Joe Walsh addressing Huntley Area Tea Party meeting on gun control. Illinois State Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson can be seen in the background.
A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:
Rep. Walsh to Governor Quinn: Give Our Constituents the Right to Protect Themselves
Urges passage of a conceal and carry gun law
WASHINGTON –Today Congressman Joe Walsh (IL-8) and 3 other Members of the Illinois delegation urged Governor Pat Quinn to give residents their constitutional right to protect and defend themselves. Members were called to action by the string of shootings that happened in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend.
“Time and again, the State’s anti-gun policies have proven ineffective at best and un-safe for law-abiding citizens at worst,” Walsh said.
“Currently, Illinois is the only state in this nation that has not passed a conceal and carry gun law. Why? It is time for state lawmakers to give our constituents the constitutional right to protect themselves.”
Violent crime in the United States has steadily dropped since the 1990s, yet crime rates in major cities in Illinois continue to increase. There has been a 35% spike in violent crime rates this year alone, and Chicago has one of the highest murder rates in the country.
In the letter to Governor Quinn, Walsh and others stated the obvious correlation between the lack of protections in place and rise in violent crimes. Over the Memorial Day weekend, 40 people were shot and 10 more were killed in Chicago, including a 7-year-old girl.
“I took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, and I will continue to fight for my constituent’s Second Amendment rights.”
Since coming to Congress, Walsh has been on the front lines of the Second Amendment debate. He has defended the Second Amendment against anti-gun groups stressing the importance of gun rights and how they work to protect residents of Illinois.
The other signatories included Representatives Randy Hultgren (IL-14), Timothy Johnson (IL-15), and Donald Manzullo (IL-16). Walsh led the initiative.
A copy of the letter sent to Governor Quinn is attached.
Thank you Joe!!
Funny how Walsh appears on the blog now but the racist statements he made just over a week ago never made the headlines….
I have been at all of Joe’s town halls since May 29.
Never heard any racist comments.
If he did it would have been on the front page of every newspaper in the US.
Keep pushing for the Conceal & Carry, Joe.
Need to carry?
You are over compensating for other shortcomings.
Time to focus on something else.
Concealed carry will never pass in Illinois as long as Chicago is part of the state.
Walsh can talk all he wants, he has no influence on state politics.
Joe, how about trying something that will actually pass?
This is just pandering to the base, it’s got no chance and he knows it.
Truth,
Apparently you missed this comment in Schaumburg then. Let me quote it for you.
“The Democratic Party promises groups of people everything,” he said. “They want the Hispanic vote. They want Hispanics to be dependent upon government, just like they got African-Americans dependent upon government.
“That’s their game — Jesse Jackson would be out of work if they weren’t dependant on government. There would be no work for him.”
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/12900578-418/joe-walsh-dems-made-blacks-dependent-on-government.html