By Heart of Illinois ABC

SPRINGFIELD – A dispute between Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican Congressman Rodney Davis about state unemployment insurance benefits escalated Thursday with an exchange of insults.

Earlier this week, Davis said he got a letter in the mail with an unemployment debit card that he didn’t ask for. Davis has been posting update videos in which he says he’s instructed to call a phone number that tells him to call a different one.

Thursday, Pritzker said Davis is “sniping without helping.”

“The federal government set up the programs, the federal government is responsible for making the changes that are necessary for these programs, and I haven’t heard a peep from him about what he’s going to do to help out,” said Pritzker.

Davis shot back Thursday night in a Facebook post that federal taxpayers pay jobless benefits, but the state administers the program.

“With all due respect, Governor Pritzker, the U.S. government doesn’t run the Illinois Department of Employment Security. You do,” said Davis.

“You knew full well that your executive orders would force Illinoisans out of work, and you still allowed unemployment claims to pile up,” he added.

Davis went on to say, “You know what doesn’t help? Shutting down more and more small businesses by executive order and pushing tax hikes during a pandemic while agencies under your control bungle the pandemic response.”

“You literally blame everyone but yourself for issues that are under your control – voter rejection of your tax hike, state finances, FOID backlog, unemployment claim backlog, the list goes on,” Davis said.

“Be a leader and take responsibility,” the Republican lawmaker also said.

Davis represents the 13th Congressional District, which includes parts of McLean County.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected].