Chicago Teachers Union sues Illinois Policy Institute for defamation

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has filed a defamation lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against the Illinois Policy Institute, the Liberty Justice Center, and Austin Berg, the nonprofit’s marketing vice president. The union alleges that the defendants have engaged in a “deliberate campaign” to damage its reputation through social media posts and articles that brand the organization as “toxic” and make false claims regarding its finances.

The lawsuit specifically targets allegations of fraud, dishonest accounting, and the misuse of funds. The CTU contends these claims strike at the integrity of the organization and its ability to represent its approximately 30,000 member-educators. The legal action follows a separate pending case in which the Liberty Justice Center and CTU members claimed the union failed to produce annual financial audit reports.

The CTU is a significant political entity in Chicago, having supported the election of Mayor Brandon Johnson. This legal dispute arrives ahead of upcoming school board elections in November.