Sangamon Sun

State Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield) can’t see how anyone can be surprised that things have come to this for Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“It’s what happens when there’s no transparency about decisions you’re making that are critical to people,” McClure told the Sangamon Sun. “When it comes to the COVID decisions he’s making, we’ve been demanding public hearings for months and have yet to receive even one. Why should anyone not be questioning what the governor has to say? I think it’s only fair that elected officials are allowed to represent their constituents during times where critical decisions like these are being made.”

With the stakes being as high as they are, some like McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally are taking their outrage a step further, with Kenneally now vowing not to enforce the ban on indoor dining the governor recently enacted across the region.

“People are very much in the mindset that this is a serious issue, but we’d like to know why the governor is making the decisions he is and we’d like to see the data supporting them,” McClure added. “Without that, it’s hard for people to trust our government. This all could be erased with hearings where the tough questions can be posed. We all know one person should not be making all these critical decisions.”

McClure said Pritzker now threatening to strip businesses that violate his order of state licenses is just more of the same flawed thinking and bullying.

“These are tough times for small business owners that are only being made tougher by some of the decisions we see being made,” he added. “I would encourage all small business owners to be very careful in making sure that they do all they can to make sure they keep their licenses because the repercussions can be lasting.”