A bombshell lawsuit filed in Cook County Chancery Court is accusing the office of Gov. JB Pritzker of stonewalling and concealing key communications with Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, in what plaintiffs say is a blatant violation of the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
The complaint, filed April 13 by Metric Media LLC, the parent company of Prairie State Wire, and the Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy (COGS), alleges the governor’s office “wrongfully” withheld records and is now asking the court to force their release.
At the heart of the legal battle is a sweeping February 25 records request from Prairie State Wire for “all records of communications between, to, from, or including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, and/or the Deputy Comptroller(s) under Comptroller Mendoza, from February 16, 2026 through the date this request is processed.”
The request cast a wide net, covering emails, text messages and communications sent on government-owned personal devices “if used for public business.”
But according to the lawsuit, the governor’s office delayed, deflected and ultimately delivered nothing.
“Defendant ultimately partially replied on March 30, 2026 including no records,” the complaint states.
Plaintiffs say the empty response was not just inadequate, but deeply suspect, adding it “did not include complete copies of the requested documents.”
The lawsuit claims there is clear evidence the records exist, just not in the governor’s response.
“It is with certainty that some records exist. For example, the Comptroller’s office produced some of the records requested,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit comes as Pritzker is locked in a reelection campaign against GOP challenger Darren Bailey.
Meanwhile, WGN-TV noted that Pritzker’s recent efforts to raise his national profile and engage with key Democratic groups alongside other potential contenders have fueled speculation about a possible 2028 presidential run.
The lawsuit asserts the governor’s actions were not just negligent, but a deliberate attempt to evade public scrutiny in order to further his political future.
“The violations of Illinois FOIA are alarming while Governor Pritzker blatantly ignores his obligations to the people of Illinois while trying to position himself as a national candidate for the presidency,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs argue the stakes go far beyond paperwork, warning that the public is being left in the dark.
“The Plaintiffs and the public – in Illinois and elsewhere – have a right to this information, regardless if it risks the Governor’s political aspirations,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit accuses the governor’s office of failing to properly look for the communications sought by Prairie State Wire.
“Defendant did not perform a reasonable search for responsive records under the circumstances,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs claim the governor’s office engaged in a pattern of noncompliance with applicable FOIA laws.
“Defendant did not construe the Request liberally and search those places that are ‘reasonably likely to contain responsive records,’” the filing alleges. “Although it is the defendant’s burden to demonstrate that it has thoroughly searched for the requested documents where they might reasonably be found, Defendant cannot meet its burden in this case because it did not perform a reasonable search as defined in Illinois law.”
The complaint highlights procedural failures and allegations of intentional secrecy, claiming the administration issued “only a limited or cursory reply” amounting to “willfully and wantonly withholding public information.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order forcing immediate disclosure of the records, civil penalties for alleged willful violations and an injunction to stop any further withholding of public information.
A hearing is set for June 12, 2026, before Judge Myron Mackoff in Cook County Circuit Court. The governor’s office has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.
The case is filed under number 2026CH03464.
The plaintiffs are represented by Edward “Coach” Weinhaus of Saint Louis, Mo.-based LegalSolved, LLC’s FOIASolved division and Adam Florek of New York City-based Florek Law, LLC.
