Democrats move to condemn GOP lawmaker for truck decal, promoting ‘internationally recognized para-military hate group’

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois House Democrats introduced a resolution Monday condemning Republican state Rep. Chris Miller for slapping a decal with the logo of a far-right anti-government militia group on his pick-up truck and accusing him of helping incite the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, the original sponsor of the resolution, called Miller’s actions “garbage and disqualifying” for a member of the Illinois House.

Miller came under scrutiny last week after his truck was spotted in Washington, D.C., on the day of the rioting.

Prominently displayed on his back window was a decal of the Roman numeral three surrounded by stars, which is the symbol of the Three Percenters militia group. Members of the anti-government group have been arrested for their participation in the insurrection.

Calling it a “fake story,” Miller, a cattle farmer from Oakland in southern Illinois, said he knew little of the group, was not a member and had removed the sticker, which he said his son received from a family friend, who told them it “represented patriotism and love of country.”

The House resolution claims Miller “violated his oath by actively and publicly promoting the actions of an internationally recognized para-military hate group.”

In addition to the decal, Democrats’ condemnation of their colleague alleges that Miller’s actions on Jan. 6 helped to incite the violent mob that attacked the Capitol.

“The extraordinary step of a Resolution of Condemnation matches the seriousness of an Illinois representative participating in an insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6,” said Morgan.

From Facebook.

On the day of the insurrection, Miller’s wife, Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, was recorded telling a crowd of supporters at a pro-Donald Trump rally that “Hitler was right on one thing — that whoever has the youth has the future.” She later apologized for the remark.

During a Facebook live broadcast during the same rally, state Rep. Chris Miller said that supporters of Trump were “engaged in a great cultural war to see which worldview will survive. Whether we will remain a free people under free market capitalism or whether they will put us under the tyranny of socialism and communism and dangerous Democrat terrorists.”

The resolution alleges the state legislator contributed to the mob’s actions.

“[Miller] participated, and publicly promoted his role, in a rally that led to a violent insurrection of the Capitol of the United States of America, which resulted in the death of United States citizens, including members of law enforcement,” the resolution reads.

As of Monday the resolution was co-sponsored by 30 Democratic state representatives, including Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the newly installed speaker of the Illinois House.

“The insurrection on January 6 at the U.S. Capitol was sickening,” a Welch spokesman said in a written statement. “It was deliberately planned and orchestrated by white supremacists.

“The fact that Rep. Chris Miller was involved amounts to a violation of his oath of office, so of course Speaker Welch strongly condemns his actions and wants accountability,” said spokesman Sean Anderson.

From Facebook.

Morgan said: “The Democratic Caucus is united in its concern about the events of Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C., and the escalating acts of hate and insurrection in our country.”

The condemnation follows calls for Miller to be investigated by the Legislative Inspector General from Democrats and anti-Trump Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger.

“Miller’s attendance at the rally that turned into a mob and insurrection of our nation’s Capital is troubling, and to date many unanswered questions remain about his subsequent actions and whereabouts that day,” wrote Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association President Kristina Zahorik in a letter to the Legislative Inspector General.

State Rep. Chris Miller did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the resolution.