Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois seemed to short-circuit during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday after being asked whether it was hypocritical of him to mirror Texas’ redistricting plan.

Pritzker was thrust into the national spotlight recently after he offered to shield many of the 50 Texas Democrats who fled the state. They were attempting to block a new congressional map from Republicans that, if approved, could give the GOP an extra five seats in the House of Representatives.

The saga got even crazier when Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas got the Federal Bureau of Investigation involved. He asked for their help last week in searching for the legislators so they could be brought back by force.

Pritzker flat-out lied during the NBC interview when he claimed that Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is “violating the Constitution.”

“All of us need to stand up and speak out and make sure that it’s understood across the country that what they’re trying to do in Texas is illegal,” he said.

Host Kristen Welker shockingly hit back, citing a precedent for mid-decade district changes from back in 2003. She also asked if Pritzker was being hypocritical by threatening to redraw the congressional lines in Illinois.

“Despite President Trump winning 44 percent of the statewide vote in 2024, Republicans hold only three of Illinois’ 17 districts,” Welker said. “What do you say to those who argue that it’s hypocritical for you to criticize Texas for partisanship?”

Pritzker paused for a moment, likely because he had been expecting her to lob softball questions for the entire interview, before giving a bumbling reply.

“What Texas is trying to do is, again, violate the Voting Rights Act,” he said. “We didn’t. We held public hearings … There was a map that was put out. There were actually changes made to the map, and a map was passed. And it was done at the end of the census.  … So that’s how it’s done in this country. You talk about how rare it is to do what [Abbott’s] doing — Yes, it is.”

It’s also rare to include illegal aliens in your census — something President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused blue states of doing. But Pritzker failed to mention this during his interview.

He then tried to get off topic by calling the Texas process “cheating,” and hurled personal insults at Trump.

“[Trump] cheats on his wives, he cheats at golf, and now he’s trying to cheat the American people out of their votes,” Pritzker added.

Welker, however, steered the conversation back to the Illinois map and said, “Every group that grades the fairness of congressional maps gives Illinois an F and says it’s a ‘perfect model for everything that can go wrong with redistricting.'”

“You talk about preserving democracy,” she continued. “How do you preserve democracy if you’re using the same tactics that you’ve criticized Texas Republicans for?”

This one put Pritzker on his heels, causing him to lean on his previously vague talking points.

“But as I say, what they’re talking about is a distraction,” he said. “The reality is that the violation of people’s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. … Democracy is at stake.”

NBC: Every group that grades the fairness of congressional maps gives Illinois an F and says it’s a “perfect model of everything that can go wrong with redistricting.” Aren’t you a big hypocrite?

PRITZKER: “Democracy is at stake!” pic.twitter.com/g9NrY0VDDG

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 10, 2025

This exchange being newsworthy reveals how far left the media has become. It shouldn’t be shocking or surprising when a journalist does their job without fear or favor.

Yet in today’s political landscape, the public expects NBC to praise Pritzker as a hero without ever mentioning that he was lying.

Texas is within its rights to redraw district lines as lawmakers see fit. Pritzker is the one who may be violating the law here, depending on how deeply involved he is in their scheme.

When Cornyn asked the FBI to step in, he raised concerns about the lawmakers receiving — and possibly soliciting — donations to avoid paying the fines for their absence. He also said they were being given money for lodging and food, all of which could amount to bribery.

This triggered an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton into radical billionaire George Soros and failed gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, who’ve been accused of funneling money to these Democratic legislators.

If the federal government ends up launching an investigation into the incident, Pritzker should be looked at, too. That way, the public can get a full understanding of what transpired here and know that those responsible will be held accountable.

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.