Democrats and Republicans are condemning LaSalle County Clerk Jennifer Ebner after a controversial Facebook post on her personal Facebook page. The post shows a stick figure, colored like the American Flag, kicking another stick figure in LGBTQ flag colors with the caption below saying it’s finally July. LaSalle County Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Ford says she’s angered and distressed that the clerk posted derogatory and hurtful statements and cartoons aimed at the LGBTQ community. She’s asked the LaSalle County Board to review ethics, human rights, and diversity laws to ensure that no State or County laws have been broken. St. Rep. Lance Yednock says he’s very disappointed that an elected official would post such a divisive and hurtful message. He says he and the Attorney General’s Office will also check to see if any state or local laws were broken. LaSalle County Republican Party Chairman Larry Smith says the post was both unfortunate and inappropriate. He also says although the graphic is up to some interpretation, a reasonable person could assume it rather crudely reflected pleasure with the ending of Pride Month. Smith says the post doesn’t represent the platform nor the opinions of the LaSalle County Republican Central Committee or the Republican Party at large. Ebner took down the post on her personal Facebook page but says she is free to exercise her freedom of speech and the post doesn’t reflect her performance as LaSalle County Clerk.
Although the post has since been taken down, this was the picture seen posted by LaSalle County Clerk Jennifer Ebner. People screen shoted the post before it was taken down.