On August 18, a U.S. District Court in Illinois issued a five-page opinion in Whitney v Window to the World Communcations, Inc., n.d., 10C-7003. The case was filed by the Green Party in 2010, after WTTW-11 sponsored a gubernatorial debate and invited only the Democratic and Republican nominees. The decision dismisses the case on the grounds that the defendant, a public broadcasting station, is neither owned by the government, nor was it acting as an arm of the government. The defendant is a non-profit corporation.

Footnote two of the decision says that the Court would be disinclined to force Richard Whitney or the Green Party to pay attorneys’ fees to the defendants. During the litigation, the station had threatened to seek attorneys fees if the case were not dismissed. Thanks to Phil Huckelberry for this news.