Gov. Pritzker calls for national mask mandate

Posted on July 8, 2020
Gov. Pritzker again used a national stage to criticize the Trump administration over the coronavirus response. (Photo courtesy: Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – He’s said it many times in Illinois, and now he’s telling a U.S. House committee about it.

Gov. JB Pritzker testified to a virtual hearing of the Homeland Security Committee Wednesday that the Trump administration has been unprepared and unhelpful in Illinois obtaining supplies and equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

“In the midst of  a global pandemic, states were forced to (compete against one another and) play some sort of sick ‘Hunger Games’ game show to save the lives of our people,” Pritzker said. “Let me be clear: this is not a reality tee vee show.”

And Pritzker brought a suggestion to the representatives:

“We need a national masking mandate,” Pritzker said. “We instituted ours on May 1,  and it aligns with the most significant downward shifts in our infection rate.”

The governor did get a little pushback on his complaints. U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) told the governor that, for navigating a once-in-a-lifetime emergency and showing the way for successors, President Trump is doing no worse a job than the governor is.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

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