(The Center Square) – Officials from Illinois’ major political parties are making clear one issue they’ll be taking sides on heading into the 2024 election cycle.
Illinois still has a primary to get through in March. But, heading into November next year, things are expected to heat up. One issue Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias put in the national spotlight during testimony to a U.S. Senate committee this week was that of access to controversial books.
“Tragically, our libraries have become the thunder domes of controversy and strife across our nation, the likes of which we’ve never seen before,” Giannoulias said.
The Democratic statewide official promoted the Illinois measure he spearheaded to withhold taxpayer-funded grants to public and school libraries that he said “ban books.”
“This right to read legislation will help remove the pressure that librarians have tragically had to endure over the last couple of years,” he said.
Giannoulias was read obscene materials some say should be allowed in school, which he acknowledged was offensive.
Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy said he was baffled by the Democrat’s position.
“Why was he there in D.C. defending pornography in school libraries and in schools in general,” Tracy told WMAY Friday. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Tracy said all the law Giannoulias promoted does is make it harder for locally elected officials in school districts and on library boards to represent their constituents.
“The school board decides they don’t want these pornographic books in their library, then Giannoulias is threatening to take money away from them,” he said.
Democrats and Republicans are circulating petitions to get on the March 19, 2024 primary ballot.
