Vice President Vance said Sunday that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) should “face some consequences” after President Trump called the outspoken governor Will be sent to prison for failing to protect federal immigration enforcement.
In an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos addressed Trump’s calls to send Pritzker to prison and repeatedly asked the vice president whether the Democratic governor had committed any crimes.
“I think Governor Pritzker has certainly failed to keep the people of Illinois safe,” Vance responded when asked for the first time, pointing to the high murder rate in Chicago.
He said, “Why is he so angry at Donald Trump for trying to keep Chicagoans safe? He should be angry at the criminals he has failed to keep away.” “We’re trying to help him, and we’re trying to help the residents of his biggest city. I wish he would let us do that because he’s certainly not doing the job himself.”
Stephanopoulos continued to press Vance directly asking whether “you agree with President Trump that Governor Pritzker committed a crime.”
The vice president dodged the question but said he thinks Pritzker should face consequences for his alleged failures as governor.
“Well, I think Governor Pritzker has allowed a lot of people to be killed in the city of Chicago and elsewhere, George. I think it’s outrageous, and I think he should definitely face some consequences for the fact that thousands of innocent Chicagoans have died because he failed to do his job,” Vance said.
When asked again by Stephanopoulos, Vance said he thought Pritzker “violated his fundamental oath of office” but that it would be up to the court to decide whether the governor committed a crime.
“It’s really a yes or no question,” Stephanopoulos said. “Do you believe he committed a crime?”
Vance said, “George, you keep asking this question, I’ll keep telling you that Governor Pritzker has failed to do his job. He’s going to face some consequences.”
“Whether he committed a crime, ultimately, I’ll leave up to the courts, but I certainly think he violated his fundamental oath of office. That seems very criminal to me. I’ll leave it up to the judge and the jury to decide whether he actually violated a crime.”
Pritzker, who next appeared on an ABC News show, responded to the interview by saying that the Trump administration is “making things up to go after people.”
“Well, you’ve just heard a wave of lies from the vice president of the United States. It’s a little shocking, and you’ve heard over and over again that he’s talking to you on national television,” Pritzker said.
“You know, there’s a reason the judge here in federal court said the administration lacks credibility and even the chairman of the Nobel Prize committee said the administration lacks integrity. This administration, led by a 34-time convicted felon, is threatening to put people in jail who are his political opponents,” he added.
Pritzker said he will continue to stand up for the people in his state.
“They’re making things up to go after people. We’re seeing it day in and day out. And the fact that he made threats against me, I’m not afraid. I’m going to stand up for the people of my state. And we all have to stand up together because there are really unconstitutional actions being taken from this administration that are coming down on the states and the people of the United States and all of us, Democrat and Republican, need to speak out about it.”
