UPDATE: In a statement to WCMY News, Gov. JB Pritzker’s press secretary denies the state turned down federal help at the veterans home. There’s more about that at this link.
Cong. Adam Kinzinger claims the state of Illinois turned down federal help at the veterans home in LaSalle as the coronavirus outbreak raged last month. Speaking on WCMY’s Morning Meeting program Thursday, the Channahon Republican said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found things wrong there. He says the VA offered help and was turned down every day, and he raises a question about whether that was political.
We have asked the VA and the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs for comment and will provide their replies when we get them.
In an Illinois State Senate committee hearing last week, it came out that even another state government department, the Illinois Department of Public Health, wasn’t involved at the home for up to 12 days. St. Rep. David Welter is demanding the Illinois House Veterans Affairs Committee also hold hearings.
The outbreak at the veterans home is barely a month old. As of Wednesday’s update from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, 108 residents and 97 employees have tested positive since November 1. Thirty of the residents have died.