By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD–Responding to questions at an unrelated news conference Monday, the Republican legislative leaders denounced the Antisemitism displayed at recent rallies.

Gov. JB Pritzker is a Jew whose great-grandfather fled Eastern Europe in the 1880’s during a massacre by Russians. Some of the Nazi imagery includes swastikas and a picture of Pritzker bearing a Hitler mustache.

“This is a small amount of a few people that show up at events and do nothing but bring out hate and bring out the worst in people in this country. I find their actions contemptible and repugnant, and I find them contemptible and repugnant as well,” said House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs).

“Any protesters, whether they be Democrat, Republican, independent or otherwise, certainly have a right to freedom of speech,” added Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), “but there’s no place for hatred in our state, and I will continue to speak out, as will members of my caucus, against hateful speech.”

Later Monday, Pritzker noted that Republican officeholders and candidates – State Reps. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) and Chris Miller (R-Oakland); and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Curran – on stage Saturday almost assuredly were aware of the signs and chose not to speak against them, indicating, in Pritzker’s words, “it was okay with them!”