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* Governor JB Pritzker started off a morning news conference today with a speech condemning political violence. An excerpt…
Pritzker: Last week, as you all know, the assassination of Charlie Kirk added to that fear both about gun violence and about being killed for speaking your mind, this is a moment when Americans must come together and say clearly that threats and political violence are not the answer, because, well, we are now living in a moment when there’s an alarming trend in this Country.
It’s been going on for the last several years, the attempted assassination of President Trump, arson at Governor Josh Shapiro’s home, the murders of folks at the US Capitol on January 6, bomb threats against the Texas House Democrats when they were here in the Chicago area, plots to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer, bomb threats at both political parties’ headquarters, the assassinations of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the shootings of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Political violence has increased substantially against both Republicans and Democrats. Democracy is designed precisely to avoid political violence, and it’s now incumbent upon leaders of all stripes to work together to stop it, most especially this should come from the top.
Yet with each new crisis in recent years, we are reminded that we cannot rely on President Trump to tamp down the anger and the passion in the aftermath of political violence. Instead, he actively fans the flames of division, as he did on Friday, regularly advocates violence for political retribution, and in more than one case declares we are at war, not with a foreign adversary, but with each other.
I don’t believe any of that. Our people are not at war with one another. In these moments, real leaders offer words of solace and calm, except for one, every president in my lifetime has done this in the wake of political violence. They take action for positive change. They bring people together. They make Americans feel safe. They let them know violence is never the answer.
This is a watershed moment in our country. We can choose to stay silent and live in fear of more political violence, or we can choose to be loud for peace, for compassion and for an America where people settle their political differences through free speech and at the ballot box. Let’s be those people. That’s the path Illinois chooses, and I implore the president to do the same.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about his comments and the impeachment articles filed by Rep. Chris Miller, who claims the governor has incited violence…
Reporter: From your initial comments about Charlie Kirk and comments today, there was been some pushback from Republicans, some said they would like to file articles of impeachment… Some might even perceive these comments today as a ‘Sorry, but.’ You’re still blaming President Trump, and they’re going to say that this is not the appropriate time.
Pritzker: Anyone who is fomenting attacks, anyone who is saying things that, especially in this moment when we should have calm, when we should have someone at the top who is asking people to take a step back, anyone who’s doing that deserves criticism, and I think it’s incumbent upon me as the leader of this state, to tell people that we need to act with calm in this moment, that people need to act peacefully in this moment.
Reporter: You’ve called Republicans Nazis…
Pritzker: No, I have not. That is completely false. I have never called Republicans Nazis.
Reporter: I’m glad to clear that up because…
Pritzker: Well, that’s what they’d like to say. They’re lying. They’re lying.
Click here for his initial comments on Charlie Kirk. Background on the Nazi accusation is here and here. Please re-read them both.
* On President Trump sending the National Guard to Memphis instead of Chicago…
Reporter: What’s your level of confidence on whether the Guard won’t actually show up?
Pritzker: Well, I’m pleased that the President has said that he is not sending National Guard or military troops to Chicago. So we should all celebrate that comment of his. And I’m glad to hear it. On the other hand, as you’ve heard, the President says things one day and then goes back on them the next day, changes his mind from week to week. So we never really know what he intends to do. All I can say is that sending troops into any American city is a terrible idea. The law and the Constitution only allow it in the case of insurrection or a national emergency, and those are not taking place in any city across the United States,
Reporter: So, no updates…
Pritzker: Have not heard anything more than what the President said on Friday.
* On the Franklin Park ICE shooting…
Pritzker: We need more information. We’ve asked ICE for all of the information around it. They have given very little. I know that there is an ICE agent who was taken to the hospital. [I] don’t currently know that person’s condition, don’t exactly know what the injuries were, or for exactly from what. But it’s important for us to know that as well as what were the circumstances that were leading them to pursue this person in the way that they did. This is somebody who, as I understand, was on their way home, perhaps from dropping their children off at daycare. We don’t exactly know what all the circumstances were, so it’s hard for me to make comments about it, but the important thing is we should have transparency. Just like there’s frustration over people wearing masks and throwing people into vans in a way that does not seem American to me. It does not seem constitutional to me. We now see that ICE is unwilling to share the details of what has happened.
If this were the Chicago Police Department, if this were the sheriff’s office in Cook County, if this were Illinois State Police, you would have had a lot more information already released. But apparently, ICE is unwilling to provide the transparency that I think the American public and the public here deserves the over.
Reporter: [Asked if there will be an Illinois State Police investigation.]
Pritzker: Well, again, this is the federal government. We don’t have the ability to have state or local resources focused on investigating the federal law enforcement agencies. But again, this is the most unusual situation I’ve seen in my entire lifetime, where we have no transparency, and the federal government is not policing itself, even the offices of inspector generals are being dismantled under this administration, so we may never really know what the truth is.
* On Gov. Jim Edgar’s death…
Pritzker: I think many of you know Governor Edgar, have met him, or have seen him or experienced his leadership. I got to know him as I was running for governor and when I became governor, and he’s somebody who carried with him a dignity, an honor and an honesty that is worthy of praise and worthy of emulation. And so many, many times over the last seven years, I have reached out to him for advice, to seek his observations, to get ideas from him. He is somebody, he was a Republican, but he understood that that people in public service are trying to do what’s best for the state of Illinois. And so I had a very dear fondness for him, and I will miss him terribly. I got to honor him just recently in Springfield when we named a room at the library, Reading Room, which is very appropriate for him, and where he got to speak and hear many of us extol his virtues. And I’m very sorry for his family. I had the chance to speak with his family last night, and we’re going to do everything we can to help honor his legacy in this country and in this state.
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:34 am
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Gov. Pritzker was praised by many for talking not just about fascism generally but for invoking Nazi Europe and the Holocaust. It’s ridiculous to deny that now.
Comment by Torco Sign Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:42 am
Glad to know the governor never actually called Republican Nazis.
But I would kindly suggest that the easiest way to stop people from thinking you called them Nazis, is to stop dropping references to the Nazis, drawing parallels to Nazi actions, or outright using the word “Nazi” when discussing politicians, people, policies you disagree with.
Or just keep gaslighting.
You do you.
Comment by JB13 Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:43 am
“Pritzker: No, I have not. That is completely false. I have never called Republicans Nazis.
Reporter: I’m glad to clear that up because…”
Like I said earlier…
What was going to come after ‘the because?’
“Because I’m here to center republican talking points at all times no matter how ridiculous I sound?”
Hit dogs holler. I’d have more respect for JB if he told the truth on this one.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:46 am
He did not deny that he invoked the specter of the Nazis. But what he said very clearly is that the Nazis were able to destroy democracy in a remarkably short time. That is a historical fact. But that’s not remotely the same thing as calling Republicans Nazis. In fact, he very carefully has avoided that.
If you’re warning against authoritarianism and you see many of the same things playing out, you invoke the specter to warn against the consequences. Personally, I always thought Mussolini was the better historical parallel, and now that we see the president doing things that would have made the GOP go out of its mind in previous generations such as demanding a share of Intel and other companies as the price for either dropping tariffs or just allowing commerce, I think my Italian fascism reference was more accurate.
Comment by New Day Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:51 am
Republicans could always stop doing racist, authoritarian things if they don’t like being compared to Nazis. Pritzker is splitting hairs a bit with that “defense”, whatever.
Comment by Perrid Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:52 am
- is to stop dropping references to the Nazis, drawing parallels to Nazi actions, or outright using the word “Nazi” when discussing politicians, people, policies you disagree with. -
There are a lot of parallels to be drawn. If you don’t want to be associated with Nazis, don’t act like them.
Comment by Excitable Boy Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 11:53 am
It’s pretty easy, and prudent, to draw parallels between today’s GOP and the Nazis when the GOP act like the Nazis. If they don’t like being called Nazis, they should stop acting like Nazis. Don’t be Newsom, JB - keep your spine, stand up to these people.
Comment by Rizz al Ghul Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:04 pm
Pritzker can quibble about word choice all he wants, but his use of a dog whistle to paint Trump and his supporters as fascists and today’s environment reminiscent of Germany in the 1930s is well documented. Pritzker is one of the most dishonest politicians this state has ever seen.
Comment by here we go again Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:04 pm
I would kindly suggest that the easiest way to not feel like someone is calling you a Nazi is to be confident that you are not one.
I would prefer that elected leaders not refrain from calling attention to the very obvious parallels between what is happening now and what has happened in other tyrannical or authoritarian regimes. It’s useful to be reminded that we are caretakers of this fragile democracy, and it’s a use it or lose it situation. My take is that the regime this Governor has personal and deep historical connections to is Nazis so that’s what he draws parallels to. But if you feel more comfortable talking about a different one, I think that’s ok too.
You do you.
Comment by Who else Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:04 pm
The MAGA GOP ginning up conspiracies by lies and taking things out of context. Not that taking things out of context is unheard of by others, it’s that they are asymmetrically worse.
Comment by Norseman Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:12 pm
==There are a lot of parallels to be drawn. If you don’t want to be associated with Nazis, don’t act like them.== Excitable Boy
Well said. We definitely agree there.
Comment by low level Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:17 pm
The pedantic games from all involved are really tired. ‘Calling Rs Nazis’ versus ‘comparing Rs to Nazis’ versus ‘making historical parallels to Nazis’… who cares? The message is clear and correct, so just own it.
Comment by I-55 Fanatic Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:18 pm
==Reporter: [Asked if there will be an Illinois State Police investigation.]
Pritzker: Well, again, this is the federal government. We don’t have the ability to have state or local resources focused on investigating the federal law enforcement agencies. ==
I’m not aware of any hurdles other than political will re: ISP investigating this killing.
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:19 pm
The only people who have out right called people Nazi’s are JD Vance who referred to Trump as a Nazi. And every Republican on the internet during COVID who called Pritzker one. So forgive me for not giving one ounce of care about their pearl clutching now.
Comment by Tweedle Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:21 pm
Also, the ICE agent is out of the hospital and his reported injuries are 1) not apparent on video and 2) not clearly related to actions done prior to, as opposed to following, the shooting
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:24 pm
Pritzker was using Inductive Reasoning when he made the six “Nazi” observations in his address earlier this year. He just omitted the obvious conclusion, a rhetorical sleight of hand. Lawyer stuff, ya know.
Trump uses this too.
The dangerous thing is that they create a lane of deniability for themselves, while successfully planting the desired messages into the minds of the impressionable.
There were several very dangerous things being said on legacy media this weekend using similar logic tricks. Not good. Balanced people, on both sides, should call it out.
Comment by 40,000 ft Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:32 pm
==Pritzker can quibble about word choice all he wants, but his use of a dog whistle to paint Trump and his supporters as fascists and today’s environment reminiscent of Germany in the 1930s is well documented.==
Yes, why does everyone insist on noticing the parallels between present-day America and 1930s Germany? Why don’t they focus on the things that aren’t parallel to 1930s Germany? Hitler never did a crypto rug pull or held a professional cage fighting card at Berchtesgaden, so checkmate, libs.
==Pritzker is one of the most dishonest politicians this state has ever seen.==
I am under the age of 50, and if I had a nickel for every Illinois governor elected in my lifetime who ended up in prison, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s still strange that it happened twice.
Add in state legislature members and Congressional representatives, and I probably could buy a Coke with my nickels. One of the good Mexican ones, too.
Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:50 pm
To those upset with the historic reference to Nazism, what word would you accept? I would suggest we could look at the same practices and patterns, and call them authoritarianism or nationalism. Any problems with these words?
Comment by H-W Monday, Sep 15, 25 @ 12:50 pm