Prairie State Wire

Mayor of Aurora and an Illinois GOP gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin is denouncing Gov. J.B. Pritzker for what he said was a failure to take action that led to dozens of deaths at a state-run veterans home during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

According to CBS Chicago, a state audit found that during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, severe mismanagement at the LaSalle Veterans Home led to the deaths of 36 veterans who died from COVID.

Irvin spoke at a news conference May 9 joined by his running mate, Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield), Sen. Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) and Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) to comment on the audit.

"JB Pritzker, his senior team and the Illinois Department of Public Health were aware in real-time of the outbreak at LaSalle Veterans Home and carelessly were slow to act," Irvin said. "A slow reaction that resulted in the preventable deaths of 36 Illinois heroes. By slow to action, let’s be clear, the public health department did not arrive at the LaSalle Home until 11 days after the outbreak started. This is despite leadership getting daily updates on the worsening crisis at the home."

"Although the Illinois Department of Public Health… officials were informed of the increasing positive cases almost on a daily basis… IDPH did not identify and respond to the seriousness of the outbreak." the auditor wrote, according to CBS News. "All but four residents who died were positive prior to the date of the IDPH site visit…."

"COVID-19 had been ravaging Illinois for months before hitting the LaSalle Veterans Home," Irvin continued. "Safety protocols and procedures should have been in place at large-scale live-in facilities. Especially those run by the state and JB Pritzker, who talked about the seriousness of COVID-19 on TV daily. This wasn’t some silent disease that crept into the water system of an antiquated building. There is quite simply no reason why this tragedy could not have been prevented."

In response to the audit, Pritzker brought up the political environment surrounding the pandemic in 2020, CBS reported.

"Republicans told them that they need not wear masks," Pritzker said. "They told people that they didn't need to get vaccinated. They told people that that COVID wasn't serious."

"Thirty-six families lost their loved ones through the negligence and incompetence of JB Pritzker and his administration," Irvin said. "There needs to be accountability. JB Pritzker needs to answer to the families who lost their loved ones because of his negligence. JB Pritzker needs to accept responsibility instead of consistently pointing the finger at others."

The director that administered the LaSalle Veterans Home resigned under pressure following the outbreak.