Whiteside, Lee sheriffs weigh-in against gun bill

DIXON – Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan and Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker are joining other law enforcement leaders across the state in opposing the Protect Illinois Communities Act.

The act, HB 5471, was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday making Illinois the ninth state to ban high-powered guns.

It bans the purchase, sale and manufacture of high powered semi-automatic weapons, .50 caliber rifles and ammunition, and large-capacity magazines. However, it allows people who already own such weapons to keep them.

Booker and Whelan both released letters Wednesday saying the bill “is a clear violation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” and they will not be enforcing it.

The letters state “that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the state, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been arrested solely with non-compliance of this act.”

The letters also stated:

“Part of my duties that I accepted upon being sworn into office was to protect the rights provided to all of us, in the Constitution. One of those enumerated rights is the right of the people to keep and bear arms provided under the 2nd amendment.

“The right to keep and bear arms for defense of life, liberty and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people.”

Carroll County’s Ryan Kloepping and Ogle County’s Brian VanVickle issued similar news releases.