Illinois attorney general candidate says Gov. Pritzker in violation of state's Gift Ban Act

[September 13, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general says that Gov. J.B. Pritzker is violating state law by supplementing the taxpayer-funded six-figure incomes of his top administrative staff members with his own personal fortune. 

AG candidate and attorney Thomas Devore says that is violation of state law.

The Gift Ban Act prohibits state officers and employees from receiving gifts from prohibited sources exceeding certain dollar amounts.

Devore said that Pritzker violated that law by personally gifting $1.5 million a year to the top 15 employees of his administration.

"As for the Gift Ban statute, the money is, in fact, a gift because they are not doing anything to earn it from the source of the fund," Devore told The Center Square. "Then the question becomes, is the gift coming from a prohibited source."

Devore said that since Pritzker has businesses that deal directly with the state, that money would be against the law.

"It is not even a question whether J.B. Pritzker does business with the state and its agencies. He has admitted to receiving billions of dollars in state contracts which are controlled by his administrative agencies," Devore said. "Furthermore, Pritzker's personal, political and financial interests are substantially affected by the official duties of these state employees receiving these gifts. For these reasons, J.B. Pritzker is a prohibited source under Illinois law."

Incumbent Attorney General Kwame Raoul has not investigated the gifts, which Devore claims must be done.

"If I was investigating this matter as the executive attorney general, how the governor is classifying that money to them and how the state employees are treating that money is something that needs to be addressed," Devore told The Center Square.

Devore claims that once these state employees receive extra money for no reason, their loyalty to taxpayers diminishes.

"Whose interests do these state employees put first?" Devore asked. "J.B. Pritzker's private interests, his business interests, his political interests, or the interests of the people of Illinois who pay them for their services at an amount already deemed sufficient by the legislature?"

The Pritzker administration did not return a request for comment on DeVore's allegations.

Devore will face off against incumbent Raoul in the November election.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.