Mayor Orders Crackdown On Stay-At-Home Violators, Cops Catch His Wife

Alton, IL – An Illinois mayor had to make an embarrassing apology to his town after his wife was caught violating the state’s “stay at home” order during a raid on a bar that he specifically ordered.

Alton Mayor Brant Walker fessed up to the debacle in a long message posted to his official Facebook page.

“On Friday, due to the continued increase in cases of COVID-19 in Madison County, as well as increased reports of large gatherings, particularly in some of our city parks, I directed the Alton Police Department to more strictly enforce the Governor’s statewide ‘Stay At Home’ order through the use of citations,” Walker wrote.

Illinois’ lockdown order prohibits any public gatherings outside the home.

So at the mayor’s direction, Alton police raided Hiram’s Tavern on April 3, according to the Daily Mail.

Shortly thereafter, Walker received the embarrassing news that his wife, Shannon Walker, had gotten busted.

“At approximately 1am on Sunday morning, I was informed by the Police Chief that the Alton Police Department was investigating and stopping a social gathering in downtown Alton that was occurring in violation of the provisions of the statewide ‘Stay At Home’ order,” the mayor wrote. “I was also made aware that my wife was in attendance at this prohibited social gathering.”

“I instructed the Police Chief to treat her as he would any citizen violating the ‘Stay At Home’ order and to ensure that she received no special treatment,” he added. “My wife is an adult capable of making her own decisions, and in this instance she exhibited a stunning lack of judgement. 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,” Walker continued. “My first and most important priority is the safety and well-being of the citizens of Alton. We are in the midst of a national public health crisis, and I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that your health is protected, including enforcing the Governor’s statewide ‘Stay At Home’ order.”

Alton police said they had received numerous complaints about Hiram’s Tavern continuing to operate during the lockdown, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

It turned out that the bar’s owner, Hiram Y. Lewis, was wanted on a domestic battery warrant out of Madison County.

Police arrested Lewis when they shut down the bar, but nobody else received a citation from the gathering, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.