East Central Reporter

While Republican Senator Chapin Rose called out Governor J.B. Pritzker for “defunding the police”, several news outlets noted how Republicans have made defunding efforts.

“I was going to share my own statement in SUPPORT OF THE BLUE, but this speaks for itself,” Rose wrote on Facebook.

The talking point of Democrats “defunding the police” came after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. However, ABC News reported defunding hasn’t happened.

In his post, Chapin shared the Facebook post of an individual named Amber Dobson Oberheim. Her post read: "2 more officers shot last night on my home turf. 2 more officers doing their jobs and protecting their community. 2 more families received that information in the middle of the night. 2 more… And thank God those 2 officers are still with us. When is enough enough, Governor JB Pritzker? At the state Police Memorial in May of this year, you promised me that you would step up for my police family. I don’t know about you, but when I make a promise, I KEEP IT. What have you done? What is it going to take for you to follow through on your commitment? I expect swift, effective action on YOUR part to put a stop to the non-sense that is happening to my police family on your watch. I like to think you are better than that, but I have also learned that people show you who they are if you allow them to. I have been to Springfield 3 times. I came straight to your office to have a face-to-face conversation with you. I wrote you a letter (delivered with over 100 more) which included my personal contact information, but never heard anything in return. Then I had a moment to look you in the eye and make sure you understood my expectation in May. I’m not one to take this kind of conversation to social media, but what choice do I have when my repeated efforts have fallen on deaf ears? I want you to make the right choice & do the right thing. Heck… I want to be your fan! But I simply cannot do that when you don’t take necessary action to stop the murders (and in this case attempted murders) of police officers in Illinois. Should you choose to continue to turn a blind eye, I suspect the people who feel the same way I do will serve up an eviction notice next month."

The Guardian reported GOP members in Congress voted against President Joe Biden’s $350 billion American Rescue Plan that gave funding to hire police.

In recent months, Rose has also taken aim at Pritzker on a variety of other topics. In August, it was over a comment made at an agricultural roundtable event. "I’m happy to set up a town hall with you and my constituents any time next month,” Sen. Chapin Rose wrote on Facebook to Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “What have you got to lose?” Pritzker attended the Illinois agricultural legislative roundtable where he spoke on his agriculture policies, alongside his GOP gubernatorial opponent. The comment by Pritzker in the ag roundtable that Rose is responding to is this: “Darren Bailey is lying to you about a few things. There’s nothing in the energy bill that makes it easier to impose eminent domain, absolutely nothing.”

What Rose didn’t take aim at are Bailey’s controversial comments. Jewish publication Forward reported Bailey said the number of abortions is worse than the approximate six million dead Jews during the Holocaust.

When confronted about his comment during a debate between incumbent Governor J.B. Pritzker and Bailey, Forward confirmed Bailey stands by his comment.

This month, he criticized Gov. Pritzker in connection with retiree health plan options, of which there are few. Rose recently criticized Pritzker, saying he is to blame for potential issues with state retirees' medical care. The senator made his comments in a Facebook post this week. "Pritzker to retirees: you can keep your doctor - MAYBE," Rose wrote in his Facebook post.