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* Ope…
Full story is here.
* 2023 press release…
The IL Freedom Caucus today held a press conference to demand answers to some of the concerns Manteno residents have with a Chinese company building a battery plant in their community.
The Chinese company Gotion High-Tech Co. is in line for $ 7.5 billion in federal tax credits over five years, while the State of Illinois is kicking in an additional $536 million in subsidies to build the plant. The cost to build the plant is $2 billion and the subsidies add up to an astounding $3 million per job. […]
“We need to put our money where our mouth is on human rights, and we need to lead by example when it comes to China,” said State Representative Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City). “JB Pritzker signed a law divesting Illinois from Russia because of the war in Ukraine. If we are condemning Russia – how can we not have the same policies in regard to the CCP? We say we are for human rights but not only are we blindly doing business with a company whose corporate papers pledge loyalty to the CCP, but we are handing over millions in subsidies. And instead of a substantive thoughtful response from JB Pritzker – all we get is insults and hyperbole. Illinois deserves better. Manteno deserves better. We need to put the brakes on this project and return sanity to our state.”
* I reached out to the Illinois Freedom Caucus, and their response was provided by Rep. Blaine Wilhour himself…
Let me know when Donald Trump sends half a billion taxpayer dollars to a company that pledges allegiance to the Chinese communist party-like JB Pritzker did-then we will be concerned. I’m glad you’ve finally taken some interest in this important issue.
Dude, I’ve been writing about Gotion since the get-go, thank you very much. And, as far as I can tell, the allegation of CCP subservience has not been proved.
Also, it’s OK for the president to take a contribution from an alleged “company that pledges allegiance to the Chinese communist party” but it’s not OK for the state to help that company create jobs after it invests $1.9 billion into the plant? Please.
To be clear, I don’t care if Gotion gave money to the president’s inauguration committee. It’s fine by me. But I’m not in the club complaining about Gotion for months on end.
* By the way, Gotion is represented by the Mercury lobbying outfit. President Trump’s former campaign manager and current chief of staff Susie Wiles was until recently the co-chair of the Mercury lobbying group. Mercury lobbies for Gotion in both DC and Illinois.
I sent follow-up questions to Rep. Wilhour about whether President Trump should return the contribution to the alleged commie company and what his reaction was to Mercury’s relationship with Gotion, but for some odd reason I never heard back.
Huh.
Blaine, if you’re gonna run for governor, you gotta up your game. You can’t hide for the next 18 months.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 9:12 am
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I’m just glad to hear a republican admit that there might be a point at which they might consider becoming concerned about President Trump’s trade policy. Inadvertently gutsy move there by Rep. Wilhour.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 9:21 am
- you gotta up your game. -
That would require having any game to start with. This reminds me of every guy I went to high school with who loves Trump but changes the subject any time you point out his hypocrisies.
It’s not even worth talking to them at this point.
Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 9:26 am
I’m assuming that Rep Wilhour wants the Wally World Supercenter, located down the road, to close with all of the concern
about human rights!
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 9:45 am
Excellent headline. As they say, “there is always a video” or article that shows MAGA’s asymmetric hypocrisy.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 9:46 am
can AND will hide
why run for real when you can cosplay leadership
Comment by sewer thoughts Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:02 am
This is why I don’t take Republicans seriously. They are a running joke.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:03 am
Rich, I think a well deserved ‘bite me’ was in order.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:18 am
I’ve been thinking for some time Blaine is running for higher office. The Freedom Caucus members, and Darren Bailey, are pretty much interchangeable, but Blaine has better grammar, without the annoying accent.
Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:32 am
The Illinois GOP might be the only folks that watched John Hughes movies and decided they wanted to grow up to be like the antagonists.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:38 am
The only enjoyable part of Trumps hypocrisy is how it forces his supporters to twist themselves into pretzels to justify the painfully obvious contradictions
Comment by It's Just a Pill Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:39 am
==Blaine, if you’re gonna run for governor, you gotta up your game. You can’t hide for the next 18 months.==
Insert Usher meme.
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:39 am
Blaine running for Governor….oy.
Comment by James Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:41 am
Pretty weak rebuttal attack on Pritzker. Last I checked, Rep. Wilhour’s Dear Leader is letting a CCP-owned company (TikTok) continue to operate in violation of U.S. law.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:43 am
Politics aside, thank you for the link to the song, Rich. It really took me for a ride in the wayback machine…
Comment by low level Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:46 am
The fearless leader in Washington is the worst enemy for his loyal followers. Time to take your head out of the sand and realize the foolishness you are caught up in. Midterms will be defining.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:50 am
Blaine for Governor ???? What State? West Indiana?
Next on you call list should CommandoIves who has been im a total; lather for months over the Commie Invasion of Kankakee
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 10:56 am
I like the governor and I don’t know if he should run for reelection if he wants to be President but it has to be so darn tempting to run against anyone in the Illinois Republican Party that I think he might stand for reelection
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 11:11 am
Its sad that the once great and formidable Republican Party of Illinois has sunk this low. Zero ideas, zero common sense, zero chance of winning with the current “leadership”.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 11:20 am
=“We need to put our money where our mouth is on human rights, and we need to lead by example when it comes to China,”=
World Grand MAster Champion Gold Medal Self Own.
And the best part, he doesn’t even know it.
=The Illinois GOP might be the only folks that watched John Hughes movies and decided they wanted to grow up to be like the antagonists.=
His name IS Blaine so he kind of had to.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 11:33 am
Wilhour/Ives would make a great ticket to lead the Illinois GOP into the promised land of Indiana.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 11:55 am
Has anyone asked George Ryan to see what he thinks about Gotion coming to his backyard?
I can only imagine if a similar company was trying to build a factory somewhere in Kankakee County about 25 years ago, if George and friends (as opposed to Blaine) would have tried to get in on some of the “action.”
Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Apr 22, 25 @ 12:39 pm