Chatsworth, IL – Lake County Judge Luis Berrones ruled today that the Village of Deerfield does not have the authority to ban semi-automatic firearms and magazines in their community, according to Illinois State Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson, who was instrumental in challenging the municipality’s ban. 

In only six days one of the most important events in the Legislative Session will occur, Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day (IGOLD).  This is the best chance for law-abiding gun owners to show how important our Second Amendment rights are to us.  IGOLD could not come at a more opportune time.  I expect legislation to begin to move in a few weeks.  Now is the time to show legislators how dedicated we are to preserving our Second Amendment rights.

On Sunday, March 10, 2019, a pro-Second Amendment Rally was held in Effingham, Illinois, with 1602 people attending.  I have never seen a rally this large and enthusiastic outside of IGOLD.  It is very important that everyone possible attend IGOLD on Wednesday, March 27th.  The rally in Effingham is indicative of what is going on in Illinois outside of Chicago.  When HR0101 came up, the resolution to separate Chicago from the rest of the State, the cheers were long and loud.  It is not that Downstaters hate the people in Chicago, it is that they hate being ruled by Chicago politicians and their country bumpkin attitude toward the rest of the State. 

When any event happens where lives are lost, we all wonder what happened, could this have been prevented, who didn’t do their job, was the system at fault and a variety of immediately unanswerable questions.  Such was the case in the Aurora shooting a few weeks ago.  Answers to these situations are complicated and don’t pop up like your morning toast.

In the heat of all the anti-gun activity in Springfield, it is important to remember the Illinois State Rifle Association is moving forward on the litigation front.  I am pleased to announce the suit against Cook County and their so-called assault weapons ban is again moving forward.  The case known as Wilson v Cook County will be argued before the Seventh Circuit on April 4th, 2019.  For those who might not recall, the Seventh Circuit is a Federal Court with the next stop being the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). 

The work place shooting in Aurora has ignited a firestorm in Springfield.  There are questions about both human and system failures, and also the ever-present question and plea of what can we do, we must do something!  That combination is the recipe for bad law.

Another Illinois gun company has bitten the dust, at least in Illinois.  Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT) is the brainchild of Karl Lewis and was located in Milan, Illinois since 1980.  LMT produces firearms for 45 countries around the world, specializing in high quality firearms for elite units like the British Special Air Services to their latest contract with the Estonian Defense Forces.  Those two contracts alone brought $55,000,000 into Illinois.  Remember they deal with 43 other countries.  I don’t know the value of those contracts but it could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars and beyond.  Also remember that most of this money comes from oversees into Illinois - or did.  No more.  The need for expanded facilities and the relentless bombardment of anti-gun initiatives by the Illinois General Assembly, including burdensome taxes and threats from assorted Illinois Governors, forced LMT to move to the welcoming arms of Eldridge, Iowa. The Illinois General Assembly should get the Economic Development Awards from Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri.