So everyone is asking what happened with the Illinois Senate passing the Gun Dealer Licensing bill. In short, we lost two votes that we thought we had locked up. As you’ve read, Senator Don Harmon and friends made deals to lessen the opposition. His plan worked.

You can also add that since the November election, our guys have gotten complacent. That same election has the other side simply apoplectic. Hillary’s loss has bent lots of leftists completely out of shape. On top of that, we’ve got a phalanx of Washington, DC lobbyists pounding Illinois House and Senate members.

The result is downstate Senate Democrats, worried about their left flank, tossing gun owners under the bus in an effort to prevent primary challenges They figure they can smooth over any hard feelings of gun owners if they get through the primary. They must think we’re stupid in addition to forgetful.

Already some of these downstate Dems are trying to talk about voting for other pro-gun measures as a way of making up for their votes on the dealer bill. To them the dealer bill doesn’t affect gun owners. It’s all about those “bad” dealers in Cook County. They probably believe in unicorns too, and that if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep your healthcare plan.

They refuse to believe that enough rules and regulations can be foisted upon gun dealers that would run them out of business.

In fact, the goal of Harmon, the bill’s sponsor, was to impose a regulatory rectal exam on those gun shops he doesn’t like so as to shut them down. Never mind that Chuck’s Gun Shop underwent an ATF inspection last November in which 10 — yes 10 — ATF agents showed up unannounced and spent three weeks going over their books with a fine-tooth comb.

What did they find? Nothing.

When was the last time you heard about ten ATF agents showing up to do an audit of a gun shop? Yeah, Rahm and friends called in a favor with the O’bummer regime before it shuffled off into history. And they found nothing improper. Not an un-dotted “i” or even an uncrossed “t”.

But that isn’t good enough for Senator Harmon. The result didn’t fit the narrative he wants. So now he wants to have someone else look at things and find a way to shut down a business he doesn’t like.

The difference on this vote that allowed SB-1657 to clear was made up by downstate Senate Democrats who, despite their image as “reasonable” Dems, unlike their Cook County pals, showed gun owners that they’re more than willing to throw us under the bus.

For example, Senator Scott Bennett had an NRA A-rating before selling out gun owners in voting for gun rationing, universal background checks, and gun dealer licensing. He probably won’t need to worry about getting any “A” grades from NRA in the future.

Expect to see Illinois’ downstate Dems try to make some sort of overture down the road to make amends.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

71 COMMENTS

  1. “For example, Senator Scott Bennett had an NRA A-rating before selling out gun owners in voting for gun rationing, universal background checks, and gun dealer licensing. He probably won’t need to worry about getting any “A” grades from NRA in the future.”

    Realistically, what grade will the NRA give him?

    A ‘C’?

    • They should be rated first on party then on record. EVERY SINGLE DEM IS A BACK-STABBING SNAKE THAT WILL VOTE YOUR RIGHTS AWAY WHEN IT COUNTS, PERIOD! That means every Dem gets an F.

      Only those that are mentally disabled or those that have the thought processes of children vote Dem. Look at all those that voted for Hil and would have voted for Bern. Those people laying on the floor crying when she lost, grown adults from 18 to 80 Men, Women, and whatever else they call themselves now. I’m not even exaggerating which sickens me to this day just thinking about it. Americans laying on the floor blubbering, this is what helmets and participation trophies get you. Taking away self respect and natural selection (little morons that aren’t taught by adults that playing stupid games wins some very deadly stupid prizes only living because some idiot thought it “decent” to save those either too stupid or not physically tough enough to survive).

      They still haven’t accepted it. Like children that pout and throw temper tantrums. Socialists and Communists that even though they’ve seen both RETARDED ideologies fail time and time again they still believe?

      I decided 9 years ago not to give another dime to the NRA. When some gun owning fence-sitter Dem sees “Duh, muh Dem Candy-date got him an A, I can keep my guns and get free everything! Yippee!” They vote based on what they’ll get. Want to stop Dem votes? Focus on all they take, and have taken through their socialist/communist ways past, present, and future. Why old Jerry “Gomer Pyle” Brown of Cali just called his taxpayers “Freeloaders”. They’re tired of being stolen from, but are being freeloaders for not handing over every dime they make so Jerry and his dirtbags can give actual freeloaders those taxpayer’s better life. Wanna bet they vote him in again?

      Sorry, the rant’s been building since last summer. I say stop paying any money to the NRA until they get their butts right. Never another endorsement of any kind for a Dem. No more waiting and watching. I paid them to take action for years and they didn’t. I feel we only have what we do by sheer accident. Yeah we paid and fought, but does the NRA ever hold anyone responsible? Not that I’ve seen. So they can starve till they get themselves right. Until then GOA gets my cash, along with local 2nd legal fighters and supporters.

      Who cares how a Dem votes, only a moron thinks that eventually they won’t vote the way they always do! The NRA knows this but still acts as if the Dems might be OK.

      • What about my RINO of a state senator. But I will forgive him if he helps remove the public transportation restriction. But I don’t think you are ever going to see the down state democrats ever voting for that.

  2. A pox on the houses of all these traitors. Our Founders are rolling over in their graves. Can’t help to wonder what they would think of the modern day democrat party.

  3. Even though I believe this is a repeat post THANKS TTAG and Boch for keeping up this topic…who ever thought we could trust ANY democrat?!? Follow the money…

    • Apparenty the NRA isn’t to be trusted, either. Who is rating ANY dem an A+ has to be either completly inept or on the take.
      The way the NRA begs for money constantly…my bet is on the take. The NRA, the single biggest scam in the 2A realm.

      • Don’t get the vapors Martha.

        NRA ratings are based on Voting RECORD. Not promises or “been a member”.

      • You are full of crap. It’s easy to sit in the easy chair and launch your little tirades. It’s the hard work of the NRA that does the job of protecting the 2nd. Why are you worried about hte money – not a dollar has ever left your pocket to go to the NRA.

        The democrats (your buddies) throw 2nd amendment defenders under the bus and you are moaning about the NRA – pathetic.

        • Hey asshole, I was a NRA Instructor and certified range officer for YEARS and all they ever did was beg me for more money. You blind NRA sheep that just follow are a joke. There are many other gun rights groups out there that work so much harder for US not themselves, only an idiot would support that lame bunch of ring knockin old farts giving away little bits of our rights at a time and calling it a win. No one seems to care or remember what that RINO LaPiere said after sandy hook because he’s still running the show! Get a clue dipshit.

        • Heres a quote from your grand poobah going back to 1999 “We think it’s reasonable to provide mandatory instant background checks for every sale at every gun show. No loopholes anywhere, for anyone,” NRA head Wayne LaPierre said in May 1999, shortly after the shooting at Columbine.
          Yet you idiots leave the man in charge! This statement alone is indefensable. You may be willing to stand by while the NRA and RINOs give away our rights bit by bit and tell you they are winning. Not one pro 2A bill has even come close to hitting the floor and not even a pro 2A executive order, even though they had the Presidents ear at their convention ( you know, the one they kept the other Pro 2A groups that sell CCW insurance out of this year, because thats their new business). Not even a repeal of any Obama XOs…no 7n6, nothing.They don’t even have the pull to get pro 2A bills passed in Texas and Louisiana! Keep sending them your money so they can give it away to Dems.
          What you ought to do is have a coup inside the NRA and toss those snobby carpetbaggers out on the street. Instead you can just continue to tug at your skirt and exclaim to everyone how unfair the system is….Clown.

        • Ed, there have been machinations on some of those things, such as reversing the 7n6 ban. See this post: https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2017/02/foghorn/breaking-leaked-atf-memo-reveals-planned-pro-gun-moves/

          #5 on that list (effectively reversing the ban on shouldering pistol braces) happened already.

          Now, yeah, whether or not this has much to do with the NRA is up for debate. Though I do believe their ringing, early endorsement of Trump was important to his win.

    • I don’t trust any politician, per se. But I definitely don’t trust Democrats or Leftists to preserve liberty.

  6. I’ll be looking forward to the Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms announcement that they’re relocating their corporate headquarters and production to the Free State of Iowa in response to the passage of this Bill. /sarc

    • These guys are snake-bit. Perhaps their new owners will pull the plug on Illinois. As their stocklists swell with unsold guns, I might consider a purchase If the SAINT prices get down into the used-AR few hundreds. But, then, there’s really no bottom on prices so who knows what they’ll finally sell for? Maybe we’ll find them on the Mosin-Nagant racks . . .

      • I just visited GunBroker to look at the prices of the MilSpec 1911, and other than the penny auctions, prices seem to be holding just fine. I even saw one ad that wanted $850 for one that wasn’t even the stainless version, far over MSRP. I would be happy if the prices drop, since this is one of the pistols I have had on my list for some time, but not the funds to buy one.

  7. Many people have forgotten and many have not been taught due to liberal control of our education system. That the democrat party is and was the party of slavery. You can’t control your slaves and be the master if your subjects have the arms as well as the will to be free. The time is approaching when the people of this country will need to chose who and what they want to be. A slave to a repressive group of people or free people you determine their own destiny. it was done once in this country and may need to be done again. That choice is in the hearts and will of each and every one of us.

  8. Simple lesson that some (i.e., those gun owners who vote for these so-called ‘pro-2A’ Dems) might want to keep in mind. Voting for a ‘R’ doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a 2A supporting politician (still a lot of traitors in the GOP), but voting for a ‘D’ virtually always guarantees you’re constitutional rights will be betrayed. For Dems, the party always comes first, comrad. I still hear gun owners who say ‘But he or she is a pro-2A Dem’….sorry, where the rubber hits the road, there is no such thing.

  9. I don’t always vote for the Republican, but I have never and will never vote for a Democrat. This article reminds me of why. Anyone else remember when now Senator Gillibrand was held up as an example of a pro gun Democrat?

  10. After weeks of suggesting Gun Owners across the Nation should destroy Springfield Armory and Rock River Armory by Boycotting them John Boch finally writes about real problems…? Boring politics and politicians directly involved destroying Illinois citizens Constitutional Rights…? Whats next…?, John Boch’s articles of Illinois State progressive voters -Or- possibility exposing the negative effects of Big Money Anti-Gun Lobbyist relocating from DC to Illinois after obama administration left -Or- Chicago socialist influences over Illinois State government…?

    Problem is boring politics never generates the same level of shock factor compared to calling for destruction of two major firearm manufactures. Politics simply will not increase subscriptions -Or- commercial advertising profits. Democratic Socialist Party and Big Money Anti-Gun Lobbyist fight everyday for their common core agenda and 50% of moderates, 85% libertarians, and 100% conservatives fight among ourselves targeting our own resources for destruction follow the lead of people attempting to increase subscriptions, views, and personal fame. Eventually the Socialist Liberal Progressive will win by our own hands choking ourselves to death…!

    • Please note: TTAG has never called for a boycott of Springfield Armory or Rock River Arms products. We have reported the facts about their Illinois gun dealer licensing law carve-out, and their lobby group’s campaign contributions and sponsorship payments to anti-gun politicians. Editorials have criticized them for that decision. That is all.

      • But Robert, just reporting on what they did was bad enough. After all Springfield and Rock River Arms were just trying to survive in a business un-friendly environment that was already so highly politicized by gun-control forces that there were actually few viable options for them to take. In such environments the kind of rent-seeking carve-outs they successfully lobbied for, while unfortunate on the surface and hurtful to their small gun-shop dealers, are really just sound business decisions. Surely you can understand that’s the way the political game is played in Illinois. They just want us to understand where they’re coming from. //sarc//

      • This is very important, especially with these companies talking about suing TTAG for defamation, loss of profits, or something similar. All TTAG did was report facts that they observed, and nothing else. Nothing illegal, and nothing Springfield or Rock River can win a case on.

  12. Mr. Boch:

    Could you keep us updated when you find more information about what deal was made in exchange for votes on SB1657. In particular, was SB1657 diluted because of the votes of your two turncoats? Or was the terrible deal made in exchange for something completely unrelated?

    • Shame on you. Your ignorance is typical. They supplied lawyers for both Heller and McDonald. Just yesterday they were involved in a federal lawsuit to overturn the California magazine ban using their lawyers from Michel Law firm. And now with Pete Brownell as their president, the NRA has completely embraced modern sporting arms while shunning the despicable “walnut crew”.

      • [FLAME DELETED] keyboard commando, they lured people into voting for this and they support background checks. Heller’s tainted with Scalia’s not-unlimited thing, we’d be better off without it. Figures they’d pay for something like that.

        • ” Heller’s tainted with Scalia’s not-unlimited thing, we’d be better off without it.”

          Really?.

          Thanks to Heller and McDonald, people living in the worst of the anti-free areas can now legally posses a firearm in their homes that doesn’t need to be stored disassembled and locked away.

          We have an *excellent* chance in the next year of having carry outside the home in public ruled a constitutional right…

        • Barryerycrap – I already replied to one unsubstantiated accusation of ignorace, you mustn’t be able to address my proof that the NRA are fudds. You can try now, but I’mma reply to Geoff, won’t spend anymore time on you.

        • Geoff – yeah really, the real gains from Heller are insubstantial, there’re like 200 DC CC’ers. Moreover it locks us into a status quo, which was fine by Scalia, the NRA and probably a bunch of the frontin’ chairborne rangers in these comments, but not satisfactory to me or anyone who takes the 2A to mean military arms.

          Carry a constitutional right next year? Meh, doubt it, even if it happens little material gain and finally the NRA is older than the hills and what you say to defend them is that something might go right later. Not impressive.

      • The NRA supplied lawyers for Heller? I think Alan Gura would be pretty surprised to hear that, in that he was attorney of record and all that the NRA did was to file a amicus brief after having unsuccessfully trying to stop him from moving the case to the Supremes. Gura was also lead counsel in McDonald, and was neither hired nor paid by the NRA. Instead, in a rather unusual move, the court allowed the NRA attorney, Paul Clement, one-third of Gura’s argument time. Two strikes, try again.

        • Surely you know that Mr Gura didn’t carry that load all by himself, right? Just like in the case filed yesterday, there are multiple firms involved. More clearly, are you saying that NRA money, lawyers and ancillary manpower was not used in either Heller or McDonald? Lol. Even a large portion of the 2A foundation suits utilize NRA resources. I’m 50 years old. I’m old enough to remember some of the NRA’s missteps. They are no longer that organization. I’m also a militant 2A activist and 3%er who has advocated for a literal, kinetic civil war to restore our republic to what our Founder’s intended. The NRA today is the greatest advocate organization in the world regarding the 2A. They serve a critical role in the movement to physically and utterly destroy America’s most dangerous enemies, the Liberal Terrorists™.

    • pete you are either uninformed or an idiot. You can fix the former if you desire and can read.

      • *yawn* more vague accusations that don’t answer what I said. Please refer to my reply to SonofLiberty.

        • Hey Pete, the same two idiots want to give me shit when I call out the NRA as the fudds they are, they must both be on the payroll. Their lack of educated response is a tell tale sign of a NRA sheep.

        • You two should get a room where you can kiss and blather on about the evils of the NRA.

  14. “downstate Senate Democrats, worried about their left flank, tossing gun owners under the bus in an effort to prevent primary challenges…”

    Here’s hoping for a bulldozer on their right flank. Southern Illinois politics is changing and shifting to the right. Every county in the state except Crook County voted for Rauner (R) in the last gubernatorial election.

    Historically, Southern Illinois voted for Democrats because it’s what their granddaddy’s coal miner’s union told them to do. But a lot of those descendants of coal mining families value their gun rights as much as anyone else.

    • Stop with the coal mining BS. Coal mining has NEVER been a huge industry in IL, therefor there wasn’t a huge coal union Democratic push.

      Now if you wanted to blame the trade (skilled worker) unions as a whole, I would agree. I was a member of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local 65 for a long time before going in the Army. They would always asked how you voted. My reply was “none of your business”. Luckily my dad was a contractor so I always had work.

      • Ummmm. You might wanna study up on the history of central and southern Illinois. Curtis is 100% correct. How do I know this? Personal family history and reading about the history of my hometown and surrounding counties.

        • Ummm, I was born and raised in Southern Illinois. The highest number of people employed, in the entire state, in the coal industry was in 1930. Less than 52,000 worked the mines. It has declined to the point that last year there were less than 3,700 in the mine industry.

          Chicago’s population at the time was 3,376,438 in 1930. The mayor, “Big Bill” Thompson was backed by Capone. The Dems finally got full control in 1932. On Mayor Cermak, “His political and organizational skills helped create one of the most powerful political organizations of his day, and Cermak is considered the father of Chicago’s Democratic machine.”

  15. The nra ratings are bullshit if you look at this people

    Steve Bullock
    Brian Schweitzer
    Jan Brewer
    Dennis Daugaard
    Mary Fallin
    Asa Hutchinson
    Joe Strauss
    Anita Flores

    no compromisse !

  17. Let’s all give a heartfelt thanks to Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms for more anti gun legislation since they threw tens of thousands of dollars to anti gun politicians.

    • I wonder how much money Glock gives to antI gun politicians so they can sell guns?

      • How many metro PD carry their POS? How many urban antigun Chef de Popo drink the Gluck koolaid? $$$

        • I see you are finally getting it. If you sold building supplies to the SS then you were on board with the final solution.

          I am not calling for a boycott of Glock.

          Boch seems to believe that Springfield created the political environment when they are just responding to it. Overall he has been a net negative to the site. For every good article he writes there are 4 that are a POS.

  18. It was all that Springfield lobbying. /sarc.

    Maybe Springfield has a better feel for what is happening in Illinois than Mr. Boch.

  19. So now [Senator Harmon] wants to have someone else look at things and find a way to shut down a business he doesn’t like.

    And there you have it. Politicians are always seeking ways to shut down whatever they don’t like or whatever refused to pay a tribute to them. Scumbags.

    • It sounds as if the senator wanted to shut down a local gun store to appease his constituency, and the only way to do it is by passing a state law, irrespective of whether the issue affects any other gun store. same thing is happening here, where a Sacramento area senator is trying to sabotage what we have left of concealed carry because he disapproves of the Sacramento County Sheriff issuing permits on an essentially “shall issue” basis instead of “may issue in law, no issue in most circumstances,” as is the case in southern California. So he has ordered an audit of Sac county, LA and San Diego counties to determine whether the current fee pays for the CCW program (without of course sampling the other 55 counties) with the obvious intent of boosting the fees so as to reduce the number of applications. Further, last year a bill was passed banning CCW holders from carrying on school campuses without the permission of the School Superintendent. After five or six issued blanket approvals, he is trying this session to take away that authority.

  20. It wasn’t just Democrats. Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno voted “present”.
    She is our senator and we know her (to a limited degree) personally. While never a gun rights activist, at least she previously voted pretty much in favor.
    The “present” vote came as a surprise. One has to wonder at what sort of deal was struck to get the Minority Leader to stand down and participate in letting this get through.
    I do recall her telling us in the hallway at the 2014 Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day (IGOLD), the first one after the passage of the FCCA 2013 that there would be no gun bills called that year or for some time.
    I guess the time has come.
    What also is not so visible as this appalling bill is how nothing that is favorable to gun rights is getting in to the light of day. Even seemingly easy-to-get bills are stuck in dark corners.
    An awful lot of money is changing hands down there in Springfield, and what with the Illinois gun rights lobby community seemingly having fallen asleep since the FCCA- there were barely 400 people at IGOLD this year, down from the nearly 8000 in ’13- the anti-rights people know they have an easy field to ply.

    • “awful lot of money is changing hands” In Illinois? Crooked politics? Couldn’t be.

  21. “They must think we’re stupid in addition to forgetful…”

    “No one in this world… has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.” (H.L. Mencken)

    Seriously. People were dumb enough to vote them in. They’ll do it again.

  22. Still waiting for textual evidence in the Illinois gun bill to point to actual citations of “carve outs” for “exemptions” for RRA, SA or “Big Box Stores”. The bill itself has no evidence or mention of exemptions for the above mentioned entities. All the allusions to these “facts” are either poorly supported or non-existent. Please paste or link to the actual portions of the bill that mention the specific firearms manufacturers or retail outlets that would receive any special treatment or exemptions. The vague facts that have been cited thus far do not support what is being reported over and over. Please read the actual bill in it’s entirety. I am fully willing to vote with my pocket book if actual collusion “other than verbal or circumstantial” is discovered with regard to these two companies or their lobbying group, but I have, again, found nothing to substantiate the “special treatment” claims thus far. What I have seen doesn’t look especially good; the bill itself definitely stinks in all aspects, but more facts must be seen before making a rational and just decision on how to move forward. Too many seem only too willing and very anxious to destroy our 2A cause by our own hand. The Dem and liberal-left politicians are doing this very effectively on their own, let’s not join together to assist them with their despicable agenda. The wisdom of Solomon is needed here.

    • Springfield and RRA sure believe it. You need no wisdom-just what has already happened should give you the right answer. $10000:to John Cullerton…

    • Read the original bill, which IFMA opposed (and failed last year) then read the Amendment, which IFMA (SAI and RRA) were neutral.

    • The real story isn’t the vote Bennett cast but the fact of the matter is he traded votes with Boch and NRA’s Lobbyist for suppressors. That’s the story not manufacturers or big boxes. The question really should be how many other votes got traded??
      Todd?
      John?

  23. I got 2 more years of living in this shithole…. then its either North Carolina or Tennessee.
    I’ve lived 38 of my 40 years here, and for damn sure I am not going to die here. Too expensive to live here anymore. Tired of all the bullshit politics. Tired of living next to the murder capital of the US.
    And to Springfield Armory and Rock River, f*ck you. You sold us all down the river to save your sorry asses. I’m done with you both.

    • You may find, if you haven’t already due to bidness or pleasure travel or whatever, that motorists in NC are sloppy and listless compared to IL, bless theys souls.

  24. The happiest day of my life was fleeing the State of Illinois two weeks after retirement. It was also bitter as I had to return the M16 rifle assigned to me years earlier.

  26. 1. There should be max cap limit for Federal Level of F.F.L.s Gun Dealers Cap limit should be 5000 F.F.L.s Holders Retailers Gun Dealers Store Fronts Business too. The State Cap Limit should :be 100 F.F.L.s Holders is per 50 States too. They should not exceeded the Cap Limit at all too. Class-1 Is F.F.L.s (01) Regular Gun Dealers ,Retailers, Pawn Shop Junk & Gun Dealers is, Class-2 is (02) F.F.L.s holders too! Option Class-2 Is (09) Full auto Retailers, Fullauto” Weapons too. agree!1 Store Fronts & Hunters Class-3 Gun Stores open to Public too! Do you agree? Or Disagree?

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