THE ILLINOIZE: Gun ban supporters tell their story...Satan makes his holiday appearance in Springfield...Another Acevedo pleads guilty
December 13, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
I’m going to save the pith and subscription sales and self promotion this morning and just share the link to the “Meal Train” fundraiser to help the family of Sen. Scott Bennett, who died unexpectedly Friday. Please give a few bucks if you can.
As of early this morning, the fundraiser has brought in around $29,000 for his family. I can’t stop thinking about those kids.
Let’s get to it.
ASSAULT WEAPON BAN SUPPORTERS TESTIFY TO HOUSE COMMITTEE
House Democrats appeared resolute and confident Monday they would pass an assault weapon ban when the legislature returns to Springfield next month.
A House committee held the first hearing on a proposed assault weapons ban, HB5855, which was introduced last week in response to the July 4 mass shooting during an Independence Day parade in north suburban Highland Park.
The legislation is sponsored by Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), who represents Highland Park in the General Assembly.
The bill would ban a long list of rifles, high capacity magazines for rifles and handguns, and would prevent most people from legally holding a FOID card before the age of 21.
Gun rights supporters say the legislation is unconstitutional and have pledged to file suit if the legislation is enacted. The roughly two hour hearing, which was only to take testimony, did not include any gun supporters and minimal input from Republicans.
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said the incident in Highland Park, where a shooter killed seven and injured dozens more, should be a wake up call for politicians.
“Our children knew exactly what to do on the 4th of July because they’ve been training their entire lives for an active shooter,” she said. “What on earth does this say about us?”
Highland Park resident Lauren Bennett, who was shot during the attack, described the shooting, in which she was one of the first people shot.
“In the first few seconds, while most people were unaware of what was happening, I was hit the first time,” Bennett told members of the House Judiciary-Criminal committee. “I felt a tight shock in my back and hip and saw my entire lower left side was bleeding. I knew right then we were under attack.”
Rotering says she recognizes the legislation won’t completely stop gun crimes in the state.
“I recognize that restricting access to assault weapons and large capacity magazines won’t stop all gun violence,” she said. “But banning weapons of war is one common sense step we can take. It’s worth it if we can just save one life.”
Chicago resident Jaquie Algee, who’s son, Kenneth, was murdered in 1995, was clear the legislature needed to act on guns, but also needed to pay attention to gun crimes taking place everyday in the city of Chicago.
“There were ten black kids who were shot and killed in this city [on July 4.] There were 62 who were shot and injured,” she said. “And, yet, the reaction [to Highland Park] far surpasses the reaction that we’ve been given.”
With strong majorities in the House and Senate, it appears Democrats are lined up to pass the bill during the lame duck session in early January, before the current General Assembly ends.
“Now is the time to say that our children, our families, our communities lives are more important than guns,” said Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview). “We must pass [this bill] now.”
Democrats have been working on the bill for months behind closed doors, and the negotiations have not included Republicans, gun rights supporters, or law enforcement.
Two more hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks.
BRASS TACKS
Let’s be clear: this bill will pass and it will be signed into law by the Governor. There are no pro-gun moderates like John Bradley, Brandon Phelps, John Sullivan, or Gary Forby in the legislature anymore. This conversation is being driven solely by suburban liberals, and they have an ally in progressive Governor JB Pritzker. The die is cast.
After January 1, the House and Senate only need simple majorities to pass legislation (60 votes in the House, 30 in the Senate), so they’ll be able to peel off a few moderates, even though there are few middle-of-the-road Democrats left in the House and Senate.
Pritzker will sign the legislation and gun rights supporters will probably have a lawsuit filed before the law even makes its way to the Index Division at the Secretary of State’s office.
There may or may not be a stay shortly after filing, then expect this one to be tied up in courts for a while, potentially all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A VERY SATANIC CHRISTMAS
The snake is back at the Capitol.
More from the Chicago Tribune:
Minister Adam of the Satanic Temple of Illinois looked ready for the holidays.
He was dressed in a black suit accented with a pair of Satanic symbol lapel pins, his flowing blond locks recalling Robert Plant, circa 1971. He smiled benignly, taking in the Satanic Temple’s latest seasonal display, installed in the rotunda of the Illinois State Capitol, alongside a two-story Christmas tree, a large menorah and a traditional Nativity scene. He launched into an invocation for his assembled flock, recalling foundational beliefs: “Let us stand now, unbowed and unfettered by arcane doctrines born of fearful minds. ... Let us demand that individuals be judged for their concrete actions, not their fealty to arbitrary social norms. ... Let us stand firm against any and all arbitrary authority that threatens personal sovereignty ...”
Then, once finished, he added: “Hail Satan.”
“Hail Satan” came the reply, loud in the silent marble halls.
For the fourth time since 2018, the Satanic Temple of Illinois — a statewide chapter with about 100 members, part of a religion boasting half a million followers internationally — was in Springfield on an early December morning, not to worship a devil or perform a ritual sacrifice. Odd as it sounds, the Satanic Temple does not recognize a Biblical Satan. It is a self-described nontheistic group dedicated to the pursuit of religious plurality, free thought and pushing back against any form of conformist doctrine.
It’s not like we’re out here eating babies in the State Capitol rotunda, a Temple member said.
The holiday ceremony, for instance, did not include goat sacrifices. No one condemned the nation to hellfire. The message was religious diversity.
Nothing says Christmas quite like a bite of the forbidden apple.
ACEVEDO SON PLEADS GUILTY…BUT IT ALL COMES BACK TO MADIGAN
A son of former Rep. Eddie Acevedo pleaded guilty to tax charges Monday, admitting he cheated to the tune of around $150,000.
More from the Sun-Times:
Michael Acevedo, 36, faces up to three years in prison for failing to file federal income tax returns for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. Sentencing guidelines call for under two years, based on an early prediction in his plea agreement.
A sentencing hearing has been set for March 15.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur told U.S. District Judge John Kness on Monday that Michael Acevedo also failed to file tax returns for 2019 and 2020 and filed a false return for 2015. The case involved Michael Acevedo’s lobbying company, Apex Strategy LLC.
Though MacArthur said the conduct cost the federal and state government $137,647, defense attorney Thomas Leinenweber told the judge that was an estimated loss.
Michael Acevedo, his brother Alex and their father were indicted separately in February 2021 for allegedly cheating on their taxes. The charges resulted from the same investigation that led to this year’s indictment of Madigan.
Edward Acevedo pleaded guilty in December 2021 to tax evasion, admitting he cheated the federal government out of about $37,000. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly then sentenced him in March to six months behind bars, and federal prison records show he was released from custody one week ago.
However, Edward Acevedo was further implicated in the Madigan scandal recently, when prosecutors expanded their case against the former speaker and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain.
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