(The Center Square) – After being called a “grifter” by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday, attorney Thomas DeVore said he’s going to sue the governor for defamation.
One of the hundreds of parents suing the governor over COVID-19 mask and quarantine orders says the governor is a disappointment for inferring parents are being duped by the attorney, who has challenged a number of the governor's COVID-19 policies in court.
On Wednesday, DeVore filed a lawsuit against Pritzker, ISBE and 145 school districts challenging mask and quarantine rules on kids without court orders and due process.
On Thursday, Pritzker said his orders are keeping people safe and he’ll fight the case in the courts.
“He’s a grifter who is taking money from parents who are being taken advantage of,” Pritzker said during an unrelated news conference.
One of the plaintiffs in the case, Awake Illinois founder and school kids parent Shannon Adcock, said the governor is a disappointment for inferring the hundreds of parents that came together to contact DeVore are being fooled.
“We parents are not being duped,” Adcock said in an interview after the governor’s comments. “We have consciously taken this step on behalf of our communities to fight for our parental rights and due process.”
DeVore has secured several temporary restraining orders against schools, blocking mask and quarantine rules without due process. Before Pritzker’s “grifter” comment, the governor had said those cases are irresponsible.
DeVore says it’s irresponsible and dangerous for one person to whisk away everyone's due process rights.
“That risk is in my opinion and in the opinion of millions of people exponentially and bigger potential disaster than this infectious disease,” DeVore said Thursday morning on WMAY.
After Pritzker's “grifter” comments, DeVore said Thursday afternoon he’s hired an attorney and will sue the governor for defamation for being called a thief.
“That’s an insult to each and every one of my clients that are trying to protect their children,” DeVore said in an interview. “Not only is it defamation against my character and my profession, it is an insult against every one of those parents who are trying to protect their children.”