Will Lake County Board enter the gun control debate?
Lake County Board members could soon find themselves in a debate whether to place support behind gun control regulations or whether to send a letter to state legislators declaring the county a “sanctuary” against stricter gun laws.
Thomas Quigley, of Round Lake Beach, and military veteran Ceasar Soto, of Waukegan, appeared Tuesday before the Lake County Board to speak out against a previous statement made by District 11 county board member Paul Frank about a possible ban of automatic weapons.
Quigley requested board members immediately declare Lake County “a sanctuary county for all gun owners,” then told “the gun grabbers on the board to read the U.S. Constitution and study history; all governmental tyranny begins with gun confiscation.”
Quigley and Soto spoke up because of statements made during the closing moments of the March 13 county board meeting where Frank, a Democrat from Highland Park, hinted it could be time the board enters the debate on the national gun issue.
Frank said there may be “statutory limitations” placed on the county board against passing any gun regulations, “but I don't think any of us are satisfied saying there is nothing we could do.”
He added in his statements that it could be possible for board members to debate and discuss a board resolution regarding support for a state ban on assault weapons.
District 11 serves a portion of Deerfield, where city officials passed a ban on assault weapons April 2.
County board officials did not make any motions regarding either request Tuesday.
There are at least five rural Illinois counties that have passed resolutions and declared their counties as “sanctuary” counties for gun owners.
According to a report from The Associated Press, the resolutions are meant to warn the Democratic-controlled legislature that if it passes a host of anti-gun bills, including new age restrictions for certain weapons, a bump stock ban and a size limit for gun magazines, the counties might bar their employees from enforcing the new laws.
The resolutions are largely symbolic, the AP reported, and designed as a way for communities where guns are cherished to make the point they view gun restrictions to be unconstitutional.