By Illinois Review
Illinois House Republican Conference Chairman Jeff Keicher – a close ally of embattled House GOP leader Tony McCombie, is defending his support of a bill in 2023 that expanded transgender and non-binary patient rights – even becoming angry and dropping the f-bomb before hanging up during a phone call with a female constituent.
“If someone can’t figure out what sex they are they shouldn’t be denied access to cancer care,” wrote Keicher on Facebook late on Sunday shortly after Illinois Review’s story broke – sparking an instant backlash in the comments section of his post.
“Very disappointed in you State Representative Jeff Keicher,” wrote one person.
“YOU Just pinch hit for the Left…I pray someone is figuring out how to replace you soon!,” wrote another.
“You are one of only three Republicans that turned your back on sanity…Most of your Republican colleagues agree with me too so if you’re going to call me a bigot or narrow minded your calling your colleagues that too,” wrote another angry constituent.
On Monday evening, another constituent posted on Facebook about a disturbing phone conversation she had with the state House Republican leader, writing,
“I talked with Jeff Keicher and he tried to defend his view! He was trying to be calm but then dropped the f word and said he had to hang up because he was going to get angry! Pathetic reasoning for voting yes!!!”
Donation records with the state board of election indicate that Keicher received $1,000 from a progressive hospital association whose been advocating for improved care for transgender and non-binary patients around the time of his vote in support of mandating insurance coverage for certain exams – specifically, “cervical” exams for males and “prostate” exams for females. The same records also show that state House GOP leader Tony McCombie received $47,500 from that same hospital association around the time of her supportive vote as well.
Late on Monday, during a tele-town hall meeting, McCombie called Illinois Review “fake news,” one day after the conservative, pro-Trump news publication exposed her support for legislation that expanded health care coverage for transgender and non-binary patients in Illinois. Although the votes were in 2023, the bill’s effective date was January 1, 2025 – making this issue extremely relevant.
The Illinois House Republican Caucus meets on Wednesday to pick their leadership team, and sources confirm that McCombie is working hard behind the scenes to garner support for another term as the House leader in Springfield.
State party leaders including state party chairwoman Kathy Salvi and national committeemen Dean White and Rhonda Belford remain silent on this controversy.
