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* Center Square…
Lawmakers question Pritzker’s staff about the ‘grown-up table’ […]
“During this budget cycle especially, seats at the grown-up table will be off-limits to those who aren’t working in the public’s best interests,” Pritzker said.
State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said the lawmakers and the governor should be working together on what’s best for the people.
“This comment that individuals that are welcome at something called a grown-ups table when they are concerned about the public’s best interest, we agree that being concerned about the impact of taxes on Illinois families is in the best interest of the public,” Demmer said.
* Leader Demmer surely knows who belongs at the kids table…
Fed up with mask requirements at the Illinois State Capitol, Republican Representative Blaine Wilhour is suing House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.
“We’re trying to move the ball forward and we’re trying to ultimately restore some sanity in Springfield,” Wilhour told WGN News. “Why should we have to wear a mask in there when the science is now pretty clear that — especially cloth masks — don’t work at all?”
That’s not exactly accurate. The CDC has said that cloth masks do not offer as much protection as surgical masks or respirators.
The lawsuit comes after a group of Republican representatives who refused to wear face coverings last week were barred from the House floor. […]
“The whole thing is just ridiculous,” Wilhour said. “We made a decision that we were going to not participate any longer in things that don’t make sense.”
Oh, the possibilities for non-participation are just endless, Rep. Wilhour. Heck, folks might even wonder why they’re still in the House if they would stop and think about them, I’d wager.
* More on Rep. Wilhour from BGA’s Politifact…
“For the last year at least, I contend two years, the observed science, scores of studies, real world observations have told us there is absolutely no observed or clinical data that indicates any benefit whatsoever to masking K-12 students in schools,” Wilhour said. […]
Wilhour said there is absolutely no observed or clinical data that indicates any benefit whatsoever to masking K-12 students in schools.
Clinical studies cannot be conducted on this issue because of the risk they would pose to unprotected children, but observational data shows masks are beneficial in reducing transmissions in schools.
We rate this claim Mostly False.
* OK, let’s go to the Wilhour lawsuit. It’s chock full of weirdness…
NOW COMES the Plaintiffs, by and through their attorneys Thomas G. DeVore, and the Silver Lake Group, Ltd., and pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/11-101, and moves this Court for entry of a Temporary Restraining Order without notice against the Defendant, and hereby plead:
1. Wilhour has a right to insist he not be compelled to undergo quarantine, which includes masking, which is purported to limit the spread of an infectious disease, unless Wilhour is first afforded his procedural and substantive due process rights as provided under Illinois law.
2. DeVore has a right to insist his duly elected representative not be excluded from the house floor except as may be authorized by law.
3. There can be no doubt Welch is attempting to compel quarantine upon Wilhour in an attempt to allegedly prevent the spread of an infectious disease.
4. When Wilhour did not comply, his was forcefully removed from the House Floor by law enforcement on February 17, 2022 and is permanently excluded unless he submits himself to quarantine.
5. Wilhour has been removed by force from the house floor and as a result DeVore, and all other citizens of the 107th District, are currently left without representation.
6. Such matters are so harmful and egregious to Wilhour and DeVore, as well as all citizens of the 107th District, that Plaintiffs will be too irreparably prejudiced by waiting until such time as the Court can set the TRO for hearing.
7. The Illinois legislature has delegated to IDPH authority on these matters, and IDPH in turn delegated the authority to certified local health departments.
8. The House of Representatives has adopted this unlawful rule to allegedly prevent the spread of an infectious disease.
9. Welch does not have any lawful authority to demand or require any type of quarantine, upon Wilhour to allegedly prevent the spread of an infectious disease, and certainly not without having first provided the clear due process provided by Illinois law.
10. Welch is not the certified local health department acting pursuant to its lawful authority under 20 ILCS 2305 et seq.
11. Even if the certified local health department desires to seek such compliance from Wilhour, the same can only be accomplished by providing procedural and substantive due process as provided by law.
12. At no time, has any relevant certified local health department taken any action against Wilhour in regard to quarantine by seeking consent or a lawful order of court.
13. Quite simply, Welch is infringing upon the lawful right of Wilhour to be free to choose for himself whether to undergo quarantine for the purpose of limiting the spread of an infectious disease, absent a court order.
14. As a result, DeVore, and all other citizens of the 107th District, are being irreparable harmed by having their representative unlawfully removed from the legislative process.
Forcefully removed by law enforcement?
…Adding… From comments…
Weird, I was watching session last week and didn’t see anyone get forcibly removed. McCombie refused to comply and was allowed to remain in her seat. Also, the journal from that day shows Wilhour casting votes on every matter before the House.
* Speaking of DeVore, I told subscribers about this last week and mentioned it in this week’s newspaper column…
Tom DeVore, the downstate lawyer behind many of the legal challenges to Gov. JB Pritzker’s use of emergency powers in the name of fighting COVID-19, and the main architect behind the successful bid, to date, to undo Pritzker’s school mask mandates, appears poised to seek statewide office, potentially as Illinois Attorney General.
DeVore has begun distributing petitions to supporters to place his name on the ballot in June for the Republican primary election for Attorney General.
That followed an appearance a few days earlier, in which DeVore hinted strongly to his intent to seek the GOP nod to oppose Democratic incumbent Kwame Raoul in November.
On Wednesday, Feb. 16, speaking at a conservative rally in St. Charles, headlined by Turning Points USA founder, activist Charlie Kirk, DeVore drew a standing ovation from the crowd when he began speaking about the need for a Republican candidate willing to challenge incumbent Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a Democrat and ally of Pritzker.
During his remarks, DeVore assailed Raoul for acting as “the governor’s personal attorney,” rather than “the people’s legal counsel.”
…Adding… Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) went back into the chamber…
Welter, who was removed for not wearing a mask, returned to the House floor following the break, this time with a face covering.
“I put the mask back on to comply and came back to do the people’s business,” Welter said. “I was not going to let this statement and demonstration negatively impact the constituents I represent.”
Welter said the statement was to push back against the mask mandate following an ongoing court case that placed a temporary restraining order on dozens of schools and the rejection of COVID-19 mitigation protocols in schools by a bipartisan legislative committee earlier this week.
“Hopefully this sends a little bit of a message that people are done with it,” he said.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:07 am
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Thinkin’ Willbee is gonna get slapped down. Courts generally rule legislatures make their rules. KaBoom.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:13 am
== we were going to not participate any longer in things that don’t make sense.”==
Oh, boy the list is endless.
This might make a good Question of the Day, Rich.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:18 am
If you’re offended by the “kids table” remark…you’re kinda telling on yourself.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:23 am
Yeah, we gotta change that “Kids table” name to something more appropriate, but Rich won’t let me say it.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:26 am
To Wilhour,
You’re ridiculous, please sit down, the adults are talking.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:28 am
Weird, I was watching session last week and didn’t see anyone get forcibly removed. McCombie refused to comply and was allowed to remain in her seat. Also, the journal from that day shows Wilhour casting votes on every matter before the House.
DeVore has skated close to the line for awhile now, but I can’t see a way to finness this claim around his duty of candor. The events he’s describing simply did not happen. Judges and opposing counsel usually get pretty steamed at a lawyer who just makes things up. I’m sure the ARDC has been flooded with stuff regarding DeVore for months and a lot of it is just “I disagree with him politically,” but this filing really does seem false beyond what grifters of his sort normally file.
Comment by vern Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:30 am
Wilhour must know how to vote and participate remotely since that is how most, if not all, of the House Committees he serves on conducts their hearings. In fact, he has a bill up today in the Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee at 2 pm in Virtual Room 1. He had choices… for masking and for voting. No one took his ability to represent away.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 11:54 am
To think Wilhour is a party to this frivolous lawsuit has to make you wonder. Does he buy into all of Tom DeVore’s other ridiculous claims.
Comment by Club J Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 12:13 pm
Blaine must get his science from Facebook.
Comment by Furtive Look Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 12:46 pm
so as one of Wilhour’s constituents, could I sue him for failing to follow House rules and thereby depriving me of my representation in Springfield?
Comment by transplant Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 12:46 pm
As Darren Bailey and the word education should never appear in the same sentence, Tom DeVore and candidate for AG should never exist in the universe.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 12:56 pm
== so as one of Wilhour’s constituents, could I sue him for failing to follow House rules and thereby depriving me of my representation in Springfield?==.
Brilliant. Yes. Love it
Comment by low level Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 1:42 pm
“No one took his ability to represent away.”
Ah, mommy, I don’t want to wear a mask …
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 2:16 pm
Credit to vern —
“The events he’s describing simply did not happen. Judges and opposing counsel usually get pretty steamed at a lawyer who just makes things up.”
I am not a lawyer, but I’ve read a lot of legal research over the years. If you want to convince anyone, and prove your point, you gotta, you know, provide actual evidence. Citations to supporting statutes and court cases. reputable, footnoted analysis.
This looks like the mumbo jumbo, harumph harumph, notes that TommyDeVo would use to motivate check writers.
Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 2:20 pm
“Blaine must get his science from Facebook. ”
More like a comic book. As Bugs Bunny used to say, what a maroon…
Comment by 47th and Lake Park Tuesday, Feb 22, 22 @ 4:41 pm