CHICAGO — Equality Illinois PAC on Friday called on Gov. Bruce Rauner to stop contributing to the attorney general campaign for Republican Erika Harold.
Harold has in the past opposed LGBTQ-supportive policies, including marriage equality and a recent law making it easier for transgender people to update their birth certificates. Last month, Rauner told a southern Illinois radio station that he was giving her campaign $1 million dollars.
From EI PAC Chair John Litchfield:
“Since Erika Harold is so out of step with Illinois values – the same values that are the foundation of LGBTQ-affirming legislation Governor Rauner has signed into law –– the Equality Illinois PAC calls on Governor Bruce Rauner to suspend any further contributions to Erika Harold’s campaign and to demand a return of his $1 million donation to her campaign last month. We were shocked and dismayed by Governor Rauner’s enormous contribution to Harold’s campaign because he has been supportive of LGBTQ civil rights in the past, even when those in his party opposed him. This is an opportunity for Governor Rauner to live up to the best values of Illinois by not financially supporting a candidate who has a demonstrated record of supporting harmful policies for LGBTQ families.
“Illinois is a state that values inclusion and fairness. That’s why our LGBTQ-affirming laws were passed and enacted with bipartisan support.
“Yet, in the race for Attorney General of Illinois, we also know Erika Harold’s disgraceful stances on LGBTQ issues, stances that would hurt our community and our families. Harold allegedly stated she would rather place a foster child in the care of an abusive straight couple than in the home of a loving same-sex couple; she advocated for a constitutional amendment to deny same-sex couples like my husband and me the freedom to marry – even after Illinois had enacted its marriage equality law; and she has opposed workplace non-discrimination laws that protect LGBTQ people from being fired or denied a promotion simply because of who we are or who we love. Based on this record, there is little doubt Harold, as Attorney General, would fail to enforce the very laws meant to protect LGBTQ Illinoisans from discrimination and provide them the opportunity to achieve security and safety for our families.
“On November 6, voters will select the state’s chief lawyer who will defend our families or not. There’s so much at stake here for us.”
EI PAC has endorsed Democrats J.B. Pritzker and Kwame Raoul for governor and attorney general.