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* Frank Main with the scoop…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is planning to obtain millions of masks and gloves from China and bring those supplies back to Illinois on charter jets — but he’s keeping the details secret out of fear the Trump administration might seize the cargo for the federal stockpile, sources said Tuesday.
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced Tuesday that the state has spent more than $174 million on purchases related to COVID-19, including supplies such as ventilators, masks, gloves, gowns, protective eyewear and hand sanitizer.
But one of the items on the list of expenditures was unusual: two invoices, each for $888,275, to FedEx Trade Networks Transport for “aircraft charter flight to Shanghai, China for COVID-19 response. … Prepayment required.”
Jordan Abudayyeh, the press secretary for Pritzker, wouldn’t provide details about the flights, including when they will happen, how many there will be and what the routes are.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:33 am
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That’s sad when you have to make secret plans to keep the feds from stealing stuff from you.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:37 am
Dude is doing what he can for Illinoisans and telling Trump to go hang.
C’mon Trump cultists, criticize this.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:38 am
===… wouldn’t provide details about the flights, including when they will happen, how many there will be and what the routes are.===
Heck no they shouldn’t.
Next thing they’ll know FEMA will confiscate all the materials and claim “they found more”.
Kinda torn this is public.
Yeah, it’s news it’s important, but this is also putting in peril the whole operation.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:41 am
Welcome to the Independent States of America.
Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:41 am
Wow you praise a guy dealing with China,
Comment by Tuco Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:42 am
You mean it’s OK to bypass all of the government mandated regulations on imports, the FDA, the CDC, the FAA, and every other alphabet soup of government agencies? I’m thrilled JB has finally realized overregulation by government is a problem.
Comment by Angry Republican Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:45 am
Angry, I wouldn’t call the feds seizing supplies ordered by the states and then reselling them to favored states “regulation” so much as “a shakedown.”
Just want to take a moment to note - because everything is weird - that This. Is. Bonkers.
Comment by lakeside Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:48 am
==Wow you praise a guy dealing with China,==
What difference does it make where the gear is coming from? China is a big supplier of these sorts of things.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:48 am
Thought this was a secret.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:48 am
(Sigh)
And yet… the reason we want these specific items is because ===… the FDA, the CDC, the FAA, and every other alphabet soup of government agencies…=== they find them meeting the criteria needed.
“Everyone has their own priorities”
This would be so much smoother and safer if there was a federal agency designated to handle emergency management…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:49 am
Tuco-
I praise anyone doing what they can for the people of their state, while the president has been, at best, a nuisance during the pandemic.
Are you telling me that you are not now, or in the near future, buying anything from China?
Little early to be that dense.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:51 am
==You mean it’s OK to bypass all of the government mandated regulations on imports==
Do you know how many states have gotten supplies from China? Even the feds have gotten supplies from there.
Some of you need to grow the heck up.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:51 am
Efudd…you should have had more faith in the ability of trolls to twist this into a bad thing, or use it to support their own narrative.
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:53 am
Well, Trump did say the federal government is not the states’ shipping clerk, and states should get the equipment themselves.
“Wow you praise a guy dealing with China,“
Yes. According to a news article, Trump suggested he helped New York get ventilators from China. How much money has Trump and his family made from their products being made in China?
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:53 am
Jibba-
You’re right.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:57 am
Why publish this news story and reveal the secret? The Guv is doing what he can for our state and some reporter can’t resist a scoop, even if to the detriment of our citizens? I understand wanting a scoop but are there no constraints of conscience anymore on journalists?
Comment by View from the Cheap Seats Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:57 am
I thought what Governor Baker and Robert Kraft put together was a great idea. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/us/coronavirus-patriots-plane-masks-spt-trnd/index.htmlWas wondering then why nobody in IL had a plane they were willing to do the same with.
Comment by SOIL M Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:59 am
If the Trump/Kushner PPE shakedown is above board, and these efforts to circumvent it are not, the DoJ can sue the state of IL and try to get an injunction.
Comment by ChicagoVinny Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:01 am
Pritzker isn’t the first governor to have to do this. I think it’s crazy that the states have to worry about the feds seizing the cargo. They’ve been seizing hospital orders as well.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:02 am
Generally I would say the States should work with the Federal government on a coordinated approach and I would be upset about what the Governor is doing. I find myself more upset with reports asking him about the details of the delivery to telegraph it to the Feds. That is what has become of coordinated response. Good on the Governor. He has been a work horse of unique ideas to manage the pandemic for Illinois.
Comment by Nagidam Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:02 am
I don’t get why this is being publicized.
What ever happened to Loose Lips Sink Ships?
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:04 am
“…but he’s keeping the details secret out of fear the Trump administration might seize the cargo….”
He might delay the seizure but the Feds will know he has the stuff. I doubt Fed Ex would agree to smuggle anything into the US. If the Feds want the stuff they will get it regardless of his silly plan.
Comment by CapnCrunch Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:05 am
I always thought the purpose of FEMA was to help the states in disasters. It is unbelievable that we must hide supplies from them.
Comment by Bruce (no not him) Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:06 am
Wow this sounds like a real spy story. Can we recommend some passengers for the outbound flight?
EasternBlocHeads, the Sheriff from South Stump Jump who announced he wasn’t enforcin’ dem executive orders. Anymore nominations?
Comment by Annonin Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:07 am
=== Good on the Governor. He has been a work horse of unique ideas to manage the pandemic for Illinois.===
… refusing to see and acknowledge this… that’s letting a partisan prism bend the truth to an unhelpful narrative.
You want your Governor, when the times call for leadership, to step up and deliver. In this case, the governor is doing so not metaphorically but factually, actually…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:07 am
Just like communities pool resources in emergencies, E.g., MABAS, , states are supposed to share resources as coordinated by FEMA. Thats how emergency incident response is supposed to work. If on state has a surplus, they are supposed to share with others who are short supplies. No state should stockpile, when an other state is in need. The federal government is not the primary supplier of critical aid, rather they are the last line of defense. First is hospitals, then counties, then states, then multi-state, then feds. Its the Governor’s job, not the presidents, to be prepared.
Comment by Hippopotamus Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:07 am
FEMA is a coordinator of resources, not the principal supplier.
Comment by Hippopotamus Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:09 am
=== Its the Governor’s job, not the presidents, to be prepared.===
All 50 states and territories are federal disaster areas.
Every one of them.
That’s happened… never.
Keep up. Stop mouth breathing for 17 seconds and realize a plane, a secret mission, is being used in *spite* of the failed federal response.
There’s a reason FEMA responds to widespread disasters.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:10 am
=== FEMA is a coordinator of resources, not the principal supplier.===
Truly, only a buffoon believe this, as states purchase items only to be confiscated by the Feds for their own distribution.
Your drive by is best for Trumpkins, not places like “here” where folks deal with state agency and intergovernmental cooperation, folks bread and butter.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:13 am
This story is invitation to Trump’s forever damaged ego to intervene. Unfortunate that it was published.
Comment by slow down Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:14 am
Prefacing all of this by acknowledging how truly wild this story is. Agree it’s unfortunate that this has been made public. Could have come out after the fact, which prioritizes the number one need: more supplies for the state.
Comment by Chambanalyst Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:19 am
Loose lips sink ships- this “scoop” could cost Illinois lives, an could easily have waited until the material was secured. Time for the press to grow up.
Comment by West Sider Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:22 am
==If the Feds want the stuff they will get it regardless of his silly plan.==
And they undoubtedly will now that this has been publicized thanks to Mendoza and the Sun Times. All they have to do is call the FedEx CEO and divert the planes.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:24 am
Understand the precautions - only wondering if any examples of the federal government confiscating State/local-government PPE?
Comment by trying to Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:24 am
What I like about this story is that it shows how when everyone pursues their narrow self-interests it may well lead to a worse outcome for everyone.
1. Reporter has a “scoop”; editors OK publication
2. “Big-shot” source gets a chance to show how in-the-know he/she is
3. Committed to transparency Comptroller puts the secret plans out on a public website before they’ve been executed
No one thinking big picture. Just “what’s best for me at this moment?”
Big picture: Major PPE shortages in Illinois (please look beyond hospitals when making this assessment, to retail workers, public transit employees and home health care aides, among others.)
Vindictive president already known to have his agencies seizing supplies bound for states.
Lives are literally on the line, but various parties thought red-flagging these desperate measures for the White House was a good idea.
Note: not a criticism of Capitol Fax. The cat was already out of the bag.
Comment by Moe Berg Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:29 am
I only wish the governor could have found sources in VietNam or Mexico or elsewhere to secure these items rather than China. Recently, thermometers from China have been found to be calibrated incorrectly (kind of a problem) and some of the tests for coronavirus manufactured in China and used in Europe have been found to be useless. It’s a shame to have to buy items from China at this time to address a pandemic problem caused by them. Depending on what the items being flown in are, there may be reluctance by some medical personnel to use China made supplies.
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:29 am
==FEMA is a coordinator of resources, not the principal supplier.==
As of 4/3/20, following Jared Kushner’s remarks about it being “our stockpile”
Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:31 am
=== Something smells fishy with this story.===
You mean besides your trolling…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:36 am
===invitation to Trump’s forever damaged ego to intervene===
That might be the point in making this known, and specifically making it known it was being hidden from him.
This could be one of the ultimate “Sun Tzu” moves.
Pritzker is much, much smarter than Trump.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:40 am
===I thought what Governor Baker and Robert Kraft put together===
Great idea. Problem was the Patriot’s plane delivered the wrong kind of mask. Oops.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:40 am
Trump Seizes Med Supplies From China Meant for Illinois’ Front Line Workers
Can’t wait for Skillicorn’s, Wilhour’s, and Durkin’s response to that headline.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:41 am
Willy, read the FEMA statute, and skip the name calling, which is the last bastion of Buffoons.
Comment by Hippopotamus Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:47 am
Rich—Sorry, maybe I should have done a little more follow-up on the story.
Comment by SOIL M Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:48 am
Skillicorn’s?
“That’s what happens when Illinois Democrat party leaders try a Red Dawn operation. Thank you Mr. President.”
Wilhour’s?
“It’s too important. Illinois needs it’s herd immunity. Protection for folks ruins our chances to infect more.”
Durkin’s?
“Welp. That’s gonna hurt.”
/SNARK
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:49 am
OW-
Snark, or tragic reality?
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:51 am
- Hippopotamus -
Explain how states bidding against each other, winning bids, then the feds seizing the supplies is working the statute.
It’s sheer buffoonery to think that the supply chain with an federal agency designed to manage emergencies is usurping states’ abilities because no one in the Trump Administration wants to be blamed.
You only make sense if your name is Jared Kushner.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:52 am
- efudd -
Like all “art”, it’s really up to your interpretation.
:)
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:53 am
Curious to know if this was fed to the reporter or if he dug through through the portal to find it on his own. Good get.
If it’s the latter and they were truly trying to keep it secret — yikes on Comptroller Mendoza for being so desperate for press and relevance that she blew up the governor’s plan. Did she have to get it out yesterday or could it have waited?
Comment by The Most Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:54 am
So we are just going to ignore the many reports of Chinese masks that were sold to other countries that were majorly defective?
why not encourage Illinois manufacturers to produce these items.
but hey he’s sticking it to orange man, so thats cool.
Comment by iggy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:55 am
Massachusetts had Patriots owner Robert Kraft use his team plane to fly to China to get N95 masks and bring them to that state earlier this month. That required a lot of coordination to get a three-hour window to land the plane in China, load, and fly out. They could only fly out 1.2 million masks on the plane and the remainder of the shipment is supposed to be secured for a later flight;
The Kraft family also paid $2 million towards the cost of the masks and sent part of the shipment to New York City.
Sadly, if the states need supplies they have to circumvent the federal government to get it done.
Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:56 am
“That might be the point in making this known, and specifically making it known it was being hidden from him.”
Trump reacting negatively would show the hypocrisy of his statements, behavior and attitude toward the pandemic. Maybe he’ll be distracted enough by his next attack on reporters and daily axe grinding that this could work.
As much as I enjoy political warfare—and no one likes it more than I do, believe me—we need to put people’s lives and health so far above politics. I hope that in the spirit of Trump not stopping New York from getting ventilators from China (but he would like a little praise, okay?), we can get supplies as well.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:57 am
=== but hey he’s sticking it to orange man===
With 23,000 deaths and rising, my hope is you’re not making the President of the United States a victim here.
Only cults are that blinded.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 10:57 am
===but he’s keeping the details secret out of fear the Trump administration might seize the cargo for the federal stockpile, sources said Tuesday.===
Sounds like the cover has been blown.
Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:00 am
My apologies.
Over 29,000.
Sadly I was under the actual tragic number.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:02 am
I guess one reason to publish the ’secret’ is if it’s already been discovered. Put a spotlight on it in case it is seized.
Comment by Stuff Happens Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:03 am
I say this with extreme caution for the precedent it would set, but I think these unique times call for some restraint from the fourth estate. Stories like this are borderline irresponsible if we don’t end up getting the PPE.
That said, if the Feds snag it, it’s probably the Comptroller’s fault. I’m guessing she didn’t run the list by the Governor’s office before putting it online. Thanks Susana!
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:05 am
JB has done many good things throughout this crises, and nobody has worked harder. One thing that could have easily been avoided was the adversial relationship he fostered with the President. I doubt this post would have been much to talk about without it. And while there is still a question about what will be needed, JB’s daily blasting about needing thousands of ventilators was a gross exaggeration. That didn’t help his credibility and was avoidable.
I don’t place a high probability of the Feds confiscating anything JB secures.
Comment by SSL Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:05 am
iggy
Thanks for answering my first post.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:07 am
==why not encourage Illinois manufacturers to produce these items.==
Your “idea” is to encourage? Great plan. Why didn’t anyone else think of that? Encourage all you want. That doesn’t mean you are going to get anything.
He, and other Governors, have been pounding the President to invoke the Act that would allow the feds to force companies to make the supplies we need. The “orange man” hasn’t been willing to do that on a mass scale.
But you go ahead and jump on the China bandwagon and cut off our nose to spite our face because you don’t like where the supplies are coming from.
Unbelievable.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:08 am
Here is the complete disconnect in the Federal response. From Yesterday:
“Trump said at a coronavirus task force press briefing on Monday that state governments should attempt to purchase PPE such as face masks, respirators and ventilators “on their own” if it means they can receive the equipment faster.” President Trump
Yet Governors know they have to hide what they are acquiring in PPE from the Federal Government.
Madness
Comment by Nagidam Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:11 am
=== That said, if the Feds snag it, it’s probably the Comptroller’s fault. I’m guessing she didn’t run the list by the Governor’s office before putting it online.===
This.
In the end, if this goes south…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:12 am
Fed Ex is smart, from the Sun-Times Article, they know Illinois is flat broke and doesn’t have the money to pay the bill.
If they have spent $174 million on COVID 19, what other things are not being paid
“But one of the items on the list of expenditures was unusual: two invoices, each for $888,275, to FedEx Trade Networks Transport for “aircraft charter flight to Shanghai, China for COVID-19 response. … Prepayment required.”
Comment by Paul Powell's Shoebox Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:19 am
== One thing that could have easily been avoided was the adversial relationship he fostered with the President.==
You say that, SSL, but you can’t deny that Illinois didn’t start getting the PPE we needed until after JB started complaining loudly and publicly. Simply making requests through official channels wasn’t working. Emperor trump started raging about Pritzker on twitter, but the supplies began arriving (if not in the numbers we asked for). The spat goaded trump, sure, but it also got the attention of the one adult left in the white house - Vice President Pence.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:28 am
First, to the post: Assuming the flights have not occurred, most unfortunate so much detail on this plan leaked out, however laudable the drive for transparency is. Would have been very easy to make these entries fairly generic — “Aircraft charter flight transporting medical supplies — prepayment required” — and amend them later. Properly handled, FOIA requests about the entry could be answered once delivery was taken.
Second, about all the childishness from the Trumpists, GOPers, Pritzker haters, Eastern Blockettes, and the generally dyspeptic against everything. The mental gymnastics required to maintain their sour negativity must require regular treatment for whiplash. Sitting in the cheap seats carping at everything — just the kind of people we don’t need when dealing with a crisis.
Comment by Flapdoodle Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:30 am
=== I doubt this post would have been much to talk about without it===
… except for all seizing of supplies by the Feds thingy going on. Kissing the ring or not, the Feds are taking, yet they are not organizing.
=== And while there is still a question about what will be needed, JB’s daily blasting about needing thousands of ventilators was a gross exaggeration.===
The goal of the exercise, and it’s not fully completed, is to have “smart” people complain we’re ”over prepared”
Those same “smart people” would also be first to say “how can the governor have so little to save lives”
The difference?
More lives saved. Unless saving lives isn’t your goal?
===That didn’t help his credibility and was avoidable.===
How would that credibility be if there were too few to save lives?
Rather have more lives saved and the partisan complaints.
Why? That life could be mine or someone I care about… or you.
=== I don’t place a high probability of the Feds confiscating anything JB secures.===
You won’t mind if I save this, will you?
I hope I don’t have to refer back to it later, but…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:35 am
I wonder if these masks are part of the 166 million N95 masks released by 3M produced in their China factory. I believe that was part of the Trump action on the DPA. Or is this seperate.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 11:55 am
From his actions, it seems like Governor Pritzker no longer wants President Trump to evoke the Defense Procurement Act, which does authorize the President to requisition property for use in the national fight against COVID-19. If New York immediately needs X number of ventilators, the DPA would authorize the president to seize and redistribute those materials from others to NY based upon the national interest.
In any event, to the post. Sounds like this is how things were supposed to work. State’s taking the lead in procuring items, the federal government doing what it does best (writing checks to pay for them). To the extent that the federal government is called upon to do what it does the worst (procurement and coordinating a 50 state response), it evidences a major failure within the states to do their jobs.
Comment by Just Another Anon Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 12:01 pm
==TinyDancer(FKASue)
I don’t get why this is being publicized.
What ever happened to Loose Lips Sink Ships?==
Clicks, man. Clicks.
Comment by Bothanspy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 12:07 pm
=== From his actions, it seems like Governor Pritzker…===
… realizes the Federal government can’t be counted on to saving lives.
You can look for the direct quote attributed to the governor.
=== If New York immediately needs X number of ventilators, the DPA would authorize the president to seize and redistribute those materials from others to NY based upon the national interest.===
You live under a rock? That’s happening now, no matter direct or indirect need, “stuff being taken”
These straw men to pit the governor as the antagonist to a president doing all *he* can despite what the governor is doing, yikes, man.
=== State’s taking the lead in procuring items, the federal government doing what it does best (writing checks to pay for them)===
… and yet, states are bidding against states, raising prices on ALL items… and the feds *still* taking whatever they deem they need.
Governor Cuomo has laid out perfectly the utter failures of the federal government in this regard, while also praising what he is getting… but making sure there’s no misunderstanding… the feds have pit 50 states against each other, raising prices needlessly… because the administration doesn’t want blame… and frankly having Jared Kushner in charge… it can’t fall upon this President, personally.
===… it evidences a major failure within the states to do their jobs.===
Only Jared Kushner could think this, given how FEMA failed in making the purchasing by states a free for all FEMA coulda made so much better.
Ask Governor Cuomo… not me.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 12:16 pm
Moe at 10:29 your post is spot on.
To the post, the Feds should be a clearing house for the states. The States should be clearing house for Locals where front line hospitals businesses are located should. That way resources can be placed where needed and hopefully not hoarded. The bigger organizations with frontline employees already have supply lines the X factor enters when out of the ordinary entities try to supersede the supply chain.
Comment by theCardinal Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 12:35 pm
Under Federal law, the Feds are the LAST step in disaster response, not the first. It goes “bottom up” not “top down”. Localities request help through the State, the State then requests Federal help. But since Kushner is playing “hide the resources” to make Donald look good, the legal power of the Feds to seize anything paid for in State funds is highly doubtful at best. I hope the “secret” mission works, and Pritzker tells the White House to hold another press conference. No surprise the media blabbed it; that’s their job, and many reporters would sell their own souls for a story.
Comment by revvedup Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 1:03 pm
Hippo, oh, the hypocrisy of calling someone a name while calling out name calling.
Comment by RIJ Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 1:51 pm
=the legal power of the Feds to seize anything paid for in State funds is highly doubtful at best.=
Not to state the obvious, but the rule of law doesn’t mean much to some of the principals involved here.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 2:31 pm
I wonder if the Illinois Air National Guard can fly a fighter escort? Not even kidding about that.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 3:00 pm
Who’s in charge of quality control of the Chinese contraband? How do we know they haven’t contaminated each and every one of them? Hope Jelly Bean knows a guy over there he can trust….
Comment by Wylie Coyote Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 3:13 pm
First of all, we can’t immediately start domestic production so we have to get supplies wherever we can and in 2020, that means China for a lot of it. Secondly, of course Illinois has to keep it a secret. Just look at what happened in Colorado and other places. Orders are placed and all of sudden the Feds swoop in and seizes it, all the while Trump is saying everybody except the Federal government is responsible for getting supplies and then doling out supplies as political favors to endangered candidates.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-cory-gardner-colorado-ventilations-gop-favor_n_5e8fde1ec5b6d641a6bc610d
Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 4:02 pm
The description of the Feds role in local response is correct. However, as noted, this is not a tornado, flood or hurricane. All 50 states are affected at the same time.
Comment by Proud Sucker Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 4:04 pm
If any of the folks blasting the Sun-Times or the Comptroller’s office stopped to read the story, they’d see in the story that Sen. Durbin had already been discussing these flights on MSNBC’s Morning Joe two weeks ago. “Secret?!?” What “Secret?!” Pritzker might have preferred to have done this more quietly but just try to keep flights coming from China into this country “secret.” The Sun-Times is guilty only of an overstated headline.
Comment by Strategy Geek Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 4:20 pm
- Strategy Geek -
It appears the comptroller’s office flagged a specific instance of a flight, accidental or not.
We’ll see if that hurts the outcome.
My thoughts to the Sun-Times, I can go either way to their own handling.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 4:27 pm
OW, reading your comments are dizzying. I don’t understand most of them. I know, I’m not as smart as you.
Comment by justacitizen Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:12 pm
===I don’t understand most of them.===
That makes two of us.
Stay safe, stay well.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 15, 20 @ 9:17 pm