Blagojevich calls out Illinois lawmakers for not working amid pandemic: 'Don't be wimps'

CHICAGO -- Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did not mince his words Thursday afternoon, calling out Illinois lawmakers for not working during the COVID-19 pandemic.









To sum up his Facebook post, Blagojevich said to Illinois lawmakers, “Put your masks on and get to work!”

Blagojevich points out that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. have returned to work, and that nurses, doctors, police officers, paramedics, firefighters, UPS truck drivers, mail carriers, cashiers at supermarkets and grocery stores, maintenance workers, food delivery drivers, and many more continue to work.

He calls those still working, “heroes.”

The former governor also points out that Illinois lawmakers continue to get paid while not being in Springfield. He says they “have failed to show up to do their jobs for “we the people” who pay their salaries.”

“What are you waiting for?” he added. “Don’t be wimps.”

On Thursday, Governor JB Pritzker announced an extension of Illinois’ stay-at-home order through May and health officials announced the statewide COVID-19 case total nears 37,000 while the death toll has hit 1,688.

Blagojevich was serving a 14-year prison sentence, but had his sentence commuted by President Donald Trump in February.