CHICAGO – The Illinois Republican Party's communications executive director Joe Hackler apparently woke up with an inclination towards satire Monday morning, as the Party put out a press release mocking Governor Pritzker as having landed a convention to promote carjacking.
Illinois Review asked Hackler – who is also running for state representative in the IL GOP primary – if this press release was meant for April 1st. We also wonder if we're to laugh off future press releases from the IL GOP – and how do we know when the press releases are serious or when they're meant for The Onion or the Babylon Bee?
And why during a year that Republicans COULD make headway in Illinois, this is coming from the IL GOP?
Here's exactly what Hackler sent out:
If the print on the image is too small for you to read on your phone, here's what it says verbatim:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 18, 2022
Contact: press@illinois.gop
Pro-Criminal Governor Lands National Carjacking Convention
CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker may announce today that he has landed a major new convention to boost Illinois tourism: The National Carjacking Convention!
"Carjackers around the country are so excited that our state has become a haven for violent criminals and that I as governor have sided with carjackers over victims and law enforcement," Pritzker says in remarks prepared for delivery by the Illinois Republican Party.
"As the legislative session dragged on, it became clear to me that if I pushed a single piece of legislation that might actually stop the carjacking epidemic in Illinois, we might lose out on a major tourism opportunity. So I called Speaker Welch, and I said, put a brick on anything that stops crime – put a brick on anything that tries to roll back our anti-police, pro-criminal law. And today, with crime skyrocketing and carjacking out of control, I'm proud to announce we have landed the 2022 National Carjacking Convention right here in Illinois."
