Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Bailey event draws local health department scrutiny

Posted in:

Illinois

By 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, almost 100 area residents had arrived at The Stables on the edge of Kewanee for a meet-and-greet event with Illinois State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), who recently announced a bid to run for governor. […]

“I feel very strongly that he’s a devout Christian and he could do some good. He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well, because he wants to make a difference,” [the spouse of the Kewanee mayor, Jeanna Moore] said.

The relationship forged early on between Bailey and the Moores has led to a position within Bailey’s campaign for Jeanna. The Kewanee couple not only hosted the meet and greet event in Kewanee, but Jeanna is acting as campaign coordinator for the Henry County area. Her future plans include a possible fundraiser for Bailey sometime this summer. […]

“It’s really busy right now,” said Bailey, after arriving at the event. “I’m taking advantage of the weekends. There’s a lot of people that want to meet with me,” he said, peering out at the maskless crowd that had assembled to do just that. “I want to listen to the concerns and ideas of the people across Illinois.”

Kewanee wasn’t even Bailey’s last stop for the night, he said. He was scheduled for an event in Moline later before heading back home for church on Sunday and back to Chicago on Monday.

Photo of the event’s buffet from the story…

* Kewanee Star-Courier today…

Henry County health officials say a political event held locally over the weekend likely violated the state’s rules for large gatherings.

“The (county) Office of Emergency Management has been informed about the event and they will be fielding and addressing any complaints,” said Health Department Spokeswoman RaeAnn Tucker-Marshall following a Star Courier inquiry Monday.

The Saturday meet-and-greet for Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey attracted around 100 people to The Stables banquet center just outside Kewanee.

But according to health officials, that’s about 50 more than were supposed to be gathering in a confined space under the current Phase 4 mitigation regulations. The health department also noted issues with the food service setup, the rules which require hand-sanitizers at each end of the service table — none of which are evident in a photo that ran with the story. Only the food service workers at the event, from The Station restaurant, were required to wear masks. […]

Bailey’s local campaign chairman Jeanna Moore accused the Star Courier Monday of purposefully running the photograph of the buffet in an effort to draw the attention of health officials, an accusation the newspaper denies.

Yeah, it’s a bonafide conspiracy, I tell ‘ya. Real deep state stuff right there propagated by the fake news, for sure.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:25 pm

Comments

” He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well”

Boy, am I ever going to need a citation for this one.

Comment by Roadrager Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:32 pm
Does Bailey want press or not?

I know I can’t help it if Bailey is a bona fide health hazard.

That’s Baileys’s schtick, being a health hazard, Bailey should embrace his movement, a movement of possible illness and health hazardly repute.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:34 pm
“devout Christian”

Yeah, sure. If you say so. Your bible must be different than the I used to have before becoming an atheist.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:35 pm
As I put my tin hat on, I bet he sent the picture and called health department. Wants to be given a ticket so he can be a martyr. But maybe I have seen too many aldermen throw bricks through their own windows for a little press. And sure he has Democratic support what Democratic would not want him running against Pritzger?

Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:36 pm
He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well, ===

I’m sure there’s a Dem somewhere who’ll vote for him, if that’s what she meant. Glad I was not drinking coffee when I read this.

Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:37 pm
I’d be hard pressed to find any Dem that didn’t want Bailey as the nominee.

That logic computes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:39 pm
I may pull a republican’t ballot just to vote against beetle.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:41 pm
This is Darren Bailey’s idea of “protesting” Covid-19 and our response to it. He welcomes the scrutiny. Bailey doesn’t just doubt the science, he has utter contempt for it. The bigger question is do his actions speak for the ILGOP as a whole?

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:41 pm
It might get a bit awkward for Bailey if he’s the eventual nominee and keeps up the “devout Christian” spiel running against Pritzker?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:44 pm
- Pundent - Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:41 pm:

Yes.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:44 pm
Darren, what is it about rules and mitigation that you fail to understand. Blatant disregard of science is not an attribute for one who chooses to run for the office of Governor.

Your actions expose so many residents to known health consequences. Inexcusable and irresponsible.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:46 pm
This is depressing, but not for the headline reason.

We’ve spent the past 12 months training everyone to basically ignore their local health departments. To make matters worse, some of those county health departments have been the source of this this type of behavior - directly authorizing a buffet during out spike last winter.

I don’t know how we come back from this without completely dismantling local health departments, and making them a state agency similar to a DMV office.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:48 pm
The only bad publicity is no publicity? Does he get any other kind?

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:55 pm
“He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well”

I agree, I think every Democrat in Illinois wants Bailey to win the Republican nomination.

Comment by Steve Rogers Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:57 pm
”He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well”
Those kind of Democrats became Dixiecrats before they became Republicans.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 2:59 pm
-He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well-

Frankenstein’s monster also had a good following from the villagers.

Also, don’t complain about the coverage of your event when they take a picture of what actually happened at your event.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:08 pm
==He’s got a good following with the Democratic Party as well==

Following, sure…to see what he does next, say to friends “Can you believe this guy?” and avoid places where he has COVID spreading parties.

Supporting, not so much.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:12 pm
How unseemingly for the drive-by media to post a buffet table pix… probably photo shopped. Gomer should be happy he cracked the Kewanee Star Courier

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:18 pm
===I may pull a republican’t ballot just to vote against beetle.===

See, I may pull one to vote *for* beetle…

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:23 pm
He’ll be a big hit in Moline.

Comment by flea Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:27 pm
The worst legislator in the state is trying to be governor. How scary.

Comment by Glengarry Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:30 pm
Love to see the “if they just complied” candidate completely ignoring state and public health rules.

Comment by wildcat12 Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:34 pm
What a piece of work.

Comment by Just Peachy Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 3:39 pm
I am sure he thinks he is a “law and order” guy too. As he flouts the law and common sense.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 4:03 pm
===devout Christian===

All four branches of my family came to these shores to get away from people like that. Three branches, these shores were the second place they came to get away from people like that.

Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 4:28 pm
The man is a joke, but his follows keep believing his lies. Bailey for governor? I don’t think so since you have to take an oath to follow the law.

Comment by M Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 4:33 pm
what on earth is he doing in chicago?

Comment by blue line Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 4:44 pm
It’s not every day that a candidate for Governor complains about the fact that the media covered one of their public events.

Comment by Dan K. Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 4:57 pm
Is this the same man who talked about compliance a mere two weeks ago in reference to the death of a twelve year old child? I know it can’t be the same man.

Comment by Sasha Fierce Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 6:34 pm
In agreement with OW about Bailey being a health hazard; both to physical and mental health; that level of denial is unhealthy.

Comment by thisjustinagain Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 7:33 pm