Lake County Gazette

Illinois state Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) is only growing more frustrated with Gov. J.B. Pritzker as fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt.

“I stand with our brave law enforcement first responders,” McSweeney told the Lake County Gazette. “It’s outrageous that failed Gov. Pritzker is attacking law enforcement officials while he is commuting the sentences of murderers. Billionaire Pritzker is dangerously soft on crime.”

McSweeney is among a growing number of GOP lawmakers outraged by the governor moving to enact new emergency rules that highlight any business owner found guilty of violating the stay-at-home order he first instituted in late March faces up to a year behind bars. Prior to that, he stressed that counties that restart their economies before the timeframe he has outlined risk losing federal funding and business owners who do likewise could face criminal prosecution.

“Failed governor and tax adviser Pritzker is threatening to withhold money from Illinois counties that want to open safely,” McSweeney said in a post on Facebook. I agree with Congressman Darin LaHood that Congress should prohibit Pritzker from withholding funds and raising taxes.”

Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan calls for the state to be split into four regions with some areas moving to other phases quicker than others.

While the governor has already stressed that the state is already in Phase 2 of his plan, he doesn’t envision the state moving to a full reopening of the state economy until a vaccine or highly effected treatment for the novel coronavirus is found.