Pritzker swiftly fact-checked after claiming he never derided GOP with dictatorship comparison: ‘Pathological'

Democratic Illinois Gov JB Pritzker was swiftly fact-checked by conservatives on social media for claiming he never called Republicans Nazis as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle traded barbs on heightened political rhetoric following the assassination of Charlie Kirk That is fully false I have never called Republicans Nazis Pritzker declared Monday while fielding questions from the media during a press conference where the Democratic state leader accused President Donald Trump of actively fanning the flames of division following Kirk's Wednesday murder Pritzker who has condemned Kirk's shocking assassination as horrifying came under fire earlier in September when he claimed the president's rhetoric often foments political violence Now the Democratic governor is facing impeachment efforts from state Republicans for rhetoric they claim has incited violence and for his indicates linking Nazi Germany to the GOP MAHER SAYS COMPARING TRUMP TO HITLER MUST END WARNS IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR KILLERS TO JUSTIFY ASSASSINATIONSConservatives on social media unleashed on Pritzker for claiming he has never called Republicans Nazis pointing to his February State of the State address Pritzker did not explicitly call Republicans Nazis but compared the newly minted Trump administration to the rise of Nazi Germany The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here They point to a group of people who don t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems If you think I m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon consider this It took the Nazis one month three weeks two days eight hours and minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic Pritzker noted in February Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance Pritzker added Democracy requires your courage So gather your justice and humanity Illinois and do not let the tragic spirit of despair overcome us when our country necessities us the most of Republicans and conservatives in the state took to X to compare his previous comments on Republicans and Nazi Germany to his press conference remarks FOLLOWING KIRK S ASSASSINATION LAWMAKERS REACT TO LETHAL POLITICAL SETTING 'VIOLENT WORDS PRECEDE VIOLENT ACTIONS' Governor Pritzker maintains he s never called Republicans Nazis but his own words suggest otherwise the Illinois House Republicans posted to X Monday accompanied by videos comparing the governor's remarks Pritzker The present day I've never called Republican's Nazi's Pritzker in February Pritzker Compares Trump Administration s Approach to Nazi Germany During State Budget Address the Illinois Republican Party similarly posted to X Critics slammed the governor as pathological and a liar and mocked him saying that his inhabitants remarks are forever achieved on the internet Others on X pointed to Pritzker's remarks from April during a speech in New Hampshire promoting mass mobilization against Republicans while declaring they cannot know a moment of peace DONALD TRUMP JR WARNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS 'NOT GOING BOTH WAYS' AS HE MOURNS CHARLIE KIRK'S DEATH Never before in my life have I called for mass protests for mobilization for disruption but I am now he disclosed Fox News Digital announced at the time These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace They have to understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have We must castigate them on the soapbox and then punish them at the ballot box They must feel in their bones that we will relegate their portraits to the museum halls reserved for tyrants and traitors Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker's office Tuesday morning regarding the criticisms from Republicans over the comparison and the up-to-date impeachment efforts in the state but did not promptly receive a reply Pritzker is facing renewed impeachment efforts from state Republicans following the assassination of Charlie Kirk Conservatives nationwide have argued that leftists deriding conservatives as fascists Nazis and serving as threats to democracy led to the violence that claimed Kirk's life Illinois Republican state Rep Chris Miller filed articles of impeachment against Pritzker earlier in September claiming the governor has engaged in conduct which under the totality of the circumstances constitutes inciting violence which is incompatible with the duties of his office Illinois Republican state Rep Adam Niemerg filed an impeachment resolution against the governor Monday while invoking the assassination of Kirk JB PRITZKER CONDEMNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK'S DEATH SAYS TRUMP'S RHETORIC 'OFTEN FOMENTS IT' Pritzker s remarks are providing legitimacy to radicals who are committing these heinous crimes against people like Charlie Kirk Niemerg explained in a announcement Capitol News Illinois published If it were one isolated occurrence it would be one thing but there is a pattern here Former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich is the only governor in the state's history to be impeached and removed from office in following federal corruption charges Impeachment efforts in the state require involvement from both the General Assembly and state Senate to move forward making the Pritzker efforts unlikely as both chambers are controlled by Democrats in the deep blue state Pritzker continued in his Monday press conference remarks that Trump has encouraged American division while calling for political rhetoric across the board to be toned down This should come from the top but with each situation in the last minimal years we can t rely on President Trump to tamp down the anger and the passion in the aftermath of political violence he disclosed Monday Instead he actively fans the flames of division as he did on Friday regularly advocates violence for political retribution and in more than one affair declares that we are at war not with a foreign adversary but with each other I don t believe any of that Kirk the co-founder of Turning Point USA was assassinated while attending an event at Utah Valley University Wednesday A single shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck while he sat under a tent on campus and spoke with students Kirk was a conservative movement powerhouse championing faith and family policies to young adults majority of notably on college campuses He leaves behind his wife Erika and their two children ages one and three Kirk's funeral is planned for Sunday in Arizona with Trump and other administration leaders expected to attend