.png)
From the Chicago Sun Times:
SPRINGFIELD — For more than half a century, anyone in Illinois who wanted to own a gun needed to first apply for a special state identification card.
But now the state’s top court is being asked to decide whether the Firearm Owner’s Identification cards — popularly called FOID cards — are a necessary safeguard or a violation of the U.S. Constitution.
Last week, a downstate judge ruled the FOID card system was unconstitutional, reducing residents’ Second Amendment rights to bear arms to a “façade.”
Gun control advocates denounced the ruling as “frightening and radical,” and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul quickly appealed the decision to the Illinois Supreme Court.
The appeal filed last Thursday sets up a battle over whether the state can require its citizens to hold such an ID card in order to own a firearm.
First enacted in 1968, the state’s Firearm Owner Identification Act requires Illinoisans to apply for the card with the Illinois State Police in order to legally own a firearm. But in his ruling Tuesday, White County Judge T. Scott Webb wrote the FOID card “makes criminals out of law abiding citizens who are attempting to protect their lives within their homes.”
We can hope that the state‘s highest court takes up the case at the request of Kwame Raoul (he’s desperate). “Frightening and radical” he says in regards to it being declared “unconstitutional”. Not shocking though, he’s pals with the Jim Crow moms who think paying fees to exercise a right is “common sense” and anyone who thinks otherwise or helps to fight against gun control is an extremist. On a side note and speaking of “radical“, some people were so triggered over the lower court’s decision that the FOID is unconstitutional that they said our kids needed to die because we celebrated the ruling. Anyways, here‘s Kwame and his crew:.
Now we have some experience exposing what a garbage system the FOID card is (actually helped cause a lawsuit over it), I mean, as it sits, it’s really nothing more than a piggy bank for legislators to sweep funds from and leave the majority of the money allocated to it alone and not use for it‘s intended purposes (one reason the backlog of FOID and concealed carry renewals is so out of control perhaps):
Further, those same legislators see it as a tool to attack legal gun owners and extort them over it, all while being part of the problems regarding their complaints over it:
Even further, it has been such a mess for years that it‘s not even worth saving at this point. The state police and politicians new this, but why would they give up a cash cow?
Whatever happens, taking this the high court in the state is a step in the right direction. Guess we’ll see soon enough. Don’t hold your breath, though, as here’s the Chief Justice:
And her husband?
CITY HALL — Ald. Ed Burke, the longest-serving alderman in the history of the Chicago City Council, is facing federal corruption charges, prosecutors revealed Thursday in court papers that show they tapped his cellphone amid an alleged shakedown scheme.
The 14th Ward alderman — the chairman of the council’s powerful Finance Committee — was charged with attempted extortion, according to a 37-page criminal complaint. He has served on the City Council for 50 years and is running for another term.
Burke, 75, allegedly tried to steer real estate tax work to his law firm by holding up remodeling permits and a driveway permit for a Burger King in his Southwest Side ward. His back and forth with workers at the company was captured on tape by the feds, who also conducted physical surveillance and got help from the fast food company workers, according to the federal complaint.
The indictment comes five weeks after FBI agents raided Burke’s City Hall, ward offices and campaign offices, papering over the windows. Agents searched the offices for hours before hauling away boxes and computers.
According to a source in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office, Emanuel believes it is “unacceptable” for Burke to continue as Finance Committee chairman.
Burke did not enter a plea during a court appearance Thursday afternoon. Wearing his trademark pinstripe suit with a red and white pocket square, Burke was released after posting a $10,000 unsecured bond. Among the requirements of his release is that he must dispose of the 23 firearms in his offices.
For some “light” reading and to close, here’s the state police policy and procedures manual for FOID and concealed carry:
Comments