Roskam fired upon by gun opponents
Thursday, May 26, 2005
By The Leader-Springfield Bureau
On Wednesday, a debate on legislation closing the gun show loophole and erasing gun purchaser records after 90 days focused on bill's sponsor, State Senator Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton).
State Senator Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) was asked by gun control advocate Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) why someone with such a bright political future would sponsor a "gang-banger initiative."
SPRINGFIELD -- State Senator Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) was fired upon by gun control advocates Wednesday on the Illinois Senate floor for sponsoring a compromise bill closing the state’s so-called “gun show loophole” and at the same time erasing gun purchaser lists after ninety days.
SB 57 is now on its way to an expected veto by Governor Rod Blagojevich.
“We are in an arena of compromise,” Roskam said in response to criticism by colleagues during floor debate. “SB 57 will require background checks when buying a firearm at a gun show and it will eliminate the state from keeping lists on law-abiding citizens.”
Law enforcement groups lobbied to protect the gun purchaser data bases, saying they are an effective law enforcement tool. The final version of SB 57 prevents deleting the names of gun buyers currently suspected of criminal activity.
Gun control advocates complained in the Senate debate Wednesday that a vote against the bill could be interpreted as a vote against closing the gun show loophole, a vote they did not want to be confused.
Sex offenders’ names are kept on record, Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) said, why shouldn't gun purchasers’ names be archived, as well?
“I reject that comparison,” Roskam responded. “Gun purchasers with FOID cards are law-abiding citizens. Sex offenders are criminals.”
Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) asked Roskam why someone with such a bright political future was sponsoring a “gang-banger initiative” protecting "straw men" who purchase guns for illegal use.
Senator Susan Garrett (D-Chicago) criticized SB 59 as “cleverly put together two pieces of legislation” representing two diametrically opposed views on Second Amendment rights.
Shortly before the Senate voted 34 to 25 to agree with House changes and send the bill to the governor, Roskam told his colleagues the right to bear arms was protected in the Constitution and that he flatly “rejected” Harmon’s "characterization" of him as protecting gang-bangers.
The criticism was not just on the Senate floor.
Earlier in the day, Roskam was criticized for sponsoring the proposed legislation in a published Chicago Tribune editorial. The piece condemned the two term state senator who announced last week he is a running for retiring Congressman Henry Hyde’s seat in 2006.
“Roskam is the early favorite to get his party's nomination for the Hyde seat,” the paper wrote. “Should he get it, the gun bill will surely provide a rich mine of material for Democrats to paint Roskam as a tool of the NRA in its fight to weaken gun laws.”
Republican Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Burr Ridge) rose in support of Roskam’s attempt to “balance all the interests,” saying it “was not an easy thing to do.”
Dillard pointed to the co-sponsorship of SB 57 of moderate-leaning Senator Christine Radogno (R-LaGrange) who, Dillard said, supported the legislation, saying Radogno is “no Annie Oakley.”
When asked if he was pleased about the passage of the compromised bill, Todd VanderMyde, lobbyist for the Illinois State Rifle Association, said, “It’ll be something we can work with,” suggesting he was anticipating a future three-fifths required vote to override the governor’s anticipated veto.
Nine Democrats supported SB 57 - Clayborne, DeMuzio, Forby, Haine, Halvorson, Jacobs, Shadid, John Sullivan and Wilhelmi.
One Republican senator voted against SB 57 - Adeline Geo-Karis.
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