Rauner Slammed For Initial Refusal To Call Charlottesville Attack Terrorism
By aaroncynic in News on Aug 14, 2017 5:39PM
Governor Bruce Rauner outside the Director's Lawn at the Illinois State Fair in August 2016. Photo by Aaron Cynic
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is taking heat for what critics call a very Trump-like tactic of first refusing to label as terrorism the horrific attack on counter-demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia as terrorism. Rauner ultimately issued a more forceful rebuke on Monday afternoon as criticism continued to mount.
In a morning press conference after he finished signing HB2663—a bill than bans the expulsion of schoolchildren in preschool—reporters asked the governor about the incident, which he called “horrible,” but refused to call terrorism.
Gov Rauner won't mention @realDonaldTrump and calls #Charlottesville "horrible" but won't call it terrrorism #twill
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) August 14, 2017
Just finished bill signing for HB2663 and @GovRauner REFUSED to call the acts in #Charlottesville an act of terrorism. #twill pic.twitter.com/dsvGDxchj1
— Juliana Stratton (@JulianaStratton) August 14, 2017
Rauner tweeted over the weekend that there was “no excuse for violence and bigotry.”
My thoughts are with #Charlottesville & VA today. There is no excuse for violence and bigotry. We must stand together against hate.
— Bruce Rauner (@GovRauner) August 12, 2017
Rauner asked if it's terrorism: "It is outrageous and we gotta fight against it" & then bristles when asked why he won't say it's terrorism
— Tony Arnold (@tonyjarnold) August 14, 2017
Similar to President Donald Trump however the governor seemed to have an issue with specifically calling the act terrorism or calling the alleged perpetrator a white supremacist. Several of his potential democratic rivals for the 2018 election came out in the past few days to not only condemn the act and call it terrorism, but also promoted or attended events in the state to show solidarity for the victims.
We must state with one voice that white supremacy has no place in America. Glad to join a vigil a #Charlottesville vigil in Springfield. pic.twitter.com/lrr8UOIJoQ
— Daniel Biss (@danielbiss) August 13, 2017
We cannot allow alt-right extremists who follow Donald Trump to divide us and pit us against each other. We are strong and resilient.
— Ameya Pawar (@Ameya_Pawar_IL) August 12, 2017
Democratic gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker referred to Rauner’s refusal as “cowardice.”
“White supremacists are terrorizing communities and Bruce Rauner is mincing words and tiptoeing around our bigoted president,” said Pritzker in a statement emailed to Chicagoist. “The injured and dead who protested this weekend deserve better than this flagrant cowardice from Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump. If we are going to address what happened in Charlottesville then we should have the courage to call it exactly what it is: terrorism.”
Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar tweeted at the governor to “say it.”
. @GovRauner it's white supremacy and terrorism. Say it, governor.
— Ameya Pawar (@Ameya_Pawar_IL) August 12, 2017
Chris Kennedy said Rauner was “following in the footsteps of Trump.”
“Not calling it so speaks volumes about where he stands,” said Kennedy in a statement published by Capitol Fax. “Our country and our state are in the hands of two men who embolden the hate coming from white supremacists.”
As he began to take criticism from many sides on social media and after repeated questioning by reporters, the governor ultimately issued a clearer denunciation, telling Capitol Fax:
“The deadly violence in Charlottesville this weekend is abhorrent and absolutely an act of domestic terrorism. Racism, hatred and violence have no place in our society. The individuals responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”