Governor Pritzker Wants to Criminalize Lock-Down Opposition
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has filed an emergency rule to punish businesses that open to customers in defiance of his illegal lock-down orders. Violators could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which is a fine between $75 and $2,500.
Additionally, this emergency rule extends the governor’s emergency authority from 30 days to 150 days.
According to this online report by Amanda Vinicky, because “it’s classified as ’emergency’ in nature, the rule change took effect as soon as it was filed Friday.” State lawmakers sitting on the JCAR Committee will have to vote to reject the governor’s unilateral power grab. Without a tsunami of calls and emails, this order will be rubber stamped, possibly as soon as this Wednesday.
Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to the 12 members of the JCAR Committee asking them to reject this confiscation of power.
More ACTION: Please also call the following committee members and leave a similar message:
| Illinois Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) (773) 445-8128 or (217) 782-5145 |
Illinois Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) (309) 558-3612 or (217) 782-5970 |
| Illinois Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Hillside) (708) 632-4500 or (217) 782-8505 |
Illinois Rep. Fran Hurley (D-Chicago) (773) 445-8128 or (217) 782-8200 |
| Illinois Sen. Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) (773) 869-9050 or (217) 782-9415 |
Illinois Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) (815) 880-5340 or (217) 782-1717 |
| Illinois Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) (815) 220-8720 or (217) 782-3840 |
Illinois Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-Chicago) (773) 581-9250 or (217) 782-1702 |
| Illinois Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) (618) 684-1100 or (217) 782-8137 |
Illinois Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-North Aurora) (630) 345-3464 of (217) 782-1486 |
| Illinois Sen. John Curran (R-Lemont) (630) 914-5733 or (217) 782-9407 |
Illinois Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) (815) 561-3690 or (217) 782-0535 |
Background
State Representative John M. Cabello (R-Machesney Park) issued a press release publicly objecting to this rule change:
We have a dictator Governor who is weaponizing our Department of Public Health to treat our citizens like criminals. The pure irony lies in the fact that the Governor is doing this at the same time that he is commuting sentences for murderers and rapists. The greatest danger today from the COVID-19 is the alternative universe that is being created here in Illinois.
People are resisting because they view the Governor’s Restore Illinois plan, and his general approach to the COVID-19 health crisis, as a hodgepodge of arbitrary rules and restrictions placed on citizens and businesses by a hypocritical leader. Recall the news stories about the Governor’s wife traveling to Florida while the rest of us are being told to lockdown. Now we are hearing that the Governor’s family has been up in Wisconsin too. In another case of irony those two states have been easing their restrictions.
I think our Governor needs to look in the mirror when he starts to criticize the people of Illinois for their lack of compliance and confidence in his approach to the COVID-19. Telling a family of four who just drove in the same car to the boat dock that only two of them at a time can be on a boat is not only stupid, it is just one example of things that undermine confidence in the way the entire issue is being handled. Perhaps the Governor should travel to Florida with his family next time and get some advice from their Governor.
It is imperative that Illinois citizens speak up loudly about this new rule that not only punishes working families but grants untenable powers to the governor.
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