CLAY CO. (WSIL) -- The battle between Representative Darren Bailey and Governor JB Pritzker could play out in a southern Illinois courtroom next week.
Clay County Judge Michael McHaney signed on Friday. He calls for Governor Pritzker to appear in court at 1 p.m. August 14.
The case stems from an over the governor's COVID-19 executive orders.
The governor's press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh released the following statement:
On the same day that the Governor asked the General Assembly to do more to keep Illinoisans safe, the House GOP is instead rejecting science and perpetuating a sideshow to this global pandemic. This motion for contempt is legally baseless, frivolous and a distraction from the serious crisis facing our state. Not a single member of the GOP caucus in the General Assembly has yet to publicly express their rejection of or outrage at this legal maneuvering that creates unnecessary confusion around public health guidance.
The issuance of the Order to Show Cause, without even allowing the Governor an opportunity to respond to the flawed motion for contempt, filed only days ago, is procedurally improper, violating elementary principles of fairness. The State is grappling with its most serious challenge to the lives and health of its residents - a global pandemic - with an increasing number of counties at a warning level today due to outbreaks of cases, and all the while the GOP is playing politics. The Governor will continue to focus on protecting public health and not on the political sideshow in Clay County.
Read the full order from the judge below:
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