With Gov. J.B. Pritzker stepping further onto the national stage and priming for politics outside of Illinois, let’s not forget his scandalous past.
By Lilly Rossi | Illinois Policy Institute
J.B. Pritzker’s bid for a third term as governor doesn’t seem to be the only race he has his eye on.
Pritzker, who’s up for re-election Nov. 3, is on tour building a national profile and says a bid for the White House hasn’t been “ruled out.”
While he mulls that, don’t forget the trail of scandals Pritzker has left across Illinois:
- Hiding millions of dollars in trusts in the Bahamas.
- Cited on federal wiretaps with a politician convicted of corruption.
- Removed toilets in his mansion for a $331,000 tax break. (He ended up paying the money.)
- Scrubbed internet of photo with someone accused of murder.
- Blurred the lines when giving out political contracts.
- Hypocrisy during the COVID no-travel order.
- Skirted rules to appoint brother-in-law to a political position.
Pritzker also has prioritized traveling to build his personal brand over concerning himself with his constituents in Illinois.
Here are details:
Hiding millions of dollars in trusts in the Bahamas.
While Pritzker has consistently pledged to raise taxes on the rich in Illinois, he has exempted himself.
When he was challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner for governor in 2018, the Chicago Tribune connected Pritzker to trusts in the Bahamas that were avoiding taxes. Reporting then indicated Pritzker may have avoided millions of dollars in taxes from 2008 to 2018.
At the same time, Pritzker has levied at least 57 tax and fee hikes on Illinoisans since taking office, punishing Illinois with the highest tax burden in the nation.
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