Coronavirus: Illinois mayor told police to enforce ‘stay-at-home’ rules; they busted his wife

ALTON, Ill. — This had to be an embarrassing topic of conversation at home.

The mayor of an Illinois city ordered police to step up the enforcement of the state’s stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus. The citations issued over the weekend included the mayor’s wife.

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In a Facebook post Monday, Alton Mayor Brant Walker said he was “embarrassed” by the “stunning lack of judgment” exercised by his wife, Shannon Walker. The mayor’s wife was one of several people cited at a downtown bar early Sunday morning, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Brant Walker issued his statement after Alton Police Chief Jason Simmons reported that officers broke up the party at Hiram’s Tavern at approximately 1 a.m., The Telegraph of Alton reported. Walker said he told Simmons to treat his wife’s case just like any other citizen violation.

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“My wife is an adult capable of making her own decisions, and in this instance she exhibited a stunning lack of judgment,” Brant Walker said in his statement. "She now faces the same consequences for her ill-advised decision as the other individuals who chose to violate the ‘stay at home’ order during this incident.

“I am embarrassed by this incident and apologize to the citizens of Alton for any embarrassment this incident may cause our city.”

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The mayor said he had no further comment when asked for a comment from his wife, the Post-Dispatch reported.

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Each person was cited for “reckless conduct,” a class A misdemeanor, the Post-Dispatch reported. Police did not reveal the number of people cited, the newspaper reported.