Prairie State Wire

President Trump took aim at Illinois in a tweet April 27, referencing a bailout request from Illinois Senate President Mark Harmon, who asked for $44 billion from the federal government last week.

“Why should the people and taxpayers of America be bailing out poorly run states [like Illinois, as example] and cities, in all cases Democrat-run and managed, when most of the other states are not looking for bailout help?" Trump tweeted. "I am open to discussing anything, but just asking?”

In his April 27 daily COVID-19 briefing, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker responded to the president’s tweet, not the first time the two have been at odds. 

“We are a donor state to the federal government," Pritzker said. "We pay more in federal taxes in Illinois than we get back from the federal government, so actually the states that are being bailed out every year, year in and year out, are the states who take more out of the federal dole than they put in in taxes. “COVID-19 has blown a hole in every state budget all across the nation — there’s not a single state that would not benefit from or does not need support from another CARES Act package.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also responded to the president’s tweet.

“In taking the specific steps that were necessary to keep people safe, we have caused damage to our economy, restaurants, bars, service industry and so forth," said Lightfoot in an April 27 report by ABC7.. "Those kind of closures, I don't think anybody took lightly and I know the governor didn't and neither did I, but they were necessary to save lives."    

This criticism of Democratic-run states comes after Trump indicated that he might support federal aid to states that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. But another prominent Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has another idea – let the states go broke.