Suburban lawmaker: Guard members should be armed at military facilities
A suburban Republican state lawmaker wants to make sure members of the Illinois National Guard can be armed on duty following the shootings last week in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that killed four Marines, a sailor and a police officer.
State Rep. Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake asked Gov. Bruce Rauner to follow the leads of governors Mary Fallin of Oklahoma and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, who issued executive orders saying at least some people at military facilities could be armed for security in the event of an attack.
Wheeler says she sent that message to Rauner's staff last weekend.
"They (said), 'Fair question, but we have to look into what our governor can do because it's different in every state,'" she said.
Did the governor follow suit?
The Illinois National Guard says he didn't have to.
Spokesman Lt. Col. Brad Leighton says Illinois law already allows National Guard leadership to make the call about who is allowed to carry weapons on Guard property.
"Unlike other states, we already have the authority," he said.
He says he genuinely appreciates Wheeler's concern and said the Guard works with the Rauner administration and local police to keep its people safe at facilities spread across the state, including in the suburbs.
The details about the Guard's defenses, though, won't be shared, Leighton said. "From a security standpoint, it's best to keep them guessing," Leighton said.
Moving on
Wheeler is satisfied with the Rauner administration's response and said she heard from supportive members of the military.
"They must also think they can't be armed," she said.
She has since filed nonbinding legislation asking Congress to "ensure members of the military are adequately armed for their protection, including, but not limited to the arming of military personnel at facilities and recruiting stations," it reads.
"If nothing else, it's started a conversation (about) how we can better serve our armed forces and protect them," she said.
Trumped
In doing some research, we noticed two of the week's big political newsmakers crossed paths 13 years ago.
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump in 2002 gave then-gubernatorial hopeful Rod Blagojevich $5,000 toward the disgraced former governor's first successful campaign, according to state records.
Trump also logged two $5,000 donations to former Republican Gov. George Ryan, who also went to prison.
And in 2010, the GOP front-runner gave $50,000 to Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He had given to the Cook County Democratic Party earlier, too.
Those are personal donations. The company related to the Chicago tower bearing Trump's name also has given money.
Praise for firefighters
This week, state lawmakers approved a proclamation honoring the firefighters who battled the fire that leveled the Arlington Park grandstand 30 years ago next week, on July 31, 1985.
It was "to recognize and honor the first responders who 30 years ago gallantly fought the spectacular fire that destroyed Arlington Park Racecourse's clubhouse and grandstand."
It was filed by state Reps. Tom Morrison of Palatine, David Harris of Arlington Heights and Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook.
Election news
Cook County Clerk David Orr's office is one of a few election agencies nationwide that won part of a $400,000 grant this week from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Orr's office now is supposed to develop a so-called tool kit for other local officials to use to better communicate with voters. The deadline to be done is next summer.