Chicago City Wire

Steve Cortes, President of the League of American Workers, attributed the perpetuation of the Russia collusion narrative during the 2016 presidential election to corporate media. This statement was made on X.

"The Russia Collusion hoax only took flight because of a totally beholden, corrupt, compliant corporate media," said Cortes. "As usual, @MZHemingway is spot-on."

According to a 2024 Northwestern University Medill survey, trust in local journalism across Illinois has demonstrated greater resilience compared to national media. The survey found that 53% of Chicago-area residents trust local news to "get things right," whereas only 41% express similar confidence in national outlets. Despite this trust, there are concerns about declining newsroom staffing and the erosion of print journalism, which may threaten investigative reporting crucial for contentious political stories.

A January 2024 report by the Illinois Local Journalism Task Force, utilizing Medill data, highlighted that approximately one-third of Illinois counties operate without any local news outlet or with just a single source. Since 2005, journalism jobs at Illinois newspapers have decreased by 86%, with over 33 counties relying on only one local news provider. These developments contribute to expanding news deserts and strain public trust in underserved areas.

Cortes is also known as the founder and president of the League of American Workers, an organization advocating for pro-worker, patriotic populism focused on national sovereignty and populist economics. He previously served as a senior advisor and spokesperson for Donald Trump’s campaigns in both 2016 and 2020 and has been featured as a commentator on networks such as CNBC, Fox News, and CNN. A former hedge fund trader, Cortes is an alumnus of Georgetown University.