Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau Calls Out Governor Pritzker and Media Dishonesty
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau Calls Out Governor Pritzker and Media Dishonesty (Orland Park, IL) — The Village of Orland Park held its regular board meeting Monday, December 5. The meeting was held in the Police Department Training Room. In addition to the items on the Agenda, Mayor Pekau took the opportunity to address the lies he believes influenced the 2022 election.
Safe-T Act Only Slightly Safer
Mayor Pekau thanked everyone for their efforts to change the Safe-T Act. While admitting that there were some positive changes, Pekau stated, “This bill is still really bad, but it’s moved at least somewhat in the right direction so that, hopefully, we won’t see Armageddon on January 1st.” Pekau mentioned the 300-page bill’s purpose was to make changes to a bill that was almost 800 pages. Pekau recounted his earlier statements about the Safe-T Act eliminating cash bail for serious offenses, such as forcible felonies, and noted that this language has been removed from the Safe-T Act.
Pekau said that other people, not himself, predicted people would be released from county jails on the 1st of January, while the new law states that the changes to the bail system will only apply to people charged with crimes after the enactment of the Safe-T Act. Pekau stated: “It’s still bad legislation like I said, and prioritizes criminals over law-abiding citizens and police officers.”
Governor Pritzker Accused of Lying
Pekau went on to say the following:
“The Governor lied when he signed the Safe-T Act. He lied when answering questions about the bill, and he spent tens of millions of dollars running the defamatory and false television ads during his campaign. Additionally, those of us, like myself, who gave you the facts, were called racists. One of Orland Park’s representatives, Justin Slaughter, said opponents were racists, and the objections were racist dog whistles. I haven’t heard an apology from any of them.”
Pekau also questioned the fact-checking done by various sources:
“Snopes, The Associated Press, USA Today’s State Journal Registry, The Daily Herald, YouTube, and Facebook supposedly fact-checked my comments and said they were false. Then why the changes? Why was any of this changed if they were false? Because we told the truth, and the fact-checkers do not. … These lies were perpetrated on Illinois voters. Not only by undisciplined, unprincipled, and dishonest candidates that have now been elected but by a complicit, manipulative and deceitful press who did much worse than ignore the facts. They intentionally misled the public to influence an election.”
Pekau pointed out:
“Twitter has been exposed for censoring the truth to change the outcome of elections. … Editorialists who tell downright lies in order to advance their own agendas do more discredit to the press than all the censors in the world. Americans value freedom of speech and the freedom of the press and, in my opinion, it is essential to our republic. There is plenty of speech that I don’t like, but I have put my own ass on the line to defend your right to say it.”
Other Agenda Items
(approved unless otherwise noted)
- Village Clerk’s Office
- Approval of the November 14, 2022, Special Meeting Minutes
- Approval of the November 21, 2022, Regular Meeting Minutes
- Accounts Payable
- Accounts Payable – Approval
- Consent Agenda
- Payroll – Approval
- Amend Title 7 Chapter 4 – Number of Class D Liquor License – Ordinance
- Distribution of Proceeds from the 2022 Orland Park Veterans Golf Classic
- Resolution Making the FY2023 Proposed Annual Budget Available for Public Inspection and Setting a Public Hearing Date
- Approve the use of the Village of Orland Park’s allocation of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to Replace Lost Public Sector Revenue using the Standard Allowance, with said funds to be used for Public Safety Services
- Engineering
- Ownership of Oak Lawn’s Regional Water System Pipe (also known as Spur 2) for The Village of Orland Park
- Utility Needs Assessment, RFP 22-059 Award
- Internal Bypass (also known as T-Connection) at the Main Pump Station, Greeley and Hansen’s Engineering Services Contract Amendment #3
- Recreation and Parks
- RFP #22-063 Batting Cage Purchase and Installation (This Item was Tabled)
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau Calls Out Governor Pritzker and Media Dishonesty
All of the “fact checking” on this bill was done under the pretext that the law was so vague, it was nearly impossible to say what was “actually” going to happen.
I’m glad to see Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau speaking out against Governor Pritzker and the media dishonesty that’s been going on. I hope other mayors follow his lead and stand up to the Governor’s bullying tactics.
I’m glad to see Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau speaking out against Governor Pritzker and the media dishonesty. I hope other mayors follow his lead and stand up to the Governor’s lies.