By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Republicans are suing the governor over his ten-person limit on groups.
“Our clients want to follow the law,” said attorney Daniel Suhr, “and it shouldn’t be up to the whim of the governor on any given day whether a particular gathering is one where he is going to or not going to enforce his order.”
Suhr is with the Liberty Justice Center.
“This governor is the same governor who wanted to fine and criminally charge small businesses,” said party chair Tim Schneider, “who tried to open their businesses ahead of his executive order just to put food on their tables.”
Suhr said they don’t want anything but a judge’s order allowing them to meet in larger groups.
Schneider and Suhr say it’s not fair that Pritzker can violate his own order and march with protesters, but the Republicans had to hold their convention via Zoom rather than in person.
From Gov. Pritzker’s spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh: “This is about scoring political points and criticizing civil rights protests supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. The courts have repeatedly upheld the Governor’s executive orders as based on public health guidance. And as the Republicans who attended protests against the public health guidance are well aware, the State has never prevented people from exercising their First Amendment rights.”
The Attorney General’s office will handle the case.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].
