Overview

• Governor JB Pritzker issued a directive prohibiting state agencies in Illinois from hiring individuals who participated in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
• The directive came in response to President Donald Trump's sweeping pardons of over 1,500 individuals involved in the insurrection, including those convicted of violent crimes.
• Pritzker described participation in the Capitol attack as 'infamous and disgraceful conduct' that undermines democratic principles and the mission of the state workforce.
• The order leverages Illinois' Personnel Code, which allows rejection of candidates for state employment based on conduct that violates public trust and integrity.
• Legal challenges to the directive are anticipated, as critics question its compatibility with state civil rights laws regarding employment decisions.