CHICAGO – A letter sent out to Chicago Democrats from Chicago Alderman Ed Burke fueled a rumor sizzling among political insiders Wednesday night: Would Governor Pritzker manipulate the state's COVID numbers to justify another statewide shutdown just days before the November 3rd election?
Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison called on Governor Pritzker to publicly assure Illinois voters that would not happen.
"I publicly challenge the governor to assure Illinois voters he will not interfere with the November 3rd election by proclaiming an emergency COVID shutdown similar to the one he proclaimed in March," Commissioner Morrison told Illinois Review Wednesday evening.
An emphasis on Early Voting coming from Democrat political insiders is causing a sense of concern among Illinoisans who are seeing the Governor shutdown restaurants and bars throughout the state, one region at a time.
Commissioner Morrison pointed to the wording in Burke's letter as a basis for concern that he's hearing.
"…I urge everyone whom has not yet cast a ballot by Early Voting or by Mail, to strongly consider Early Voting this year," Burke, a confidante of Mike Madigan and husband of IL Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, wrote October 28, 2020 to "Friends" in his 14th Ward.
"Remember, thirty percent of the polling locations in the 14th Ward have been relocated due to COVID-19. With COVID-19 on the rise, the likelihood of polling place locations closing is possible, without notice, as happened in the March election," the letter says.
Illinois Review is awaiting Governor Pritzker's response to Commissioner Morrison's request.
