Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy has released the following statement in response to JB Pritzker signing the new Democrat-drawn legislative maps:

“Governor Pritzker lied to the people of Illinois when he pledged to veto a politician-drawn map. Governor Pritzker promised to take politicians out of the mapmaking process and hand it over to an independent commission that would be required to follow the Voting Rights Act and protect minority representation. Instead, he let politicians pick their own voters, split up numerous communities of interest, and use faulty data all in an effort to rig the system for those already in power. Pritzker didn’t keep his word and cannot be trusted.”

Pritzker was asked in 2018 by Capitol Fax publisher Rich Miller whether he would veto a map in “any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies?” The Governor responded, saying, “Yes, I will pledge to veto.”

Today, after finishing up numerous one-on-one interviews with media outlets this week, he didn’t veto. He signed off on the maps created by “legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs.” 

The media must now demand answers to why the Governor lied. The media should not let him get away with vague answers pontificating on his definition of fairness. That is irrelevant to the very specific pledge he made in 2018 that he has now violated.

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