Star NBC anchor stuns top Democrat presidential hopeful JB Pritzker with rare takedown

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

A top Democrat governor was on the receiving end of a brutal takedown from a major TV network host on Sunday.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had no coherent reply when asked by NBC host Kristen Welker about his state's congressional district maps.
Welker noted that 'every major group that grades the fairness of congressional maps, gives' Illinois 'an F.'
'Common Cause, a non-partisan government watchdog, even says your map, and I'm going to quote, "represents a nearly perfect model for everything that can go wrong with redistricting," ' Welker added, pouring salt on Pritzker's wounds.
The NBC anchor then added another jab, asking Pritzker point blank how he plans to 'preserve democracy' while 'using the same tactics that [he's] criticized Texas Republicans for.'
An astounded Pritzker rattled off a nonsensical answer about the dangers of democracy being attacked in Texas, while dancing around the critique of his own state.
Vice President JD offered his own interesting take on congressional apportionment Sunday, when he told FOX News Channel's Maria Bartiromo that 'even Democrats actually admit this, that the census in 2020 had a major statistical error,' which means that maps in many states could potentially be drawn using inaccurate data.
Vance added that blue states were overcounted and red states were undercounted.
'What we're living with, Maria, is the consequence of 40 years of institutional control in the Democratic Party,' Vance noted.
'These guys have fought very dirty for a very long time. And they haven't just won elections and enacted laws that we may not agree with. They have tried to rig the game for Democrats and against Republicans,' the vice president concluded.
Meanwhile, the Illinois governor has made his state a safe haven for a cadre of Texas lawmakers who fled the Lone Star State last week as a way of stalling a vote on redrawing their congressional maps.
Over 50 Democratic state lawmakers fled to avoid voting on a controversial Donald Trump-backed piece of legislation that could help Republicans get more power in Congress.
They hopped on a $17,000 an hour private jet last Sunday, earning the wrath of conservatives who accused them of spending an estimated $100,000 total.
It's unclear if the lawmakers used taxpayer dollars to fund their travel or if they 'solicited' outside funds from an outside group, which also has potential legal consequences.
Far-right commentator Benny Johnson wrote on X: 'Texas Republicans need to launch an emergency investigation into who paid for this seditious stunt.'
Another GOP activist added that 'bribery' should be added to the list of charges against the Democrats who fled.
Republican State Rep. Cole Hefner accused them of fleeing because 'they know they're losing the policy argument.'
'Hopping on a private plane to Chicago won't change the facts — they are abandoning their districts and turning their backs on Texans who need help the most,' he went on.
The Democrats are working to stall a bill that would redraw the state's congressional maps and eliminate five U.S. House seats presently held by Democrats.
It's crucial since the GOP holds a tiny three-seat majority in the U.S. House, so every seat they're able to scoop up could impact whether Trump can push his agenda through in the last two years of his second term.
Meanwhile, the 2026 midterm elections are just around the corner.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott promised to 'remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House' for 'abdicating the duties of their office and thwarting the chamber's business.'
He also pointed out that the funding of the private jet raises potential ethics concerns and 'bribery' charges.
'Any Democrat who 'solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept' such funds to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote may have violated bribery laws,' Abbott cited according to Texas law.
Texas House Democrat Caucus Chair Gene Wu has solicited funds for the stunt on social media numerous times last weekend, asking supporters to donate to his group's campaign account. 'Please support our efforts. Donate to @TexasHDC' Wu wrote on X.
Democrats have been stalling a vote on the legislation by the full chamber by not showing up, a procedure also known as 'breaking quorum.'
A quorum of 100 members is needed to conduct business in the Texas House of Representatives, but with a majority of Democrats fleeing the state, no work can get done.
An estimated 57 Democrats left for Illinois, according to Caucus Chair Wu.
Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker promised to protect the Texas Democrats in his state from arrest because 'they're following the law.'
Rouge lawmakers could be fined $500 a day if they refuse to come to work, per a rule adopted in 2021 after Texas Democrats pulled a similar move to postpone another voting bill.
Abbott has said that his threat to remove the Democrats from their offices is rooted in Texas law.
According to a legal review by the state's attorney general, a legislator can be determined to have 'vacated office' if they intentionally break quorum.
Abbott also added that a district court 'may determine that a legislator has forfeited his or her office due to abandonment and can remove the legislator from office, thereby creating a vacancy.'