Top Illinois Democrats Push Hard For Gun Ban, More Gun ‘Control’

Can’t say I’m surprised to hear the following from top Illinois Democrats. Hal Dardick reported on the Chicago Tribune website last night:

Illinois’ leading Democrats on Monday pushed for more gun control in the wake of last week’s school shootings in Connecticut, but gun-owner rights groups criticized the move as politicizing a national tragedy and said they were prepared to fight in Washington and Springfield.

U.S. Sen Dick Durbin, the state’s senior senator and the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, called for congressional hearings aimed at finding constitutional limits to Second Amendment rights while Gov. Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel re-emphasized their long-standing call to ban semi-automatic, assault-style weapons at the state and federal level.

According to the article, Governor Quinn is hoping Illinois legislators will take action on more gun “control”- including a gun ban- by early January.

Fran Spielman noted on the Chicago Sun-Times website yesterday afternoon:

Quinn… called for state lawmakers to ban assault weapons when they return to Springfield for a lame-duck legislative session, beginning on Jan. 2 and extending through Jan. 9. “The message of last Friday is it’s time for all of us in Illinois to begin to save lives by banning assault weapons [and] banning high-capacity ammunition magazines that are used to kill people,” he said.

Stay tuned…

Sources:

Dardick, Hal. “Governor, mayor want assault-weapons ban.” Chicago Tribune. 17 Dec. 2012. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-school-shooting-illinois-politicians-1218-20121218,0,5128691.story). 18 Dec. 2012.

Spielman, Fran. “Emanuel calls for ‘vote of conscience’ on assault weapons ban.” Chicago Sun-Times. 18 Dec. 2012. (http://www.suntimes.com/17072443-761/emanuel-calls-for-vote-of-conscience-on-assault-weapons-ban.html). 18 Dec. 2012.