Southern Illinois News

Blaine Wilhour, a state representative from Illinois, has accused Governor J.B. Pritzker of inciting violence through his rhetoric and called for his removal from office. This statement was made on the social media platform X.

"Gov. Pritzker is a disgusting human being," said Blaine Jacob Wilhour. "He is complicit in inciting violence against people like Charlie. When you rally your godless followers with this garbage—this is what you get. His time in public office needs to be over."

According to Capitol City Now, the Illinois Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republican lawmakers, has filed articles of impeachment against Governor Pritzker. They accuse him of making "vile comments" and using rhetoric that they argue incited violence. Representative Chris Miller formally introduced the resolution in September 2025, with caucus members claiming that Pritzker's statements were incompatible with his constitutional duties. This development represents one of the most direct confrontations between the caucus and the governor.

A study conducted in 2025 by Northwestern University’s Institute for Policy Research found that while physical violence against officials in Illinois is rare, implicit threats tied to political rhetoric are common and widespread. The study highlighted that many elected officials have faced harassment, intimidation, or threatening communications. Similarly, a report by the Anti-Defamation League in 2023 documented increased extremist and hate incidents in Illinois, illustrating how heated rhetoric can be linked to real-world threats.

Illinois has only removed a governor through impeachment once before when Rod Blagojevich was ousted in 2009 following corruption charges. The Illinois House overwhelmingly impeached him, and the Senate unanimously convicted and removed him from office—the first such removal in state history. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and Illinois legislative history, an earlier impeachment occurred in 1833 involving a judge; however, no other governor has faced successful removal through this process.

Wilhour is a Republican state representative serving Illinois’ 110th District since 2019 and continues to represent his region after redistricting in the 103rd General Assembly. Ballotpedia notes he was raised on a farm in Beecher City, served as an intelligence analyst in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1999 to 2005, and co-manages his family’s farm and construction company. He is also Vice Chairman of the Illinois Freedom Caucus.