By: Mark Glennon*
On February 4 an Illinois court voided emergency rules promulgated by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education that had effectuated a statewide mask mandate in schools. They are “null and void,” said the court in its order. See for yourself on page 28 of the order.
That meant Illinois school districts became free to drop mask mandates, and roughly 500 of the state’s 852 school districts have already done just that. They switched to a “mask-optional” approach in the classroom, according to WCIA, despite Pritzker’s new insistence that the statewide mandate remains in place.
But in a Wednesday press conference, Gov. JB Pritzker, who has championed the statewide mandate, said the law is what he thinks it should be, not what the court ruled. His “executive order is in effect,” Pritzker said. “We still have a mask requirement in the state of Illinois for schools.”
That’s nonsense. Unless and until the court’s order is reversed on appeal, it is the law.
How could Pritzker possibly justify claiming otherwise? We can conceive of no plausible legal rationale. He did try to be cute, by emphasizing that his own executive order on the subject was not struck down, a point he made several times in his press conference.
But that’s utterly deceptive because his executive orders merely told the schools to follow the rules promulgated by the agencies, and those rules are void. That makes Pritzker’s orders meaningless on the mask mandate, which is explained in detail in the court’s order.
Reporters seemed flabbergasted by Pritzker’s claim that the mandate is still in effect. You can watch the video here. One asked the obvious: “If the executive order is still in effect, why even file for a new rule?” That question could be put more broadly. Why is Pritzker even appealing the court’s decision if the statewide mandate is still in effect?
Pritzker gave one of his usual non-answers, instead turning again to bad-mouthing the court and complaining about the confusion that has arisen. “Well, again, the order is in effect, Pritzker said. “We’re now trying to deal with an errant decision by a judge in one county, one particular judge, you know, it’s thrown everybody into a state of confusion. And we’re trying to get the appellate court to address it because it was wrongly decided.”
If confusion about this matter expands, blame Pritzker’s wanton denial of the law.
*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints
Further reading from Wirepoints and others on this subject:
- The Mask Is Off: Illinois Has No Science Behind Its School Masking Mandate – Wirepoints
- How the CDC Abandoned Science – Tablet
- The Case Against Masks at Schools – The Atlantic
- Masking: A Careful Review of the Evidence – AIER
- More than 150 Comparative Studies and Articles on Mask Ineffectiveness and Harms – Brownstone Institute
- Did Mask Mandates Work? The Data Is In … And the Answer Is ‘No’ – Bloomberg,
- Growing calls to take masks off children in school – NPR
- Politics Getting Bad For Those Using Children As Human Covid Shields – Wirepoints
- That Study of Face Masks Does Not Show What the CDC Claims – Reason
- Nearly 40 percent of all Illinois COVID deaths in the last month are breakthroughs. What gives? – Wirepoints
- Why Americans Can’t Trust the CDC’s COVID-19 Advice – Reason
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
The picture would be perfect if he was hit in the face with a dirty shoe!
Am I crazy? Does the government really think that by placing a mannequin in the background the people will really believe we are still in a crisis?
More than 150 Comparative Studies and Articles on Mask Ineffectiveness and Harms ⋆ Brownstone Institute
Fat boy gets a spanking and is now having a tantrum. Daddy, give me more money.
His brother runs the off-shore trusts. His own family doesn’t even trust him to be in control of the money.
Pritzker cannot give up the concept of having power…the public be damned!
JB is such a clown! He thinks the sky is brown and tooth fairy exists.
What, are you kidding me the tooth fairy doesn’t exist, 😭
Im totally on JB ‘s side cuz hes doing all of this out of an ” abundance of caution”,he’s the picture of health and will save all of us from ” covid”!!
Pritzker doesn’t have to worry about no stinking court system in Illinois. Pritzker and the Democrats are the stinking court system in Illinois! Please look at the history and don’t waste your time and money taking him to court.
Look at that expression on chubby cheeks face it’s like he’s saying fu under his breath to someone. Come and let me pinch those cheeks Pritzker.
Who needs the legislature and court system when JB can do it all? Fire the bunch of them and save future pension liabilities
That’s exactly what I’ve said about Donald Trump’s advisors. He almost never takes anyone’s advice, so advisors are a waste of both time and money in his case. Everyone knows he’s a “stable genius” and always knows what to do and how to do it. “I alone can fix it”? How did that work out?
I don’t recall it ever being said that Albert Einstein had to self-proclaim his own genius; people around him knew that all on their own. Apparently Trump needs to point it out himself lest other mortals fail to notice it.
lol,still about Trump,huh,teacher James,you have Trump derangement my friend
But, nobody here has Pritzker derangement syndrome, right? I find it funny when someone goes on and on about Democrats being x, y and z in what they think and do when my feeling is exactly that if they would only use the word Republicans. You’ve done the same in your reply here, for example.
its ok little guy,i’ll protect you from the “Trump” monster
btw,putzker is governor,trumps no longer the president,if u need to lay your head on my shoulder and cry about trump,i ll pat your head and give u some kleenex lil guy
If you want to belitle me for a different political belief system everybody here will cheer you on, I have no doubt. But, if you really want try my shoes on to know how that feels head on over to Capitalfax, stay there and express your views as I do here and see how easy it is to be belittled there, “big guy.”. Few people ever really grow mentally until they leave their comfort zone and inhabit a different environment. You’re safe in your little, comfortable world here. But, staying safe shouldn’t be your life’s goal.
James, we live in IL, we spend every day of our existence as a minority political party outside of our comfort zone.
Wirepoints is a safe space!
Yes, for you and others here that’s well said. What I was really trying to say is that childish denigration should have been left behind surely by the time one is in his twenties and, hopefully, well before that. By that time the hammer should be put away as one’s go-to tool for reaching agreement in favor of the sugary flavor of persuasion.
You’re the one that brought up Trump. You need to exorcise from your mind.
But, you guys talk endless about Pritzker in much the same ways as a lot of Democrats denigrate Trump, calling Pritzker stupid, power hungry, a guy who spouts policy statements apparently based on personal beliefs rather than science. You can substitute one guy’s name for the other and each side will love/hate hate the “other guy for many of the same reasons. I NEVER see anyone here pick up on that idea. The contention that I have Trump Derangement Syndrome is essentially the same as my contention that many of you have Pritzker Derangement Sydrome. In short, this is but… Read more »
not true teacher james,the only reason i hate putzker is he’s really,really fat!-lol
Oh, what a relief. That’s SO much better. I hate him because he has hair.
im only 19 teacher james so im exempt from your age rule,lol
Sure, that’s the normative behavior someone of age nineteen these days. A few decades ago I think the age when the majority left that life choice behind was a year of two younger, though. We are falling apart as a society somewhat because of lack of tolerance for people who are different than we are in all kinds of ways, the more obvioius ways is where it comes to the fore much more quickly. I hate to remind you, for example, that the days of the white male being having a superior set of chances for success in the United… Read more »
“I hate to remind you, for example, that the days of the white male being having a superior set of chances for success in the United States are quickly waning”
They never had a superior chance for success. There was just more of them so they were more likely to be successful.
i even love you teacher james even tho we dont see eye to eye
Oh, great. Apparently you love me so much that you’d rather I was dead so I didn’t have to deal with this cruel, cruel world. I’m so relieved.
“They never had a superior chance for success. There was just more of them so they were more likely to be successful.” Somehow you fail to see the second sentence as reinforcing the first rather than contradicting it.
fyi,i have several guns and love everybody….except fat sloppy governors,jus sayin
Its part of the human condition to have prejudices, sad to say. But again, I hate him for his hair.
Is Trump the POTUS in your world? He is out of political office in the real world. Why can’t you move on? The only argument you can give has to do with Trump. How sad for you.
The Republican party hasn’t moved on, so he’s still quite the potential, obnoxious threat he’s always been. Duh! If something else bad happened within recent memory does that mean there is no chance of a recurrence? Again, duh!
It’s encouraging that people like yourself continue to see Trump as a threat. The silent majority is finding strength in his leadership. We would rather have strong borders, low unemployment, a booming economy and energy independence. Are you happy with the path the USA is currently on? If so, the “duh” you like to use would be best said in a mirror.
No President has the power to do everything right all the time. Its a job where he gets all the credit and all the blame without bring the central cause of much of it. The most we can hope to have is someone who has personal integrity in spades, is astute politically, intelligent, experienced in some of what needs doing, has compassion, listens to well qualified advisors, has empathy and some sense of grace in holding our highest political office. Joe has much of those things and Trump has a lesser degree of most and essentially none of a few.… Read more »
It is interesting how very differently people can perceive the same situation.
Uh James…unless I am mistaken this forum concerns itself with the State of Illinois issues so why bring up Trump who was a country wide politician?
Because he’s such a hero here, of course. Get real! This website concerns itself with literally everything that boils down to Republican vs. Democrat. Take a guess who has been the most influential Republican for at least the last six years?
James I think the Pritzker thing goes beyond Democrats and Republicans. Pritzker has been damaging to assorted area of the State and quite honestly I hope someone runs against him in the primaries. The Democrats I know don’t like him either.
Well, he always was the chief executive. He’s been exercising legislative powers via his 24 emergency declarations. We shouldn’t be surprised that he now feels qualified to exercise judicial powers as well. Didn’t the ancient Romans have some guy who did all that?
Yes, the Romans gave one person dictatorial powers for a maximum of six months, not often renewed, during periods of war or internal revolt.
The final dictator, Gaius Julius Caesar, made himself dictator for life and thus, was the first defacto Roman emperor. This was a coup, an insurrection.
JB has been doing executive orders making himself the most powerful person in IL government for 22 months now.
Is not this a defacto coup or insurrection?
The courts have rolled over for him so often now, it’s not surprising that he views any court order limiting his authority as merely temporary. He’s insufferable.
People like Porky and Lori want nothing more than a seat at the big table. Unfortunately their only role from the kids table is to promote the narrative. The narrative is collapsing, so being a useful idiot won’t pay out with a bump up!
After they are seated, are there any more seats left?
Great. If I get arrested, I’ll just say I am not obligated to follow laws I do not like. If JB Fathead can do, why can’t I?
And when you’re convicted, just say it was one errant judge in one county that wrongly decided you were guilty….
Where is his mask? He is standing in a patients’ room, clearly you can see patient is unmasked – that poor man in the bed. Where is the concern for the patient? Why is this acceptable? Did anyone call JB on this? Absolutely Outrageous. This could go viral. “Unmasked Pritzker holds a photo op ….. (something clever) …..”
Oh, the humanity!
Take a closer look at the dummy… the one in the background, for appearances sake. Is this how and why our icu beds are “full”?
I noticed that too — what the heck is the point of that? Theater?
JB perpetuating “The Big Lie”
with JB ,EVERYTHING is big!
What do you expect in a “Dominion Democracy” like Illinois? You only have the illusion of choice. Your leaders, those with real power, are selected, not elected. Elections are only held to continue the illusion. Both Dems and Repubs play for the same team, the team of which you will never be member. When the cameras are off, they laugh at how much you believe in the illusion of D vs R. Jay Bob commits tax fraud, he only has to return what he defrauded. What do you think would happen if you had committed the same act? Can you… Read more »
In the past it was true that they both played for the same party. However, this is no longer true. How do I know? Look at the incredible gerrymandering going on in IL. Look at where all the money goes. Look at who the corporations and unions support. Sure there are some RINOs in IL but there’s major differences between the parties.
What an infantile narcissistic gasbag. That judge must be one he couldn’t buy.
He is kissing the neurotic teachers unions ass
Question is why isn’t Pritzker being held in contempt of court?
He’s too big to jail.
Unreal. What a clown. JB, you’re an absolute goof.
Pritzker in open defiance of a court order. Democrats seem to like lawlessness – no wonder Pritzker is soft-on-crime.
Hmmmmm…… So, if the 500 or so school districts that have become mask-optional don’t immediately return to enforcing Pritzker’s “never went away” mask mandate, as many most certainly won’t, what’s Pritzker’s response going to be? Send the Illinois State Police or National Guard into schools to mask students no matter what their school district has decided? Chain the doors closed and keep staff and students away until everyone complies with what Governor Tax Cheat claims the law is? I suppose he should. After all, he’s told all those administrators, parents and students that wearing a mask in school remains the… Read more »
I think most school administrators and schools would eagerly welcome the return of forced masking and would go full blown authoritarian enforcing despite a parent and student revolt. I think the appellate court knows bringing back masks would be a complete cluster.
I think you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. “Most”? It’s like saying “most” Republicans are racist, which we both know is not true. “Most” people are tired of the senseless mask mandate. “Most” people who work in education love kids and don’t want to see them harmed. “Most” people think this far left “assault” on schools is way overblown, save for a few whacked out districts. “Most” people think CTU leadership is corrupt and doesn’t care about kids. “Most” people are tired of the crooked, distorted media propaganda that has created a veritable civil war climate over… Read more »
I’m not castigating debtsor here on his use ofcthe word “most” because he’s reasonably good about checking sources and data, but in general it seems a geat many people conflate reality with their own opinion when speaking. Apparently stating that most people believe the viewpoint they personally hold is done to give others the sense they have an authoritative point of view when the reality is that they only have that point of view due to their own set of friendships and life experiences rather than that of a much greater set of inputs likely available elsewhere. In short, my… Read more »
Most is the most appropriate descriptive word to use because Illinois’s education administration and school boards are overwhelmingly Democrat and progressive. If I remember correctly, a week after the TRO invalidated the mask mandate, only a 1/4 of students in the state were in mask optional schools, and even now, two weeks later, I read that only 500 of the 800 odd districts in the state are mask optional. All of the major school districts in IL are still enforcing masks and removing unmasked students from school grounds. So yes, “most school administrators and schools would eagerly welcome the return… Read more »
Okay, then. I was really trying to castigate those who use words as “most” and “nobody” without citing sources which clearly lead to such superlatives rather than merely suggesting the speaker is only bloviating based on personal beliefs or prejudices.
I bloviate quite a bit! I will not deny that.
Without a doubt. School admins will gladly scapegoat the governor. “Hey, I’d love to go maskless but damn that Springfield…”
He has made an inherently confusing situation even more so.
This situation speaks to the delusional world in which Jabba resides. He believes he is the supreme being, answering to no one and free to rule as he sees fit. Those who challenge his authority, such as judges or legislators, are to be criticized or ignored. It’s disturbing.
Pritzker Refuses To See That His Days As ‘COVID-Colonel-Klink’ Are Over
This exact situation is why the Founders set up a bi cameral system of government with three branches of government: to avoid the abuses of power of one branch which in this case is the executive. The legislative branch is to blame in this situation as well. They have totally abdicated their law making role in government to the executive branch who is seeking to govern by his own “emergency” fiat for over two years now. They should’ve checked his power long ago. If they would’ve passed an actual law requiring masks instead of an Agency issued statute then a… Read more »
It’s my belief that they never tried (or will try) to craft a law because it would entail public debate… Also the ones crafting said law would need to provide data to support their claims of an *existential threat* or even a *clear & present danger*… How can JPB continue to claim we are in a *health emergency*, when we are surrounded by states with no mandates whatsoever (& our numbers are low & dropping) …? And these states all have better metrics than we do, despite our *mask & vax mandates*… JBP believes he’s the King of Illinois… Yet… Read more »