By Canadian Press

Emails: Pritzker’s office not aware band booked for 2 months

Aug 6, 2019 | 2:36 PM

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A southern rock band whose logo features the Confederate flag was booked for the DuQuoin State Fair for two months before Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s staff learned of the gig and abruptly cancelled it.

Emails and text messages obtained by The Associated Press show that Confederate Railroad’s Aug. 27 appearance was cancelled by the Agriculture Department just a day after the fair’s lineup was announced June 17.

Pritzker’s office says it has an unwritten policy against using tax money to support emblems representing hate or racism.

A $7,500 contract was signed in mid-April. A political blogger asked a Pritzker spokeswoman on June 17 whether it was appropriate.

The contract was voided the next day.

Two and Out

PETERS: Conservatism used to be about lower taxes and smaller government, not conspiracy theories and racism

Nov 01, 2024

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Cutting carbon emissions can be easy and accessible to Kamloops residents

Oct 30, 2024

Question of the Week

Do you have confidence in the vote-counting carried out by Elections BC?

Oct 28, 2024

Confederate Railroad frontman Danny Shirley said in an email that the name was never intended “as a political or racial statement.”

John O’Connor, The Associated Press