The saga of Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s treachery in prosecuting Mark and Patricia McCloskey has taken another turn.  Apparently, the pistol Patricia McCloskey was holding was used in a previous court case and had been rendered inoperable so it could be brought into court.  It, therefore, was not a weapon.  Kim Gardner and her enterprising staff had the crime lab fix the gun so it was capable of being fired.  This was done to bring charges against the McCloskeys.  I’m going to guess this wasn’t the first time this was done in the Circuit Attorney’s office.  It sounds like the McCloskeys need to hire a snake charmer as well as an attorney.  Meanwhile, I have heard George Soros, who financed Gardner’s campaign, has left the United States.  No one seems to know where he went.  While that seems like good news, it really isn’t. This guy has long tentacles. 

On Monday, July 20, 2020, the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed suit against the Illinois State Police regarding the delay in issuing new FOID cards.  The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, Case 1:20-cv-04270.  The ISRA is once again leading the way to protect the Second Amendment Rights in Illinois.  We will keep you posted as the case progresses.  We are waiting for a court date.  If you look into your crystal ball, you see more is coming.  If you are not already an ISRA member, you should be.  That is the best way you can help in this fight right now. 

As you well know, the delays in handling FOID card applications has become a nightmare for Illinois gun owners. After months of negotiations, we have not been able to make any progress with the Illinois State Police, leaving us with little choice but to file a lawsuit.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey live in a gated community in St. Louis, Missouri.  They were suddenly thrust into the national limelight when a group of protesters broke through the gates of their neighborhood.  The startled McCloskeys saw a hundred or so protesters coming toward their house.  They grabbed their firearms and stood on their front porch to keep the protesters back.  Their lives were threatened, their dog’s life was threatened and they were told their home would be burned down.  The police were nowhere to be seen.  Apparently, St Louis police were told to stand down.

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) produced 3,951,607 for June 2020.  Illinois lead the way with 706,000 NICS checks.  In Illinois, every FOID card and Illinois Concealed Carry License holder must go through a check when applying for a new card or renewing an existing card.  This does not count the daily background checks Illinois gun owners must go through.  New FOID card applications hit the 40,000 mark in June, by the way.  Thus far, Illinois has accounted for 3,878,025 background checks in the first 6 months of 2020.  The total new firearm purchases for the United States in June are estimated to be 2,387,524 units with 1,511,714 being handguns, according to the Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting.  Right now, 2020 is on pace to be a record year for firearm purchases.

The Chicago Tribune reports that between June 1, 2020, and June 17, 2020, the Illinois State Police received 42,089 applications for FOID cards, with nearly 5000 of those applications occurring in one day.  This upswing in FOID card applications has been going on since last December.  

It is with great regret that I must inform you the Grand American Trapshooting has been moved to Missouri for this year.  The Grand American is one of the greatest events in the world.  The fact that it was forced out of the State of Illinois is a travesty.  It is time this ridiculous shutdown is over.