* Remember back in February when Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) was caught on tape bragging that filing legislation to kick Chicago out of Illinois would do this?…
You find out sometimes when… you’re being a legislator that sometimes you can introduce a bill, then you get some attention.
Well, he’s getting plenty of attention now…
* Illinois House Republican Sues Pritzker Over Emergency Powers
* State lawmaker files lawsuit challenging Pritzker’s stay-at-home order
* Lawmaker sues Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleges improper use of emergency powers
* Lawmaker Sues Over Illinois Governor’s Stay-At-Home Extension
* Representative Darren Bailey: ”When the expansion was issued, I believed that was an abuse of power”
* Southern IL lawmaker files lawsuit against Gov. Pritzker
* Downstate Republican sues Pritzker over stay-at-home order — but president could prove governor’s trump card
* On to Molly Parker at the Southern Illinoisan…
The Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday will consider a proposal that would extend city permission to retail establishments to open to in-store customers. Doing so would be in direct opposition to the stay-at-home order that Gov. J.B. Pritzker extended to May 30.
“That’s a pretty bold statement, isn’t it,” said Harrisburg Mayor John McPeek, who called for the meeting.
Harrisburg is in Saline County. Gov. Pritzker was asked about this yesterday…
That would be a violation of the stay at home rule and there, certainly I have enforcement mechanisms available to me but I would look forward to not having to do that.
* Douglas County Sheriff Joshua Blackwell claims he won’t enforce the May 1 stay at home order…
When asked by The News-Gazette whether he himself would cover his face while in a public indoor space come May 1, he said “no” and further questioned the constitutionality of Pritzker’s order.
“Enough is enough,” Blackwell, who was elected sheriff in 2018 after winning a four-way Republican primary, wrote in his letter. “Downstate Illinois doesn’t have the same issues as Chicago. Mr. Pritzker and (Chicago Mayor) Ms. (Lori) Lightfoot can keep their liberal selves and agenda in the city of Chicago.”
Blackwell went on to add that he would not “be enforcing any of (the order) unless there is a court order issued.”
While it was a question about enforcement that prompted Pritzker’s response Friday, the governor said a day earlier that “we’re not encouraging police officers to stop people and arrest them or take drastic action” if found in violation of the mandate that masks be worn in all indoor public places and any other public place where 6-foot social distancing isn’t possible.
Pritzker’s response from yesterday…
Well, I can say that, then the sheriff is going to let people get sick and they’re going to be people who end up in the hospital and maybe even people in ICU and on ventilators. So, I feel badly for the people of that county that they have somebody who doesn’t recognize that this is a worldwide and very virulent virus, that is, you know, has is among us, it’s not going away. And we’re going to have to follow the rules in order for us to get through this and keep people alive and reopen our economy. […]
People, whether your Sheriff is enforcing it or not, you know what you need to do to keep yourself safe. We’ve laid it all out you can go to the IDPH website and read all about you know why you should wear a face covering and why it is important that you stay home and that we’ve only kept a central businesses open, plus the other ones that we’ve added on for May. So I think I would just encourage the people of that county to protect themselves
* Back to the Southern…
In Southern Illinois, Energy Police Chief Shawn Ladd and Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard made similar public declarations on Friday, both claiming that they believe the orders are unconstitutional. Ladd said he believes in the rule of law and order and its obligation to protect the peace, and the lives of people and property, but said officers are also “honor bound to protect the people we serve from tyranny and government overreach in pursuit of these goals.”
Bullard said that he believes the health guidance is important, but said it’s important to respect the opinions of others. He said that if a person or private business believes they should follow the public health order because they believe that’s what’s best for them, that should be respected.
“On the flip side, if someone who poses no imminent threat to anyone and they choose to exercise their freedom of choice to only follow some or none of the public health order, that should also be respected,” he said in a roughly nine-minute Facebook video post. “Remember, if you harass someone because they don’t share your belief system, that is a crime, and that’s something my office will respond to.” […]
Bullard did not address one of the key purposes of the stay-at-home order: that people who do not know they have the virus or experience only mild symptoms can pass it on to others who are more severely affected, possibly resulting in their death.
Go to Molly’s story for links to the full statements.
