young people. Johnson, a former Chicago teacher and union organizer, says he will promote 200 new detectives from the existing pool of police officers.

☆ Chicago elects Brandon Johnson as next mayor
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsChicago elects Brandon Johnson as next mayorPostedBrandon Johnson was elected Chicago mayor on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, defeating Paul Vallas in a runoff between two Democrats to take over a city grappling with crime, an issue that dominated the race. This report produced by Freddie Joyner.

☆ Chicago Voters to Pick New Mayor as Crime Dominates Tight Race
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Joe Barrett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CHICAGO—Residents of the nation’s third-largest city are heading to the polls on what is expected to be a wet, gloomy Tuesday to decide a contentious mayoral race that has focused heavily on public safety. Polls show a tight race with a slight lead for Paul Vallas , a moderate former head of public schools in Chicago and other big cities, who is running against fellow Democrat Brandon Johnson , a progressive Cook County commissioner and organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union. Mr. Vallas was the top vote-getter in the first round of voting and Mr. Johnson came in second. Mayor Lori Lightfoot came in third in the February election and didn’t make the runoff.

☆ Brandon Johnson Defeats Paul Vallas to Become Chicago Mayor
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Joe Barrett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CHICAGO—Brandon Johnson, a Cook County Board commissioner with strong backing from the Chicago Teachers Union, pulled an upset victory over former schools chief Paul Vallas to become mayor of the nation’s third-largest city after a contentious race focused on public safety. Mr. Vallas had been ahead in recent polls and came in first in the initial round of voting in February. Mr. Johnson had come in second, squeezing out Mayor Lori Lightfoot , who came in third and didn’t make the runoff.

☆ Chicago Mayor Runoff Election Results
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

In the race to lead America’s third-largest city, Paul Vallas, a former public schools executive, is facing Brandon Johnson, a county commissioner and union organizer. The candidates come from opposite ideological ends of the Democratic Party, with Mr. Vallas calling for a crackdown on crime and Mr. Johnson seeking expanded social programs and new taxes. The incumbent, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, did not qualify for the runoff. Full results from the general election ›

☆ Chicago to elect new mayor as crime emerges as key issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

CHICAGO, April 4 (Reuters) - Crime is the central issue in Tuesday's mayoral runoff in Chicago, where voters are choosing between two candidates with contrasting approaches to public safety. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas calls for more cops; Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson calls for more mental health support and opportunities for young people. Johnson, a former Chicago teacher and union organizer, says he will promote 200 new detectives from the existing pool of police officers. A poll last week by Emerson College Polling, WGN-TV and The Hill showed Vallas leading Johnson by 5 points, with 13% undecided. Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Editing by Donna Bryson and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chicago mayoral election live results: Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas face off in runoff election
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas are facing off in the Chicago mayoral runoff election. The winning candidate will succeed Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was the third-place finisher in the initial Feb. 28 mayoral election behind Vallas and Johnson, respectively, missing her chance to compete in the runoff. Garcia came in fourth place in the February mayoral election; in 2015, he was also a mayoral candidate, forcing then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel into a runoff election, which he eventually lost. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Vallas raised $6.4 million in the lead-up to the initial February mayoral election and has raked in at least $10.9 million since March 1. Johnson raised nearly $4 million before the February election and has taken in at least $5.8 million since March 1.

☆ Chicago May Elect a Sensible Mayor
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Democratic mayors have run Chicago exclusively since 1931. That streak will continue no matter who wins the runoff election on April 4 because the candidates, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson , are both Democrats. Mr. Vallas is a white moderate backed by the police union. Mr. Johnson is a black progressive backed by the teachers union. Mr. Johnson opposes the creation of additional charter schools and has called for cutting the police budget.

CHICAGO — Former Rep. Bobby Rush, a longtime African American leader in Illinois, plans to throw his support behind Paul Vallas in the mayor’s race, providing Vallas a potential boost among Black voters heading into next month’s election. The endorsement announcement, first shared with NBC News by Vallas’ campaign, is expected Tuesday morning. Rush plans to offer his backing at an event on the city’s South Side that will include an anti-violence march, according to a spokeswoman for the Vallas campaign. Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas speaks during a press conference at his campaign headquarters on Feb. 3, 2023 in Chicago. Al Sharpton, who’s a host on MSNBC, is set to hold a large get-out-the-vote rally at a church whose pastor has backed Johnson.

☆ Chicago Mayoral Candidates Vie for Key Hispanic Voters in Runoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Joe Barrett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chicago mayoral candidates Paul Vallas, left, and Brandon Johnson this month aimed to make clear with voters what sets them apart. CHICAGO—The two candidates competing to become mayor of the nation’s third-largest city are courting Hispanic voters, who make up roughly 30% of the population and could decide next month’s election. Paul Vallas , a former schools chief and moderate Democrat, has strong backing among white voters, while Brandon Johnson, a progressive Cook County commissioner, is working to solidify his support among Black voters. The crucial question is which candidate can expand his base to win the April 4 runoff.

Trump has said he would stay in the race if he is indicted. Trump, meanwhile, is making a forward-looking pitch to voters, NBC News’ Allan Smith and Jonathan Allen report. And the Washington Post reports Friday that prosecutors investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot have obtained a report commissioned by Trump’s campaign that undercut his falsehoods about the election. Santos mulls re-election: New York GOP Rep. George Santos told the Associated Press he is a “maybe” on running for re-election. Sparks fly in the Windy city: Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., endorsed Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson in Chicago’s mayoral race on Thursday.

☆ Why Lori Lightfoot Became the First Chicago Mayor to Lose in 40 Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Joe Barrett | Ben Kesling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CHICAGO— Lori Lightfoot , weighed down by fights with the powerful teachers and police unions and a pandemic surge in crime, couldn’t make a runoff election in the city where she won all 50 wards four years ago to become mayor. Ms. Lightfoot came in third in Tuesday’s election. Former public-schools chief Paul Vallas and Cook County Board member Brandon Johnson were the top two vote-getters and will face off in the April 4 runoff. U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia came in fourth in the field of nine.

☆ Why Lori Lightfoot Is the First Chicago Mayor to Lose Re-Election in 40 Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Joe Barrett | Ben Kesling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Chicago Mayoral Election Pits Paul Vallas Against Brandon Johnson
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Ben Kesling | Joe Barrett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas says public safety is a civil right. CHICAGO—Voters awoke Wednesday to a choice in the coming mayoral runoff between a moderate Democrat who promises to be tough on crime and a progressive who pledges to tackle inequity in the city. Paul Vallas , who once worked for Mayor Richard M. Daley and is supported by the police union, and Brandon Johnson , a former teachers-union organizer, were the top vote-getters in a nine-person field Tuesday, knocking incumbent Lori Lightfoot out of the April 4 runoff.

☆ Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Fails in Re-Election Bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ben Kesling | Joe Barrett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaking at a rally on Tuesday. CHICAGO—Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid by failing to garner enough votes to make a runoff election, a stunning fall for a candidate who had won all 50 of the city’s wards four years ago but had sparred with a powerful teachers union and been under fire for her response to rising crime. The Associated Press declared Tuesday night that Paul Vallas , a more moderate Democrat who had won the support of the city’s police union, and Brandon Johnson , a liberal teachers union organizer, secured the two spots in April’s runoff election.

☆ Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Fails in Re-Election Bid Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ben Kesling | Joe Barrett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CHICAGO—Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid by failing to garner enough votes to make a runoff election, a stunning fall for a candidate who had won all 50 of the city’s wards four years ago but had sparred with a powerful teacher’s union and been under fire for her response to rising crime. The Associated Press declared Tuesday night that Paul Vallas , a more moderate Democrat who had won the support of the city’s police union, and Brandon Johnson , a liberal teacher’s union organizer, secured the two spots in April’s runoff election.

☆ Crime tops Chicago voters' concerns in mayoral election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks to children after a press event ahead of expected Thanksgiving travel at O'Hare airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., November 21, 2022. The Chicago race is technically nonpartisan, but every candidate identifies as a Democrat in the heavily left-leaning city. There were more than 800 murders in Chicago in 2021, the most in a quarter-century. Garcia, considered a liberal member of Congress, has said he would increase the number of officers on patrol and fund more community-based anti-violence programs. Reporting by Joseph Ax Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

CHICAGO—Some business leaders concerned about crime and corporate departures say they don’t think Mayor Lori Lightfoot is up to the task and are coalescing around one of her eight challengers, Paul Vallas , ahead of the city’s Feb. 28 election. Mr. Vallas, a former Chicago public schools chief and past city budget director, has received enough campaign contributions from law firm partners, investment executives and others to run a competitive campaign.

☆ Lori Lightfoot's campaign investigated for trying to recruit Chicago public school students to help her win
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

CHICAGO — An explosive revelation is shaking up an already competitive mayor’s race here after incumbent Lori Lightfoot’s campaign sent an email to Chicago public school teachers — in a system she oversees — asking them to recruit students to volunteer on her campaign for school credit. Now, the Chicago Public Schools inspector general is investigating the matter, critics are calling for more extensive inquiries and her opponents are piling on. “CPS OIG has opened an investigation into this matter and we are currently gathering information to determine which, if any, policies have been violated,” the Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General confirmed to NBC News Thursday. The probe comes after a deputy campaign manager sent an email to public school teachers — over government email — asking them to recruit students to volunteer for Lightfoot’s campaign in an “externship program” where students could earn class credit. As mayor, Lightfoot directly oversees Chicago schools, appointing the superintendent and members of the board of education.

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