Lake County Gazette

Former Republican House candidate Martin McLaughlin isn’t surprised to see COVID-fatigued residents now rising up to take a stand against Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“Small business owners especially have had enough of the governor’s mixed message as they’re fighting for survival,” McLaughlin told the Lake County Gazette. “Many of them have spent money trying to comply with policies the governor has put in place, but it’s always something else. They’re just trying to hold on to their livelihoods.”

Given the high stakes, McLaughlin said he stands behind those now rising up in defiance, including McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally, who is now vowing not to enforce the ban on indoor dining the governor recently enacted across the region.

“I trust people, families to figure out how to be responsible and make things safe enough for them to efficiently operate their businesses more than I do government,” McLaughlin said. “There’s no question they’re the ones with the most to lose. These owners have risked everything to own and operate these family businesses.

McLaughlin added he sees the governor’s growing threats of stripping businesses that violate his orders of state licenses as just more of the same kind of flawed thinking.

“There aren’t enough people in government to enforce his decree,” McLaughlin said. “It makes much more sense to trust these owners to be responsible about protecting what they’ve spent their whole lives building.”

McLaughlin said he especially takes pride in McHenry County leaders standing by the people they’ve been elected to represent.

“Everybody seems to be on the same page, trying to do what needs to be done to help hold these businesses communities together,” McLaughlin said. “We need the services and the tax revenues they generate. We have to remember the actions being taken by the governor are only decrees and not laws.”