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Five Eastern Bloc members refusing to wear masks on House floor

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* Press release…

With the indoor mask mandate set to expire at the end of the month State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) along with State Representatives Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City); and Chris Miller (R-Oakland) ditched their masks on the House floor and issued the following statement.

“Today we entered the House chambers without a mask. So long as school districts continue to defy the courts and force the unwanted and unnecessary covering of the faces of children in schools, we will no longer comply with the mask theater that takes place here.

It’s over. It’s gone on long enough.”

As I write this at 1:14 pm, the super-majority House Democrats have not yet ejected any of the maskless members from the chamber. No word back yet from Speaker Welch’s office on what the plan is.

…Adding… Rep. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago) just rose to ask that the recalcitrant members be removed from the chamber. The Republicans then asked for a caucus. The Democrats called up the agreed resolutions and appear to be planning to adjourn for the day. No word back from the House GOP Leader’s office, either.

…Adding… The House has adjourned until tomorrow. Rep. Wilhour earlier attempted to read a statement after he was admonished for not following the rules, but he hadn’t been recognized to speak and his microphone was shut off.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:15 pm

Comments

Someone please publish the death rates per 100,000 in their districts compared to the State average.

Comment by JLW Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:17 pm
Niemberg should not be on the healthcare availability and accessibility if he thinks that masks don’t work.

Comment by Lake Villa Township Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:20 pm
Petulant children with money and power.

Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:20 pm
-with the mask theater that takes place here-

Translation: the masks smudge our clown makeup.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:21 pm
“Sargeant at Arms, please escort the honorable members without a mask from the chamber.”

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:22 pm
I just don’t understand why they would be so disrespectful and dangerous to their colleagues. Who are they hurting by helping to keep people they work with healthy and safe? Their statement is a joke.

Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:23 pm
Since it’s a state order vacated, I don’t think “School districts continue…” has much to stand on, but otherwise it has gone on long enough. Channeling Yascha Mounk’s Open Everything has real merit as Mounk’s Cancel Everything did in March 2020.

Comment by Blake Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:25 pm
=== It’s over. It’s gone on long enough. ===

Who knew it was as simple as declaring a pandemic over?

I’m going to try one.

Climate change is over …

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:26 pm
==Today we entered the House chambers without a mask.==

This is what passes for courage in today’s republican party. They’ll also be wearing those Big Johnson T-shirts from the 90s.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:29 pm
It is over. 80,000 crammed into the super bowl with no masks. The mask mandate is all Pritzker politics now. Overplayed hand

Comment by Watchful eye. Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:29 pm
It’s over when it’s endemic

Comment by Blake Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:29 pm
= super bowl with no masks =

I see you forgot to mention the vaccination and test requirements needed for admission to the super bowl.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:33 pm
=It’s over. It’s gone on long enough.=

The 2020 election is over and Joe Biden is the legitimately elected president.

That’s all they have to say.

= The mask mandate is all Pritzker politics now. Overplayed hand=

For the fact challenged, the individual that made this political is donald trump.

Try to keep up.

I wonder how many of those that dies wouldn’t have died if our then, man child, president would have said wear a mask and get vaccinated?

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:37 pm
Illinois has been vindicated in keeping its mask mandate as cases rose throughout the winter throughout the country, masks should remain mandatory in schools until children under 5 can be vaccinated.

Comment by Lake Villa Township Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:39 pm
Petulant children running amok and selfishly gumming up the works to purposefully halt the legislative process. Whatever ‘time out’ looks like for these brats is what the Speaker should do.

Comment by LoyalVirus Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:40 pm
I’ve always known that there’s some politicians who aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed, but I never thought we’d reach the point where my seven year old grandson is both smarter and more mature than representatives from the Eastern Bloc.

Comment by DirtLawyer Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:46 pm
Rich, you listed 5 members, yet your headline says 4.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:47 pm
Thanks, Louis. Changed.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:48 pm
Welcome to the World of Tom DeVore and the Anti-Mask Puppets.
They have no boundaries or shame. These groups have been busy all weekend soliciting parents to unmask their children. Stand up against tyranny and the tyrant Governor. DeVore has put new join the case forms online that our flooding his computer servers. Everyone is asking for your credit card number too.

What does the House do. Turn off the microphone and adjourn. If that’s all they pushback these anti-mask people are going to get. They might as well just take over.

Comment by Club J Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:50 pm
Shutting down the House… to own the libs?

Is that how this works?

I mean, Wilhour didn’t even get to read his propaganda…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:50 pm
The only people in that building not required to be tested in that building are the elected officials.

Comment by Watchful eye. Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 1:52 pm
These Eastern Bloc members act like this is the Superbowl in California where celebrities can get away without masking up. I thought they were better than that.

Comment by Steve Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:05 pm
-Super Bowl-

Invisible Man, and you should know that masks were still required by LA county, including the SB. This is a classic case of do as I say and not as I do by people who are otherwise pro mask/vax.

Comment by Mickey’s Mantle Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:09 pm
“…his microphone was shut off.” Best way to deal with folks like this. If you want a chance to talk like an adult, start acting like one. If you don’t want to act like one, then sit there and be quiet, Blaine.

Comment by Fixer Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:14 pm
been said before, Eastern blockheads

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:17 pm
So far none of the House committee hearings scheduled for 2 pm have started. Anyone know if the adjournment for the day because of the mask tantrum by these five has impacted all of the hearings scheduled for today?

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:21 pm
That sums up the Eastern Bloc for me.

Comment by Glengarry Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:33 pm
This is just a further distraction from the fact these five have no interest in addressing pressing bread and butter issues like poverty and addiction in their districts. They just offer bread and circuses while meaningful economic development continues to pass this “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” region by.

Comment by Zim Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:35 pm
= Invisible Man, and you should know that masks were still required by LA county, including the SB. =

The county gave everyone who attended KN95 masks, and required proof of vaccination and negative test results prior to entrance.

Let me know when the LA county law enforcement starts doing their job. The LA county health department did theirs.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 2:56 pm
“The only people in that building not required to be tested in that building are the elected officials.”

Senators are required to be tested.

Comment by wildcat12 Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:02 pm
=== It is over. 80,000 crammed into the super bowl with no masks. The mask mandate is all Pritzker politics now. Overplayed hand===

“All attendees will be given a KN95 mask upon entry to the Super Bowl and attendees ages 5 and up must either show proof of full vaccination or a negative test up to 48 hours before a game — and if a fan is not vaccinated but has a negative test, it must be from a lab or official clinic with at-home tests not accepted.”

Keep up.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:08 pm
===80,000 crammed into the super bowl ===

That’s not an indoor venue, bub. This is no longer 2020. We have a better idea how the virus spreads. Keep up.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:09 pm
Wonder what these guys will do when the pandemic really is over? They won’t have anything to throw a crybaby fit about anymore. I guess there’s always stolen elections.

Comment by MoralMinority Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:22 pm
==Wonder what these guys will do when the pandemic really is over? They won’t have anything to throw a crybaby fit about anymore.==

If there’s one thing you can count on the ILGOP for, it’s that they’ll find something to transfer their perpetual victimhood to.

Comment by Fixer Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:30 pm
== So far none of the House committee hearings scheduled for 2 pm have started….==
Wondering the same thing or did I just miss them in the chaos?

Comment by DownSouth Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:35 pm
Caulkins mugged it up in a ribbon cutting picture recently with a Decatur City Councilman, the leader of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce and, unbelievably ,the Vice President of the Decatur and Macon County Board of Health. All maskless. Welcome to Decatur and Macon County nowadays.

Comment by Imagine That Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 3:45 pm
The Legislators mentioned are flat earther goofballs screaming at clouds. It would be difficult to be less relevant than these intellectual lightweights.

That said, this is why the left showing up at events in the City unmasked and smiling for photos (with everyone behind them unmasked) is problematic.

Comment by Say What? Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 4:04 pm
=== Let me know when the LA county law enforcement starts doing their job. The LA county health department did theirs.===

Exactly. The COVID opinions of the LA County Sheriff aren’t exactly unknown.

Comment by DirtLawyer Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 4:22 pm
Close to 1,000,000 dead, yet they continue to deny what’s happened and why.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 5:20 pm
Honestly, in 2022, wearing a mask as a legislator should absolutely be optional. The issue has evolved and it’s time to move on.

Comment by CubsFan16 Tuesday, Feb 15, 22 @ 6:48 pm
=Honestly=

Using that word doesn’t help your non-argument.

Comment by The Velvet Frog Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 8:22 am