KEY POINTS

  • GOP's Tim Schneider alleges Gov. J.B. Pritzker is profiting from the coronavirus tests  
  • The Pritzker Group owns stakes in testing companies in Illinois 
  • The testing companies received millions in federal funding

Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker could be profiting from the coronavirus testing as his family is linked to the companies producing the tests in Illinois, the GOP alleges.

In a statement sent to Fox News, Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneider said that the Pritzker Group, ran by the governor's brothers, owns stakes in the Cue Health and PathGroup. These are the companies producing COVID-19 tests in Illinois, which received $13 million from the federal government in March.

1600px-JB_Pritzker_20180807_(033)
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveils his five-phase plan to restore and reopen the state amid the coronavirus pandemic. Wikimedia Commons

"Let's be clear - Governor Pritzker and his family are clearly profiting off the COVID-19 crisis, and it's appalling,” the GOP chairman said. “The Pritzker Group controls the companies that are making millions off the pandemic, and the Governor stands to make huge profits.”

Pritzker belongs to the prominent family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain. His estimated personal wealth is at $3.4 billion, and the governor was part of the Pritzker Group until March 2017, per Forbes.

Shortly after he was elected, his campaign released a statement saying that Pritzker "has given up as much control and knowledge of these trusts as is possible under the law." The governor also reportedly appointed an independent adviser for his assets, who shall deal with any conflicts arising from this arrangement.

The governor’s assets have been put into a blind trust, which Schneider believes is the problem as there is a "lack of transparency about the governor's wealth.” He urged Pritzker to "divest and come clean."

“Anything less than a complete divestment from these companies and complete transparency about the Pritzker family financial holdings is simply not enough," Schneider said. The accusation comes as Illinois has overtaken New York for the highest number of tests completed. Reports stated that Illinois is now conducting 1,813 tests per one million people.

Illinois is also set to receive an additional $286 million in federal funding after the governor submits a testing plan, covering the rest of 2020, to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

RELATED STORIES
Coronavirus