State Representative Blaine Wilhour is one of nine Republican lawmakers expelled for the rest of the day for refusing to wear a mask during the session.
For the third day in a row, the issue came up, with Wilhour and the other GOP legislators taking a stance that masks are no longer needed and that they’ve never had a say in state COVID-19 mandates.
“We’re kicking people out. It’s a total lack of common sense. It’s a total lack of critical thought. The people of Illinois are done with it. They are tired of it. It’s time to set an example that sanity is going to return to the State of Illinois,” said Wilhour.
State Representative Lakesia Collins of Chicago asked that they be removed and was then pushed to defend her request.
“We don’t like to answer tomfoolery. But what I will say is that this body is doing everything on this side of the aisle to make sure the people’s work is being done while you all on that side of the aisle are making this chamber a clown show,” said Collins.
House rules require masks to be worn on the house floor and a vote was taken to remove those not complying.
Other reps expelled are Representatives Joe Sosnowski, Tony McCombie, Brad Halbrook, Adam Niemerg, David Welter, David Friess, Chris Miller, and Andrew Chesney.
A tenth person Steven Reiche put his mask back on just before the vote.
After the vote, a majority of the Republican state representatives walked out with them. Both parties then went into caucus before the start of committee hearings.
