Illinois: "Gun control legislation fails in the Illinois House"

[cuchulainn]

http://www.cbs2chicago.com/news/detail.asp?id=000472735114

Gun control legislation fails in the Illinois House
By The Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD
Tuesday, April 01, 2003 7:03 PM

Legislation to restrict firearm sales at gun shows failed by one vote in the Illinois House on Tuesday, despite the backing of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

But the sponsor, Rep. Harry Osterman, D-Chicago, kept the bill alive for another vote and predicted he would have enough votes later in the week.

The bill would require sales at gun shows to be done through licensed firearms dealers who can check a buyer's background.

Right now, unlicensed dealers at gun shows can sell a weapon to anyone with a Firearm Owner's Identification Card. No background check is required.

Osterman called it a loophole that needs to be closed.

"This is commonsense, reasonable legislation," he said.

But the bill failed 59-55, one vote short of the 60 needed for passage.

"The laws we have in place would take care of these problems if we enforced them. There is no need to create new laws," said Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville.

The measure mirrors a Senate bill backed by Daley that the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected last month. That Senate committee also rejected several other Daley gun control bills.

Osterman's bill and another gun control bill were quickly pushed through a House committee after the Senate defeat. Gun control advocates had pinned their hopes on the House passing the measures.

Osterman said he is optimistic he can get 60 votes the second time around.

"I'm surprised some of the suburban representatives chose not to do this," Osterman said. He accused the National Rifle Association of using "scare tactics" on lawmakers.

Lawmakers have gotten e-mails and telephone messages calling them un-American and saying they would not be re-elected if they support the bill, Osterman said.

Todd Vandermyde, a NRA lobbyist said the group only gave representatives logical arguments against the bill.

"It sounds more like you have a very bitter person who lost a bill today trying to find excuses," Vandermyde said.

Rep. Terry Parke, who initially backed the bill but ended up voting against it, said he had not been bothered by the NRA. The Hoffman Estates Republican said he changed his vote because he decided the bill was too broad.

"Anybody that had a gun and wanted to sell it would have to go to a gun dealer," Parke said. "I thought people downstate would think this was too intrusive."

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

[Jeff White]

Loophole what loophole???

The Illinois State Police performs a background check when the issue a FOID card. When a person becomes ineligable to own firearms, they are supposed to revoke his or her FOID card.

So where is the loophole? Is Osterman saying that there is no reason to have a FOID card? Let's see, they do a background check when they issue the FOID, then they revoke the FOID when a person becomess ineligable. So it goes without saying if a person is in possession of a valid FOID card he/she can be assumed to be legally eligable to possess firearms.

The logic of this escapes me...If we are going to check at point of purchase, we need to do away with the FOID.

Jeff

 

[Standing Wolf]

Osterman called it a loophole that needs to be closed.
"This is commonsense, reasonable legislation," he said.

He left out "gun safety," "modern," "common sensible," and of course, "for the sake of the children." No wonder his stupid idea failed.

 

[foghornl]

Take THAT, Emperor Dick Daley II.

 

[DonP]

A lot of people are starting to see the monster they created

Since Daley was kind enough to totally ignore the agreements he made re: Meigs field every newspaper and radion station in the state and region are starting to realize that his personal whims are all that matter to him. The actual law has no place in his thinking, other than how to get around it.

They are starting to get a taste of what gun owners have had to deal with for years. What Daley wants is the law of the land. Never mind agreements, the constitution or any other rules. His will trumps all.

Maybe the downstate legislators and even Gov. Blago will realize they are nothing but "useful idiots" as far as he's concerned.

Don P.

 

[Airwolf]

Agreed. The destruction of Meigs has been a major wake up call. Everyone who knows anything about Dailey and Chicago politics knows just how corrupt he and the system he controls is but much of that is behind the scenes stuff.

The editorials and editorial cartoons have been scathing. I think almost every major aviation organization wants his head on a pike.

Tearing up a national and unique treasure like Meigs in the middle of the night is inescapable proof of the depths he will go to force his agenda on the public, whether legal or ethical or not.

Something to keep in mind and use during this time when Dailey is vulnerable is that pilots tend to be more well to do (flying is NOT cheap). Many are business executives, business owners or entrepreneurs and that usually equates to a more conservative point of view. This can be an opportunity to get a new group of people involved in derailing the megalomaniac and his cohorts.

 

[Master Blaster]

Sounds to me like Attorney General Ashcroft needs to launch a few justice department investigations of Mr. Dailey. Think of all the embarrassing stuff that would turn up. Vote Fraud, corruption. Oh and Meigs field didn't that violate a federal law or two? How about a grand jury to investigate the whole affair?

Perhaps they could get a warrant and search Daily's house in the middle of the night, must have been some conspiracy involved right?

He must at least have an illegal alien working in the kitchen at the mansion???

Where is that US attorney when you need him????

 

[Blackhawk]

What DonP said.

I hope it is a wake-up call.

Meanwhile, this is good news.

 

[bad_dad_brad]

Clearly Mayor Daley should be indicted for criminal damage to government property. A day before this happened to Meigs Field, if you or I had driven a bulldozer onto the airfield, and done the same, we would be in Cook county jail.

Daley is a scumbag, but he is usually more savy than this. I think the Meigs Field incident will come back to haunt him as CEOs and the like will see him for the megalomaniac psycho that he is.

How strange this vandalisim of a harmless icon such as Meigs Field is. I still find the whole incident incredible, almost surreal.

Today on the radio (WLS-AM) they were talking about the somewhat dangerous taxiway takeoffs of the remaining 16 private planes (one is still left) over Lake Michigan. Fortunately nobody was hurt or killed.

 

[El Tejon]

bad, only the Cook County jail?!?! How about the MMC? What's USA Fitzergerald up to these days?

 

[aikidoka-mks]

I heard somewhere that keeping Meigs open was contingent on getting congressional approval for expanding ohare or something like that. I then remembered Durbin being criticized for not bringing it up for a vote and he said Fitzgerald would filibuster. Fitzgerald replied that Durbin claimed to have the votes to break a filibuster. Hmm - maybe someone should check into what Durbin gains from turning Meigs into a park or selling the land for development.

Im glad i live in Indiana,

Mark

 

[El Tejon]

aik, Daley wants to (has wanted to) develop it. It will make him tens of millions in payoffs.

 

[aikidoka-mks]

Oh I know Daley has wanted to develop the land. From the way I understand it, the fact that the deal to keep Meigs open was contingent on approval from congress, which never happened, gave Daley some legal coverage. So if I am correct - and I may not be - doesnt that give us reason to look into Durbin not trying to push it?

Mark