The Illinoize

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Kifowit Calls In-Person LaSalle Hearing

Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) has set an in-person hearing on 31 COVID-19 deaths at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home for December 15. Kifowit chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Even though Illinois House members rejected efforts to hold hearings or take votes remotely during a shortened spring session, the House Democrat in charge of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee says an investigation into deaths at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home can’t wait.

Kifowit sent a letter to the Chief of Staff for House Speaker Michael Madigan calling an in-person hearing to investigate the outbreak which has killed 31 of 120 veterans who live in the state-run home about an hour north of Bloomington.

The hearing is set for December 15 at 10:00am in Chicago. A witness list is not yet available. Though, IDVA Director Linda Chapa LaVia testified before a Senate hearing last week.

Earlier this week, House Judiciary Committee for Civil law Chairman Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-Chicago) sent a letter to the home asking for documents related to the failure to protect residents of the home while announcing he was also launching an investigation.

The Governor’s office, meanwhile, has refused to take questions on the LaSalle issue from The Illinoize for more than a week, even though he called for “full transparency” related to the outbreak.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingsten1 patrick@theillinoize.com