From State Rep. DanUgaste:
Dan Ugaste Demands Review of Illinois Governor Disaster Proclamations
GENEVA – State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-65) is asserting that any Disaster Proclamation by the Governor of Illinois, for which a previous disaster declaration was already made, needs to be approved by the majority of state legislators from both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.
Earlier this month, Ugaste made a request for the same once Governor Pritzker entered his second Emergency Declaration involving the Covid-19 pandemic.
At that time, Ugaste commented,
“…this is in no way a criticism of the way which Governor Pritzker has addressed this public health crisis.”
“And it still is not a criticism; this is about recognizing a separate and co-equal branch of government,” said Ugaste.
“The General Assembly is a separate and equal branch of the government, which has been completely marginalized by the Governor’s decision to issue continuous Disaster Proclamations beyond the original 30 days.”
As Ugaste noted earlier this month, the language of the Illinois Emergency Management Act specifically states that the Governor may exercise specific emergency powers for a period “not to exceed 30 days” (20 ILCS 3305 (7)).
However, it in no way provides for the complete sidelining of the Legislature, who are the closest representatives of the people of the State of Illinois and on the front lines of contact with them.
“While the statute does not clearly indicate the General Assembly’s role in the extension of any disaster declaration, it is very clear that Governor Pritzker has completely marginalized each and every member of the General Assembly, and silenced the voices of the residents they were elected to represent,” said Ugaste.
“To read it as such would allow a Governor to issue such Declarations at will and run the State on her/his own without any input from the General Assembly, thereby usurping its powers and duties as is provided for in Article IV of the Illinois Constitution.
“The fact that the General Assembly has not expressly given him the power to extend his Declaration means he has simply taken the power.
“In an effort to ensure the bedrock of our government’s system of checks and balances goes unshaken through this pandemic, the legislature needs to be given the opportunity to affirm or deny the Governor’s two most recent Disaster Proclamations.
“I am calling on Speaker Madigan and President Harmon to get us back to Springfield for Session in order to take such a vote.
US Congress met this week to approve an additional stimulus package, taking necessary safety precautions and wearing masks. There is no reason that we can’t do the same here for Illinois residents.”
I just love this guy!
I appreciate what he’s doing but I see a gaping hole in Ugaste’s plan to check Pritzker’s power.
It involves ASKING a guy named MIKE MADIGAN to DO THE RIGHT THING and STAND UP TO PRITZKER.
Does anybody else see the problem here?
This is just a guess, but I doubt Madigan, a Democrat, shares Ugaste’s concern about the Democratic governor (Pritzker) having too much power, and I doubt Pritzker feels any pressure from Republicans saying they’re going to tattle on him to Madigan.
It’s even possible that Madigan wants to avoid the lockdown being a legislative issue at all, because then it places some onus on the legislature.
If they lock it down too long, major problems.
If they open it up too early, possible major problems too but of a different nature.
If things were to go as good as possible, they would probably get zero credit.
So politically, they have a lot to lose and nothing to gain by getting involved.
It’s easier to just let the governor do it so if things go bad they don’t get blamed.
That wouldn’t be uncharacteristic of Madigan, who has a reputation for “protecting” his members from tough votes.
Over 60 percent of the Illinois House is Democratic.
That’s true of the Illinois Senate as well.
Some people have suggested the president himself is trying to do a dance with governors now, by toggling through being a unitary strongman concerned with public health and a flexible federalist committed to the free market depending on what’s most politically expedient for him at that given moment.
And considering the president’s reluctance to take personal responsibility when he’s wrong, they might be right.
The U.S. Congress has done this with foreign policy and other issues by abdicating their responsibility and letting the executive branch call the shots.
It’s easier if they don’t take tough votes and just allow the president to exercise his will, knowing if they made the wrong decision they would get blamed.
Politicians don’t want to take difficult or controversial votes, they want to stay in office and continue their parasitic lifestyle.
What is Ugaste’s plan for recourse if Harmon and Madigan decide to ignore his suggestion which seems likely?
Get back to the drawing board, GOP.
Even threatening a lawsuit is better than saying you’ll urge Madigan to do something.
That’s not perfect either, but it would be better, and remember that even the somewhat dopey Libertarian Party just whooped Pritzker’s big butt in court!
But you have to show your teeth or they’ll keep stomping on your testicles.
They are dishonorable, demon possessed people with prisoner mentality.
That means they provoke you and assault you, and the less you fight back, the more they will punk you.
They identify weak targets to be future victims of their theft, extortion, exploitation, violence, and humiliation.
The refrain of the DEMOCRATS everywhere – Laws Are For Thee, Not For Me.
A State Rep from southern Illinois just filed a lawsuit against Pritzker for extending the stay at home order.
He filed it in the Clay County Circuit Court.
Ugaste, is the deck chair arranger on the HPS (His Prizker Majesty’s ship) Illinois-Titanic.
A nice little side show for the people wondering if we still aren’t under martial law yet.
Thank you for the update, Billy Bob.
For anybody interested, it was Darren Bailey who filed the lawsuit.