SE Illinois News

Illinois state Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-District 115) is convinced Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) will forever live in infamy.

“Nowhere in the history of Illinois, or in the history of the U.S., has one person been able to dictate to a whole state without help from the state legislators who are elected in our republic,” Jacobs told the SE Illinois News. 

“It’s hard to imagine that Illinois state legislators have not been asked to clarify the 30 day executive order law," said Jacobs.

Illinois state Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Wikipedia commons

With that, Jacobs isn’t surprised to see more desperate individuals seeking to take matters in their own hands.

Deeming it an abuse of power, McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally’s has pledged not to enforce the governor’s latest order banning indoor dining in that region.

Jacobs, who was recently elected with 83% of the vote to the House of Representatves for the 115th District which includes the counties of Jefferson, Washington, Perry, Jackson and Union, says he supports the move by Kenneally. 

“We need to look at our mental health and business health,” said Jacobs, “With more and more businesses closing their doors and with more and more suicides, even to the point of more suicide deaths than COVID deaths, it is probably time to open our businesses with social distancing, masks, hand washing and all that is being asked of us to prevent the spread of COVID. Look at our citizens, our neighbors that are committing suicide because of the COVID infection. All deaths are serious; all people deserve the same respect and concern.”

Jacobs said Pritzker now threatening to strip small business owners that don’t follow his orders of their state licenses is just more of the same kind of flawed thinking.

“As far as local State Attorneys prosecuting business owners or state officials revoking licenses it still has to be done through the law,” said Jacobs, “I question the validity of the 30 day emergency order continuing past 30 days. I will say with the supermajority in House and Senate this could be a moot point now. At least if the legislature had been involved, the citizens of Illinois would have been able to express their wishes to their elected officials.”