Thursday, December 14, 2017

Chicago, IL – Following a tragic new report on 13 Legionnaires’ disease deaths in Illinois Veterans’ homes, JB Pritzker called for an independent investigation into Bruce Rauner’s failure to prevent the deaths of our nation’s heroes.

Here’s what Illinoisans are reading and seeing in the news about JB’s calls for transparency and accountability on the Legionnaires crisis:

From WMAQ:

From WBBM:

From KHQA:

From WMBD:

From WBEZ:

From WCIA:

From CLTV:

From WLS-AM: Pritzker blaming Rauner for Legionnaires’ deaths at Quincy:

Democrat Illinois gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker is blaming Governor Rauner for 13 Legionnaires’ disease deaths at the Quincy Veterans home.

Pritzker’s calling for new places to be found for the Quincy veterans to live and an outside independent investigation of the deaths, saying “This is incompetence. It’s gross mis-management. This is what happens when a governor refuses to take charge and accept responsibility. This is what failure looks like.”

From State Journal-Register: Governor candidates want action on Legionnaire’s outbreak at veterans home:

Democrat J.B. Pritzker held a news conference in Chicago where he called for an independent investigation into problems at the facility and whether the Rauner administration has appropriately addressed them.

“The obligation we have to these heroes and their families is sacred, and to have that obligation so thoroughly neglected is an unconscionable moral failing,” Pritzker said in a statement that accompanied the news conference. “These are real lives lost and families destroyed because of the failures at the highest levels of our state government. When a governor does not take charge, people die.”

Pritzker said veterans should be moved out of the Quincy facility for their safety and work should be completed as soon as possible on a new veterans facility in Chicago. Construction of the Chicago home was delayed because of the state’s budget problems.

From NBC 5 Chicago: Governor Rauner Under Fire for Deaths at Quincy Veteran’s Home:

Governor Bruce Rauner is under fire Wednesday as a new investigation reveals the details of the deaths of 13 people at a veteran’s home in downstate Quincy.

Since 2015, 13 people have died from Legionnaires’ disease, according to a report published by WBEZ this week. According to the report, the outbreaks were caused by deteriorating conditions at the home, and 11 families are suing the state of Illinois for negligence in connection with the outbreaks.

Now, with Rauner’s administration under fire for his handling of the situation, several Illinois gubernatorial candidates, including Democratic frontrunner J.B. Pritzker, are calling for an investigation.

“The obligation we have to these heroes and their families is sacred, and to have that obligation so thoroughly neglected is an unconscionable moral failing,” he said. “When a governor does not take charge, people die.”

From WICS: Families sue the state for negligence after 13 deaths in Quincy Veterans’ Homes:

11 families of 11 different veterans killed by the disease are suing the state for negligence.

“I’m appalled,” said JB Pritzker, Democratic gubernatorial candidate. “By how these veterans and their families have been treated.”

Some Democrats are blaming Governor Rauner, including Pritzker who described one veteran in a press conference.

“[He] survived over a year in a Nazi Camp only to die of Legionnaires’ disease right here in Illinois at the Illinois Veterans’ Home.”

From KHQA: Senator to file audit in wake of IL Vets Home deaths; 11 families suing state:

Democratic candidate for IL Governor JB Pritzker stated the following on Twitter:

The obligation we have to our Veterans and their families is sacred, and to have that obligation so thoroughly neglected is an unconscionable moral failing. http://interactive.wbez.org/legionnaires/

It’s time for an independent investigation into @BruceRauner’s failure to prevent the deaths of our nation’s heroes.

These heroes served us, they defended us, they risked their lives for us. For them to come home expecting our support and care, and instead lose their lives to a preventable disease is appalling.

These are real lives lost and families destroyed because of failures at the highest levels of our state government.

When a governor does not take charge, people die. @BruceRauner must be held accountable for this tragic failure of leadership.

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