WHEATON, Ill. — The Illinois State Rifle Association plans on showing its support for the DuPage County Sheriff at a board meeting Tuesday.
The sheriff is being criticized since he called the state’s new assault weapons ban unconstitutional and said he won’t enforce it.
The DuPage County Board is meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday and is inviting constituents to submit questions and statements they have in regard to the matter.
U.S. Representatives Sean Casten, Delia Ramirez, Bill Foster and other county board members and state legislators hosted a press conference Monday regarding DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick.
On January 13, Mendrick announced that due to his personal beliefs on the act, he would not enforce the law in DuPage County. He is one of many county sheriffs across Illinois to voice such a statement.
The Protect Illinois Communities Act was signed into law on January 10, banning the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and switches in Illinois.
Enforcement of the law is currently suspended due to a judge’s ruling on Friday in Effingham after multiple lawsuits were filed to overturn the ban.
Mendrick released a statement in response to the Monday meeting, where he states he was ‘berated’ and ‘admonished’ but is pleased to hear the suspension of the law. He also questions officials’ goals in combating gun violence.
Mendrick claims that he requested increasing penalties for gun crimes and stresses gun laws tied to criminal activity, making domestic violence a top priority for him.