(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — If some Illinois House Republicans wanted to get attention this week, they got it.
The Democrat-controlled House on Thursday afternoon removed nine Republican members who refused to comply with the chamber's rule on wearing a face mask.
It was the third day in a row the subject came up, with Democrats finally following through on a threat to have the defiant lawmakers shown the door (the party-line vote was 66-39 vote).
State Rep. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, pushed the idea of expelling legislators who won’t observe the COVID-19 precaution. This in itself caused a discussion by GOP members about whether Democrats are truly sincere.
State Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock, said Democrats are hypocritical because they go maskless at other places. Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said Collins doesn’t seem to care when 800 people are murdered in her hometown, as happened in 2021.
She said he’s ignorant: “Let’s not forget it’s mindsets like yours that created those murders — their privilege to look down on people in poverty who do not have access to a simple grocery store.”
Republicans said maybe there should be hearings on the restrictions.
Besides Chesney, the other Republicans removed Thursday were Reps. Joe Sosnowski of Rockford; Tony McCombie of Savanna; Blaine Wilhour of Beecher City; Brad Halbrook of Shelbyville; Adam Niemerg of Dieterich; David Welter of Morris; David Friess of Red Bud; Chris Miller of Oakland.
The booted lawmakers were invited to participate remotely.
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