Illinois House Republican Caucus walk out of session in protest
The walkout was in protest of HR 118, a resolution which condemns President Donald Trump for pardoning those who attacked the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021 in an attempt to prevent the certification of the 2020 Presidential election results.
House Republicans called the resolution 'a waste of taxpayer time and resources' on the part of House Democrats, whom they accused of working to 'endorse a vendetta agenda against President Trump,' calling HR 118 a 'political show' they 'could not stand by and watch,' according to a post on their official Facebook page.
'The people of Illinois didn't send us here to grandstand. House Republicans are here to work on the pressing issues facing our residents like high taxes and public safety,' the Facebook post continued.
'We are here to work, to better the state of Illinois. While the Democratic Party remains solely focused on fear-mongering and political grandstanding, House Republicans will continue to put forth the solutions the taxpayers deserve,' Representative John Cabello said in a speech after the walkout, speaking on behalf of the caucus and House Republican leader Tony M. McCombie of the 103rd District.
'The resolutions brought forth in the Illinois House today showcase the lack of effort of the majority party to focus on improvements for families across the state that our families desperately need,' Cabello said.
Rep. Schweizer, of the 104th District, which encompasses an area covering portions of Vermilion and Champaign counties, is a member of the House Republican Caucus and participated in the walkout protest.
'Every person in this body was elected to be a State Representative. We are here to do the work of Illinois not to fearmonger, showboat, and ignore Illinois' problems to focus on national concerns,' Schweizer said in a post to his official Facebook page.
The resolution in question, HR 118, 'condemns President Donald Trump's inexcusable pardons of his coconspirators and criminals convicted of attacking police officers, attacking our Capitol, and attacking our democracy,' according to the language of the bill.
HR 118 was adopted by the General Assembly Wednesday, Feb. 5, with 74 yeas and 0 nays. Next, it will head to the Illinois Senate for a vote. Should the bill pass there, it will be signed into law.
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