Willie Wilson, a two-time mayoral candidate and businessman who runs a medical supply company, has threatened to file a lawsuit against the state of Illinois to pay for face coverings for the poor and indigent.
Wilson is seeking to compel Gov. J.B. Pritzker to set aside money to help poor people buy masks to wear in public places during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The businessman has offered to sell millions of disposable face masks to the city of Chicago. He has also donated a large number of masks to aldermen and community groups in the city to hand out.
The face-covering ordinance went into effect on May 1. The order states that coverings could be made from pieces of cloth or shirts. However, Wilson contends that those may not be sufficient and that “people should have the very best masks.”
“Poor people aren’t going to have masks,” Wilson said, “They’re going to try to go into stores and be put out because of that.”
According to The Chicago Tribune, Wilson said he isn’t trying to position himself to profit from the sale of masks to the state. “Well, I gave away 5 to 7 million masks already, so that certainly wouldn’t be the motive.”
The article also states that Wilson is planning to run for the U.S. Senate against Democratic Senator Dick Durbin in the fall election.
To date, Cook County has over 38,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 1,600 deaths. Mayor Lori Lightfoot told CBS News that more than 70% of the deaths due to the pandemic in Chicago are Black people despite being only 30% of the city’s population.
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Lightfoot said she’s created a “racial equity rapid response team” comprised of healthcare providers, public health clinicians, and “community stakeholders” like faith leaders.
Media Advisory – Dr. Wilson Supports the Decision
of 100 Churches to Hold Service this Sunday. pic.twitter.com/ZxehkmKkmD— Dr. Willie Wilson (@DrWillieWilson) May 13, 2020
Just today, Wilson tweeted that he supports the decision of over 100 churches to resume services while practicing social distancing.