McHenry County Blog

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Rep. Walsh to Brady Campaign: Break Free of the Beltway

“The last time I checked, I represent the folks of Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, not Congressional staff, Washington lobbyists, or the national press corps.”

WASHINGTON –Today, Representative Joe Walsh (IL-8) sent a letter to Acting President Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign criticizing Mr. Henigan’s request for any debate to be held in Washington D.C.

Rep. Walsh had previously invited Mr. Henigan to a debate on the Second Amendment at home in his congressional district, after Mr. Henigan denied the relevance of gun rights and ownership to the American people.

Congressman Walsh sent a letter to reiterate the importance of holding this debate in Illinois and in front of the American people, not in Washington.

Walsh stated:

Joe Walsh at the Huntley Area Tea Party gun control forum this past fall.

“While I appreciate Mr. Henigan’s willingness to debate me, his desire to do so in Washington D.C. is exactly what is wrong with our nation’s capitol.

“Washington politicians, bureaucrats, and lobbyists are too obsessed with Washington insiders and not the real Americans they represent.

“The last time I checked, I represent the folks of Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, not Congressional staff, Washington lobbyists, or the national press corps. Why would I care what Washington insiders have to say?

“I assume that Mr. Henigan is also in Washington D.C. to advocate on behalf of the real Americans outside the Beltway. That is why I find his insistence on including only Washington insiders in our debate so disturbing.

“I believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental right for all Americans that guarantees them the right to protect themselves and their families.

“This is exactly why Mr. Henigan and I must debate the Second Amendment outside the Beltway and back in my district in the heartland in front of real Americans, and not just Washington insiders.”

Joe Walsh at Huntley Area Tea Party Gun Control Forum.

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Rep. Walsh Challenges Brady Campaign
I invite Acting President Dennis Henigan to debate me, in my district, regarding the 2nd Amendment

WASHINGTON –Today, Representative Joe Walsh (IL-8) sent a letter to Acting President Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign, a pro-gun law and anti-Second Amendment organization, in response to the Brady Campaign’s release regarding the Congressman’s statements from an October 3, 2011 letter. Congressman Walsh sent a letter to clarify his beliefs and the basis for them after the Brady Campaign’s release drew false and illogical conclusions from the Congressman’s statements.

Walsh stated: “There has been a back and forth between myself and the Brady Campaign concerning the importance of gun rights and how they are being disregarded, particularly in Illinois. I stand by my original statements and want to give more detail and clarification in order to avoid further misinterpretation.

“As I previously stated, our freedom was gained and will always be maintained by a strict interpretation of our Constitution and this includes the Second Amendment. Illinois is the only state in the country that denies its citizens their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Our Founding Fathers included the Right to Bear Arms so that citizens would never be deprived of the ability to stand up and defend ourselves against those who would deprive us of our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

“I believe in our democratic process and proudly serve as a Representative because of it. I believe in the rule of law, and the ability of our citizenry to effectively address our grievances within that rule of law. However, should this democratic process fail – should the government abuse its power and the Constitution– it was the Founding Fathers’ desire, and our right as Americans, that we not be helpless but be able to fight back when the very existence of fundamental rights are at issue.

“I invite Acting President Dennis Henigan to debate me, in my district, regarding the 2nd Amendment. The Brady Campaign and I have significantly different views on gun ownership and the rights in that regard, but we should not contort or exaggerate those views for political gain.”

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Walsh’s letter is here.

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Rep. Walsh Responds to the Brady Campaign on Illinois’s Restrictive Gun Laws

Sends Letter to Acting President Henigan Highlighting the Importance of the Second Amendment

Joe Walsh at the Huntley Tea Party Gun Control Forum.

WASHINGTON – Representative Joe Walsh (IL-8) sent a letter today to Acting President Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign, an anti-Second Amendment organization, to describe the importance of gun rights and how they are currently being disregarded, particularly in Illinois.

Last week, Acting President Henigan requested an “explanation” after Rep. Walsh stressed the importance of permitting conceal carry firearms in the state and the right to keep and bear arms before gun rights advocates in Huntley, IL.

“I am happy to today respond to Mr. Henigan’s request for clarity when I emphasized that the Second Amendment is the most important amendment in the Constitution – because it protects every other amendment,” said Rep. Walsh.

“I hope I was clear in that and wanted to send this letter to help ensure that message is clear.”

“Illinois is now the only state in the entire nation that doesn’t allow lawful Americans to carry a firearm. Violent crimes continue to decrease even as more states such as Wisconsin – that recently passed a concealed carry permit – repeal archaic laws crafted to restrict gun rights.”

“We need not forget that freedom was gained and will always be maintained by a strict interpretation of our Constitution and this certainly includes the Second Amendment.

“While I respect the mission of the Brady Campaign to reduce crime and violence, we strongly disagree on how this should be done.

“It should not be done through the slow dismantling of our right to bear arms, and by disarming law abiding Americans.”

“Gun rights advocates are on the front lines in defending our freedoms. I stand with them in this noble mission and will always be an outspoken advocate for Second Amendment rights and particularly, a repeal of Illinois laws preventing the right-to-carry.”

The letter is below. Click to enlarge.

Here’s the press release with the details:

Public Forum on the 2nd Amendment and Conceal Carry

The Huntley Area Tea Party will present a Public Forum on Tuesday September 27th on the Subject of the 2nd Amendment and the Right of Citizens to Conceal Carry. This will be held in the Willow Room at the Cosman Cultural Center in Huntley Illinois starting at 6:30pm.
Featured Panel members will be:

• State Representative Mike Tryon (co-sponsor) of the bill to enable Conceal Carry in Illinois
• A Representative from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
• A Representative from the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA)

Each panel member will present their views on these issues along with specific reasons and facts supporting their views. The panel will then take questions from the audience.

By presenting both sides of this controversial issue we hope to provide the public with factual information and stimulate meaningful and respectful discussion.

Part of the audience at the 2010 Huntley Tea Party candidates' night.

The Cosman Cultural Center is located 12015 Mill Street in Huntley, Illinois 60142