West Central Reporter

In a June 25 Facebook post, Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) blasted Gov. J.B. Pritzker for calling a special session focused on abortion.

"Gov. Pritzker is calling a special session to waste hundreds of thousands of dollars on the issue of abortion, only to score political points. The Democrats have already overlegislated on this issue, including making taxpayers fund elective abortions and taking away a parent's right to know that their minor child is making a life-altering decision!" Davidsmeyer posted.

According to NBC Chicago, Pritzker announced a special session during a press conference following the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe V. Wade. In his press conference, he pledged that Illinois would stand up for women and that the state would not return to "Ward 41," where hospitals treated pregnancies turned septic due to botched abortions. 

Pritzker detailed the importance of reinforcing abortion rights in Illinois.

"Together the Democratic leadership in Illinois is committed to taking swift action to further enshrine our commitment to reproductive health care," Pritzker said. "I want to close by speaking to those who have the most at stake in today's decision. To the single mom juggling 4 kids and three part-time jobs, Illinois will fight for you. To the teenage child who endured rape or incest, Illinois will fight for you. To the marginalized and most vulnerable who are being attacked at every turn by transphobic or misogynistic or bigoted politicians, Illinois will fight for you, we will not turn back the clock here in the land of Lincoln and the home state of Barack Obama where we were the first to ratify women suffrage 100 years ago. We will continue to fight for freedom and liberty and for justice for all."

In a video on his website, Davidsmeyer issued a statement related to Pritzker's press conference. "… The Governor announced that he's going to bring back the General Assembly to deal with the issue of abortion. Illinois is a destination for abortion already,' Davidsmeyer said. "Democrats have already legalized everything that they could possibly do with abortion, including taxpayer-funded elective abortions, as well as 12-year-old being able to go into their doctor and get an abortion without even notifying their parents."

Davidsmeyer said there are issues more deserving of state funding.

"Illinois is going to waste money - hundreds of thousands of dollars - to come back for something like this, when downstate communities are talking about having rolling brownouts because of lack of energy. We've got $5 gasoline. We've got inflation going through the roof, and we're going to bring back a special session so that the Governor and the Democrats can make a special point about an issue that that state of Illinois has already decided," Davidsmeyer said.  "I think it's absolutely ridiculous that we're wasting this time and money when there are people downstate that are going to be hurt and not to mention that at the Jacksonville developmental center the state of Illinois can't even afford to mow the yard. We're going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring the General Assembly back for something that the state has already decided. It's absolutely ridiculous and the Governor should be ashamed of himself."

Politico reported that Justice Clarence Thomas has also suggested that the U.S. Supreme Court look at other cases that have already been ruled on - cases that focus on birth control and same-sex marriage.