Free Republic

The Illinois General Assembly is playing a game of political chicken over concealed carry with only nine days to go before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals stay on their ruling ends. On one side you have the Illinois State House of Representatives which has passed a shall-issue concealed carry law with limitations but that does mandate state preemption on firearms laws. On the other side you have Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL), State Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago), Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D-IL), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D), and others of their gun prohibitionist ilk who want to preserve...

The Illinois Ag Dept. illegally seized privately owned bees from renowned naturalist, Terrence Ingram, without providing him with a search warrant and before the court hearing on the matter, reports Prairie Advocate News. Behind the obvious violations of his Constitutional rights is Monsanto. Ingram was researching Roundup’s effects on bees, which he’s raised for 58 years. “They ruined 15 years of my research,” he told Prairie Advocate, by stealing most of hisstock.

If right-to-carry concealed carry laws are deemed so dangerous by gun control proponents, letting anyone who is not a criminal carry a gun with no other regulations should be really bad, right? Well, on June 9th, if Illinois hasn't adopted a concealed handgun law by that point in time, it will be legal to carry a concealed handgun in Union county and probably effectively in the rest of the state. The problem for gun control advocates is the same as it is each time that states pass right-to-carry laws: they have made predictions about impending disaster that never occur. In...

30 days to go until Illinois gets unregulated carry! It’s not really Constitutional Carry, which four states enjoy and another (Arkansas) will have later this summer, because local home-rule government units can place restrictions (albeit, probably unconstitutional) and may try to make an arrest of an Illinois gun owner carrying concealed – or otherwise.Of course, if they choose to make an arrest based upon a local ordinance that regulates transportation or possession of a firearm that’s contrary to the Seventh Circuit’s Moore decision striking down the Illinois prohibition on carry outside the home as unconstitutional, they will be risking...

It’s not really Constitutional Carry, which four states enjoy and another (Arkansas) will have later this summer, because local home-rule government units can place restrictions (albeit, probably unconstitutional) and may try to make an arrest of an Illinois gun owner carrying concealed – or otherwise. Of course, if they choose to make an arrest based upon a local ordinance that regulates transportation or possession of a firearm that’s contrary to the Seventh Circuit’s Moore decision striking down the Illinois prohibition on carry outside the home as unconstitutional, they will be risking a 1983 lawsuit for damages. Section 1983 suits deal...

The Second Amendment Foundation has won a permanent injunction against the Warren County, Ill. Housing Authority’s ban on the possession of firearms by residents or guests.The case was filed more than a year ago in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Rock Island Division. Ronald G. Winbigler, a resident of Costello Terrace in Monmouth, is a physically disabled former police officer who wanted to keep a handgun in his residence for personal protection.SAF filed the lawsuit on his behalf, and they were represented by attorney David Sigale, who noted, “People do not lose their Second Amendment rights...

An 18-year-old Aurora man was arrested Friday night before he tried making his way to Syria to join a ‘jihadist militant’ group, federal authorities said. Abdella Ahmad Tounisi was taken into custody without incident late Friday at O’Hare Airport by members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as he attempted to board a flight destined for Istanbul, Turkey, according to the FBI’s Chicago office. Tounisi, a U.S. citizen, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel G. Martin Saturday for allegedly attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He appeared on Saturday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tounisi,...

Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take a case challenging New York state's extremely restrictive "may issue" system for designating whose lives are worthy of armed defense. From Fox News: The justices on Monday declined to hear a challenge to a strict New York law that makes it difficult for residents to get a license to carry a concealed handgun in public. The court did not comment in turning away an appeal from five state residents and the Second Amendment Foundation. Their lawsuit also drew support from the National Rifle Association and 20 states. Despite that lack of comment...

OAK PARK, IL, April 17, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Dr. Cheryl Chastine hoped to remain anonymous after purchasing George Tiller's former abortion facility in Wichita, Kansas. This morning Eric Scheidler, Jill Stanek, and dozens of pro-life activists assured her quiet Chicago suburb learned about her latest work. “Dr. Chastine's patients have a right to know she has taken on such a significant role in the abortion industry,” say signs erected by the Pro-Life Action League outside her practice, Total Wellness Inc. in Oak Park, Illinois. “I had been hoping not to be mentioned by name,” Chastine told a member of Operation...

Gov. Pat Quinn said Wednesday that he wants the Illinois attorney general to appeal a federal court ruling that the state's last-in-the-nation concealed carry ban is unconstitutional, a move that would take it before the U.S. Supreme Court. But Attorney General Lisa Madigan said she prefers to wait and see whether lawmakers craft a new law this spring that would allow the concealed carry of weapons, as the federal appeals court ordered them to do.

Illinois gun owners have gotten the shaft for far too long. The Land of Lincoln has long been known as the last state where concealed carry is not allowed, and although that may soon change, it wouldn’t be surprising to see state legislators shuffling their feet. Even though the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals deemed the concealed carry ban unconstitutional, the Illinois House of Representatives continues to push anti-gun legislation. In fact, one bill proposing a ban on semi-automatic firearms was approved by the House just this week. On Wednesday, gun owners from across the state gathered in Springfield,...

Steel plant explosion with injuries

(Newser) – Looks like Jesse Jackson Jr. didn't exactly work out a sweetheart plea deal for himself. Prosecutors intend to recommend 46 to 57 months of prison time for the former congressman, along with a fine of between $10,000 and $100,000, Politico reports. As part of the deal, Jackson admits to having conspired with his wife to illegally spend $750,000 in campaign money on such vagaries as fur coats, airplane tickets, a $43,000 Rolex watch, celebrity memorabilia, booze, cigars, and even groceries. Jackson was formally charged today with felonies including conspiracy, reports the Chicago Tribune. His wife, former Chicago...

HIGHLAND • Debi Keeney says she was only trying to save her sister's life when she shot a man who had forced his way into her apartment. She says her sister, Donna Carlyle, 47, was gasping as the man demanded money and put Carlyle in a choke hold after breaking in early this morning. "All I could see was Donna's face going blue, like her life was being choked out of her," Keeney, 55, said in an interview this afternoon. The alleged intruder, 33, is being treated at a local hospital for multiple gunshot wounds and is listed in critical...

We’re pleased to say that we are on Chicago Police SuperNintendo Garry McCarthy’s radar. In fact, we’re under his skin too. He whined at a news conference yesterday for media to quit “adopting the rhetoric of the gun advocates” in writing that Chicago has strict gun laws. His Orwellian comment was about as laughable as his tenure as Chicago’s Police Chief. The Washington Times picked up the story. Police superintendent: ‘Chicago does not have strict gun laws’ Chicago (Washington Times) - Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy implored the press Monday to stop characterizing the city as being strict on guns....

HIGHLAND, IL (KPLR)-Scary moments in Highland, IL Sunday morning after an alleged home invasion led to a shooting. It happened in the 2600 block of Eagle Way around 3:30am. Highland Police say a 33 year-old man was transported to a St. Louis hospital with multiple gunshot wounds after he allegedly forced his way into the apartment of two sisters, assaulting both of them. The sisters are identified as Donna Carlyle, 47, and Debbie Keeney, 55. Keeney had gone out for an overnight cigarette when the suspect forced his way in. She was struck. When the suspect began to choke Carlyle,...

Newark Mayor Cory Booker made a statement on HBO's Real Time Friday that should please gun rights advocates across the fruited plain. Despite being for stronger gun laws, Booker said, "Legal gun buyers are not causing murders in Newark and Chicago and other places" … CORY BOOKER, NEWARK MAYOR (D-N.J.): To me, the data should drive our decision making. So I know, I’m not afraid of people having guns who are law abiding citizens. In the analysis of gun murders and shootings in my city, I could only find one in the entire time I’ve been mayor...The guns that are...

In a candid and honest response to a question at a town hall on February 2nd, 2013, Representative Hunter says that because the Black community has more crime than White communities, they have been historically kept from having guns. Representative Hunter must be given credit for not being sure that the approach has worked. Here is a transcript of that portion of the video. Chicago Town Hall, 3rd Legislative District: At 1:38:35 to 1:39:40, State Representative Ken Duncan, when asked why do 49 states have concealed carry legislation and we don't, says: " The City of Chicago, Historically their opposition...

"I want to see my kids! Bang! Bang!" the man shouted as he stormed into the front office of a South Carolina elementary school and pointed a handgun at a secretary and custodian. Both went limp at the verbal gunshots, and the "shooter," a police officer taking part in a school safety drill, continued his rampage. ... All fell to the floor with bloody, fake wounds.

CHICAGO (CBS) – In Springfield Tuesday afternoon, the first step was taken toward allowing gun owners to carry concealed weapons on the streets of Illinois. State Rep. Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) has introduced proposed concealed carry legislation – written with the help of the National Rifle Association – in the Illinois House. The proposal would require background checks gun owners already have to pass to get a Firearm Owner’s Identification card, as well as still-to-be-determined safety course provided by licensed instructors before a person could carry a concealed firearm. Don Mastrianni, the owner of Illinois Gun Works in Elmwood Park, took...