Daley revives crusade for gun-control laws

By Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporter
Published January 5, 2006


In what has become an annual rite, Mayor Richard Daley on Wednesday called on the General Assembly to pass "common-sense" gun control bills that he said are designed to save lives and help police without hurting hunters and other legitimate firearms enthusiasts.

And an official of the National Rifle Association once again countered that the legislative package is an attempt to chip away at the constitutional rights of Illinois gun owners.

Daley appeared with other elected officials and gun violence opponents at a news conference at police headquarters to voice support for proposed measures that would ban semiautomatic assault weapons and .50-caliber rifles; require state licensing of gun dealers; limit handgun purchases to one a month per person; and dramatically expand provisions of a trigger-lock bill approved last session.

"Some people have asked us, `Why do you continue to push these bills every year when they never pass?'" Daley said. "These same people said we would never close the gun-show loophole. But we did, and the law took effect Sunday."

That new measure requires criminal background checks of people who buy weapons at gun shows.

Todd Vandermyde, the NRA's lobbyist for Illinois, said in an interview that support for firearms rights remains strong in the state.

And he scoffed at the suggestion of one gun-control advocate at the news conference that suburban Republican legislators, under pressure from constituents for new controls, have helped "change the dynamic in Springfield" on the gun issue.

"One thing we are guaranteed to see in the new year is another call for useless gun control by the mayor," Vandermyde said. The Police Department is making progress in its fight against violent crime, Police Supt. Philip Cline said at the news conference.

Aggravated batteries committed with guns were down by 6percent last year, and for the first time in five decades, the number of homicides in Chicago was fewer than 500 for two consecutive years, he said. Nevertheless, 447 people were killed in the city last year, most of them with guns, Cline said.

Vandermyde contended that the improving crime statistics have nothing to do with gun legislation.

"The crime rate has been going down because Phil Cline and those guys are doing what we say [they should do]--arrest the bad guys, put pressure on the bad guys," he said.

In other action Wednesday, a Chicago alderman said he may introduce a measure to increase the maximum hiring age for new firefighters from 35 to 40, bringing it into parity with police officer candidates.

"Why would we have 40 for police and 35 for the Fire Department?" asked Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th), chairman of the City Council's Police and Fire Committee.

Fire Department officials have announced they will throw out a hiring list that dates back to 1995 when the department conducts its first entrance exam in more than a decade this spring. An ordinance approved in 2000 set the firefighter hiring cutoff age at 35, which means that some of the candidates who passed the last test would be ineligible to take the upcoming exam.

"So many people who took it in '95 who were 25 years old would be knocked out of the box now," Carothers said. On another issue, Daley insisted that Deputy Aviation Commissioner Nancy Takata did a good job as concessions chief at O'Hare International and Midway Airports, saying only that she has been dismissed from her position as part of personnel changes being made in a number of city departments.

Some retail spaces at O'Hare have sat vacant for extended periods, and several concessionaires have run afoul of city minority set-aside regulations.

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My God, when will they learn?

Always happy to hear what our glorious mayor is up too

Daley is the definition of a corrupt shithead politician. If he doesn't like the idea of me owning guns than he can come and get them himself.

Idiot!

Anybody think we can use the "Anti-gun-violence" thing against people by calling it politically incorrect? Why discriminate against gun violence and not violence in general? The gun control laws might decrease (might) the amount of gun crime but elevating everything else...

How about we form an anti-violent crime organization and say "Guns reduce crime! Eliminate gun laws!"

I'm just bored and thinking aloud.

The true def. of a libtard politician. He  says he wants to save  lives and protect the police. Just about as bad as it's for the chidren, but not as transparent. But when are you sheeple up there get a clue and get rid of this corrupt family?

One of my deepest held fantasies is that when this fucktard shitstain dies that they IMMEDIATELY burn that fucking park that was built on Meigs Field to the ground, rebuild Meigs and plant the jizzbucket in the touchdown zone on 36.  That way every pilot can make a Pilgrimage to KCGX and make a hard landing on King Dick's grave.

My fantasy is taking a piss on King Richards grave.

The sad part is 90% of the state is good people. I can remember when a Libtard would have no way suggested this kind of BS. in a state full of rural homes. His fathers machine has kept him in power, and they are in fear of losing power. They supply so much money that they buy the legislators and get this kind of crap passed. I for one am glad I live 40 miles away and don't need a card for buy ammo.

MOLON LABE

Prince Dick and his ilk (Gov Blowjobovich, etc)  is a major reason I will not consider a job in IL.