Daniel Biss and Litesa Wallace deliver response to Pritzker's inappropriate phone call with Blagojevich discussing Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Today, at a press conference in Springfield, Daniel Biss and Litesa Wallace delivered the following remarks in response to the Chicago Tribune’s story revealing inappropriate conversations between J.B. Pritzker and former Governor Rod Blagojevich.
“Last night we heard more from the FBI tapes of conversations between JB Pritzker and former Governor Rod Blagojevich,” said Daniel Biss. “This latest conversation represents all that is wrong with our politics: powerful white men, totally unaware of their privilege, horsetrading people of color to gain more power. The conversation, including phrases like “least offensive” or “a little more crass”, personally I found it disgusting.
“It is past time that we lift the veil on the ugly imbalance of power between the wealthy and well-connected, and the people who have for too long been taken advantage of by our broken system. We need to address these systemic inequalities in our politics and in the services we provide as a state. We have inequities in education, in employment and in the criminal justice system. Inequities born out of a system that is rigged to benefit a few at the expense of all the rest of us, and these tapes are another example of it.
“We see this in boardrooms and backroom deals all the time. Where wealthy white men with power that pit black and brown people against each other, using people as pawns in a game for profit or political gain. What we’ve seen in the past is a broken political system, and in order to have a future that is just and fair, we need transformational change. We need a politics built on co-governing that views all people as equals. And we have to acknowledge our privilege and build a government that reflects the people it represents.”
“As a woman of color, a Black woman in particular, a mother and a lawmaker,” said Litesa Wallace. “When I heard the sentiments expressed on those FBI tapes it revealed to me that we’re still not seen as complex, educated, talented human beings. We were simply seen as objects; our racial background are simply used as something that can be a checked off a long list of the least dynamic characteristics for political candidates.
“My role as a legislator and in this campaign is more than just being a face. I’ve been an advocate; I will continue to be an advocate; and I will do what I believe is right. I will continue to work hard on behalf of middle-class and working families like mine. And I am reminded after hearing those tapes as to why Daniel. The first reason why I endorsed him initially is that he is the most qualified person to enter the race. The second reason was because he actually believes in the kind of politics he just described. A type of politics that no longer depends on those backroom deals, one that actually depends upon co-governing, creating a shared democracy amongst others. And making sure that the voices of those that are intentionally silenced are actually amplified. So, I’m here proudly as his running mate and I’m also here to say that it’s time out, and time up, for the type of pandering that we’ve seen in terms of identity politics in the State of Illinois and across our nation.”
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