(The Center Square) – An Illinois congressman is expressing dissatisfaction with the closure of the federal Gun Violence Prevention Office by the Trump administration.
U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen supported Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost’s comments on social media where he said, “We fought for years to make this office a reality and lives were saved because of it. [President Donald] Trump might be OK with dissolving a life-saving office but the people aren’t.”
John Boch, executive director at Guns Save Life, said the office just went after law-abiding gun owners.
“There’s already tons of laws in the books about illegally using guns. They’re, in large part, not being enforced especially in Illinois, thanks to no cash bail,” said Boch. “It’s gang violence that plagues our cities, not gun violence.”
Boch said the federal office never addressed what he called the “unholy alliance” between Illinois politicians and gang members.
“For example, Mayor [Brandon] Johnson’s second biggest contributor behind the teachers’ union was a gang member-turned-rapper, who was indicted by the feds for conspiracy to commit murder. That shows you just how deeply entrenched the gangs are in the politics of Chicago. They prefer to go after gun owners instead of going after gang members who are actually killing people,” said Boch.
Charges were filed against Grammy Award-winning Chicago rapper “Lil Durk,” who’s real name is Durk Banks, in connection with an alleged 2022 murder-for-hire plot targeting a rival rapper. He could be facing life in federal prison.
The recently shut down federal Gun Violence Prevention Office was a “joke,” according to a Boch.
Boch explained the creation of the office was nothing but a “press release” to make the Biden Administration seem valuable.
“People are trying to use it and milk it and say, ‘oh, my gosh, it’s saving lives.’ You know, prove it. Show me some lives that were saved because of that office. The office did nothing except try to infringe upon law-abiding Americans’ right to self-defense and to own guns,” said Boch.
Boch said second amendment advocates are optimistic about possible Concealed Carry Reciprocity legislation being signed by the president.
“I think if we pass national reciprocity in one form or another here soon, that will benefit Illinoisans and the people who visit our state… to allow them to carry firearms in our state, to protect themselves against criminals and lunatics out running amok in our society, especially thanks to no-cash bail, where we don’t even hold people in jail after they’ve been arrested even after they commit horrendous violent crimes or are accused thereof,” said Boch.
National reciprocity is a proposal where states must recognize concealed carry licenses from other states as they do with marriage licenses or driver’s licenses.
“So somebody with a Florida carry license, with national reciprocity, would be able to carry here in Illinois and be safe, be able to protect themselves from violent criminals,” said Boch.
Critics argue that national reciprocity infringes on states’ rights to regulate firearms as they see fit.
