A tearful Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) on Monday portrayed herself as the victim of a political and media “persecution” and questioned why she and her family are being dragged “through the mud.”

“They’re running a story about me or my family. Why? When you all got bigger fish that you say nothing about? Why am I being drug through the mud?” Austin said.

Chicago might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of the movie and TV industries. But in recent years, the city has become a major player in attracting productions of all shapes and sizes.

Now, an extension of the state’s film tax credit by Gov. J.B. Pritzker aims to cement the industry’s local foothold by continuing to provide incentives for film companies who shoot locally.

Officials from Cook County and Chicago have been trading barbs lately on a topic that is important to both public safety and racial justice: bail reform. Who should have to pay bail to get out of jail? How much should they have to pay? Who should be held behind bars, while they await their trial, no matter how much cash they can put up?

Most of the debate isn’t about the most serious crimes, like murder, or the smallest crimes, like retail theft. It’s about gun possession crimes and whether those caught illegally carrying a gun should be held until trial or allowed to go home.