Another city councilman turns TV pitchman

And you thought Bill Spears was the only Peoria councilman whose face keeps showing up on television commercials these days.

Fifth District councilman Pat Nichting filmed a commercial urging the state legislature to protect small businesses from lawsuits. It's a campaign by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform to oppose what they say is an anti-business climate caused by frivolous lawsuits. Councilman Nichting is identified only as a small business owner (when he's not representing the Fifth District, he's the owner of Panco Food Service Equipment Corp.). Councilman Spears, as you might have heard on some blog, represents the 4th District and is running against State Rep. Aaron Schock.

I'm not sure I agree that the situation is as dire as this scare ad suggests. I'd like to see a list of small businesses that have closed up shop because someone sued them. And then I'd like to see the court records to see whether these suits were justified. Newspapers are filled with stories of unethical and crooked businesses who went out of business because of lawsuits. This is a GOOD thing.

I imagine Councilman Nichting and the others would just like to see their liability insurance rates go down.

Note: If they were to take a vote, Councilman Nichting would be elected "council member least likely to speak directly into the microphone." Thankfully, the people who filmed this commercial got his voice recorded just fine. I imagine there were many, many takes.

Hat tip to Curt D. Mercadante, who notes that this spot is playing in "southern Illinois," which could mean the anything south of Interstate 80, or the southern tip of the state.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.