MCLEAN COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD)–A showdown between a local GOP group and a Facebook group over a list asking people to not support businesses that voted for President Donald Trump.
Friday, McLean County GOP members pushing back against a list circulating on Facebook and other social media that asks people in and around McLean County to stop supporting local businesses and owners that voted for President Trump.
“This is not political in the sense of one side or another,” said president of McLean County GOP Connie Beard.
The list was shared in Facebook group, Voices of Justice, naming local businesses from bars to realtors who voted for Republican lawmakers and accuses them of being racist for their support of the president. Connie Beard, president of the McLean County GOP is a local real estate agent in the county, who supported Trump.
“Never in my 27 years of working has there a breath of racist action or behavior on my part. The furthest from my character,” Beard said.
Many are accusing Bloomington alder-person, Jennifer Carrillo to be the publisher of the list because she is a moderator for the group.
“How can an elected official who is pledged to serve her whole community, choose to target segments of that community to damage the economy,” Beard said.
Carrillo tells WMBD she did not publish the list, but did confirm she is a moderator of the Voices of Justice group. She did not specifically condone the list, but understands what the list is asking.
“People want to shop at places that align with their values, and we do that all the time unconsciously. This just feels different, because somebody actually put this down with pen and paper on a list, but folks are already operating this way,” Carrillo said.
Members of the GOP are saying the timing of the list is bad when businesses are already struggling due to the pandemic.
“The businesses that we have we should be supporting, going to those businesses, eating at those restaurants,” said GOP member, Jim Fisher.
Carrillo questions why Beard would want to bring attention to the list and condemns her not speaking up against other boycotts.
“She was very ready to condemn the list, that was calling for boycotts on businesses that she personally aligns with and agrees with, but has not been quick to condemn boycotts in other situations, which seems like, you know, you’re playing games,” Carrillo said.
Beard wants Democrats to condemn the list and people to support businesses regardless of their political leanings and belifs.
“She denies that she wrote the list, but she’s very quick to still say the list is fine, the list needs to be out there,” Beard said.
