*** UPDATE *** Twitters…
*** UPDATE 2 *** No vote in Senate Exec. Caucuses will now meet to discuss what to do about the amendment, or any amendment. Then a vote on the override.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Quinn’s legislative office has been making calls, but they haven’t succeeded in stopping an override of the concealed carry bill yet. If this is gonna be a “showdown,” then the governor will lose the battle…
“There will be a showdown in Springfield,” Quinn told the crowd gathered in Chicago for a bill signing on anti-gang legislation. Afterward he told reporters that lawmakers should examine his changes carefully.
“I don’t think they should override common sense. I don’t think they should compromise with public safety,” he said.
The political war, however, is already “won,” in Cook County, at least. The governor’s AV was a purely political document. It got him just what he wanted: Tons of publicity portraying him as an anti-gun, crime-fighting white knight.
* This is crud…
“The legislature thinks that bill that they put on my desk is acceptable– having guns in bars. I don’t. I think the people of Illinois agree with me,” Gov. Quinn said.
Taverns make more than half their revenues off of liquor, so concealed carry was already prohibited in the original bill. The media really needs to do some basic fact checking here.
* A somewhat incomplete quote…
“I was in five parades on the fourth of July. I didn’t hear one person complain about what I did,” says Governor Pat Quinn while speaking to a Chicago crowd. “I heard many people agree with what I did for common-sense gun safety laws.”
Those parades were all in the Chicago area. But here’s something else he said…
“I’ve been all across, uh, talking to a lot of people since last Tuesday, and the people of Illinois understand common sense.”
He couldn’t say he’s been all across Illinois, so he stopped himself short. Listen to his full presser…
* Another quote…
“I would say to legislators tomorrow, ‘Do not genuflect before the National Rifle Association.’ They do not understand public safety in the Land of Lincoln.”
Quinn also said it was “total baloney” that he wasn’t involved with the concealed carry bill. As far as doing the hard work of crafting a bill, he definitely was not involved. Quinn didn’t want any sort of ownership of this legislation, so that’s why he stayed out of the negotiations and issued an AV.
* But…
Senate President John Cullerton said issues raised by Quinn’s changes were worth discussing and could come up again down the road.
“Even though the Senate president will be supporting the override so that we don’t waste any time getting reasonable regulations on the books, he did think that there are a lot of issues raised in the amendatory veto that are worth further discussion,” Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said.
That’s why you should keep an eye on the Senate Exec Committee today.
* The other side…
“Here’s the deal, we have a compromised bill and both sides of the aisle, both chambers have agreed to this. We’ve got a lot of votes in both chambers, I don’t think anybody wants to go back on their word, on the compromise,” explains bill sponsor Representative Brandon Phelps.
Phelps says lawmakers will attempt to override the governor’s changes in a special session on Tuesday, and he and other downstate lawmakers are confident they can do it.
“I imagine, based upon the votes that took place previously on the concealed carry legislation, that it will be overridden tomorrow, and that southern Illinois will lead the way,” says Representative John Bradley.
If lawmakers are successful in the override vote, the law would give State Police 180 days to implement the new program. Once that time is up, FOID card holders can apply for the $150 dollar, 5-year permit. State Police would be required to issue that permit within 90 days.
