missing kids
What Are We Missing About Pritzker’s Concern for Kids and Accountability?
In 2023, Minnesota’s Monogram meat plant scandal revealed children working in hazardous conditions a disturbing example of systemic exploitation. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, whose family investment firm, Pritzker Private Capital, owns a stake in Monogram Foods, has remained silent on these violations. At the same time, he positions himself as a protector of public safety, promoting initiatives like the Illinois Child Labor Council and supporting HB4293, the new hemp regulation bill.
But here’s where the contradictions start to pile up. HB4293 not only removes CBD products from the state’s shelves but also opens the door for THC-infused drinks to be sold in liquor stores, provided they hold a liquor retail license. This directly benefits companies like nuEra Cannabis, which has a collaboration with Two Brothers Brewing to produce THC beverages. These beverages will now be permitted in liquor stores across the state, effectively tying the cannabis and liquor industries together under a framework enabled by this new law. Have you ever noticed that a lot of the Pritzker family portfolio have products that can be carried at liquor stores?
Meanwhile, questions remain about nuEra’s compliance with state regulations, including ownership transfers and other practices that some argue could violate not only Illinois cannabis laws but Federal SEC regulations as well. Yet, these issues haven’t led to significant consequences yet. Instead, the regulatory environment seems to favor large players, even during fraud litigation, with connections, leaving smaller CBD producers out in the cold.
Contrast this with current President Donald Trump. When accusations of falsified business records surfaced in his orbit, Trump faced felony charges and widespread public scrutiny. But in Illinois, companies like nuEra are allowed to operate under circumstances that raise similar questions about transparency and compliance and it’s met with silence by Pritzker just like child safety in his own businesses.
How is this consistent? Why is one set of actions criminalized while another is ignored or even enabled?
What are we missing? Maybe this: When the system prioritizes profits and connections over fairness, accountability becomes a selective process. If protecting the public and ensuring fair competition are truly the goals, these double standards must be addressed no matter who is involved or what industries stand to benefit. Isn’t it interesting how we noticed how cannabis blind spots can lead to narcotic, sex, and child trafficking and the elected official looking the other way violated child safety laws… that’s a funny coincidence.
We’ll be talking about this tomorrow on F'nAround in the Morning and releasing it on Spotify in the afternoon.