Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Chicago, IL – Following a tragic new report on 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.

At a press conference in front of the Thompson Center with Alderman Gilbert Villegas and members of the Chicago City Council’s Veterans Caucus, JB outlined three actions that must be taken immediately to begin to remedy the crisis and protect our Veterans. An independent investigator must be appointed to investigate the Legionnaires’ crisis and audit existing contracts; in consultation with their families, Veterans should be relocated from the Quincy Veterans’ home to keep them safe; and the construction of the new Chicago Veterans’ home that was stalled by Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis should be expedited and opened immediately.

“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,” said JB Pritzker. “They 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. Bruce Rauner must be held accountable for this tragic failure of leadership.”

Alderman Gilbert Villegas said, “Legionnaires’ disease is totally and completely treatable, and it’s found in places like prisons and third world countries, but here we are talking about a Veterans’ Home in Illinois. Governor Rauner should be ashamed. Right here in Chicago, a Veterans’ Home has been sitting unfinished the entire time Bruce Rauner has been governor. Today, I am calling on Bruce Rauner to step up and do whatever it takes to serve our Veterans just like they have served him and all of us. Never allow another Veteran to die of Legionnaires. Never allow another vital building to go half finished. Governor Rauner, do what is right and serve our Veterans, just like they served us—you’re in charge.”

In support of these efforts, Veteran and Secretary of State Jesse White said, “There needs to be an investigation into the issues surrounding the Legionnaires disease outbreak in Quincy Veterans’ home and I urge the facility to be shut down until the source of the outbreak is known. As a Veteran, I find it especially frustrating that people who served our country should have to deal with this outrageous situation.”