To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here. *** UPDATED x4 - DGA, Cullerton, Biss, Kennedy blast Rauner - Prizker says Rauner “cares more about winning his primary than doing his job” - Emanuel: Veto is “slap in the face to crime victims, faith leaders and police” *** Rauner now says he’ll veto gun dealer licensing bill Tuesday, Mar 13, 2018 * So, he goes through that long, dodging dance yesterday and refuses to answer Chicago reporter questions about whether he’ll sign the gun dealer licensing bill, then goes on a southern Illinois radio station early this morning to say he’ll veto it. Here’s Tina Sfondeles… Despite Democratic pressure from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and gubernatorial rivals just days before the primary election, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday said he plans to veto a gun measure that would have required the state to license gun dealers. In an interview with WJPF radio station in southern Illinois, Rauner said he’ll veto the measure, while also calling on the four legislative leaders to appoint members to a public safety commission to talk about mental health and school safety, according to the governor’s office. The governor’s office said Rauner will veto the bill later Tuesday. Asked what he’d do about the bill on Monday, Rauner repeatedly said he favored a “comprehensive solution,” without answering what he’d do with it. The full interview is here. *** UPDATE 1 *** Press release… Statement from Mayor Emanuel on Governor Rauner Plan to Veto Gun Dealer Licensing Act With one week left in his campaign, Governor Rauner just put his primary election ahead of his primary responsibility to protect the safety of the people of Chicago and Illinois. The governor’s decision was cruel, it was cold and it was calculated to benefit his own politics at the expense of public safety. This veto is a slap in the face to crime victims, faith leaders and police who have pleaded with Governor Rauner to protect public safety by signing the Gun Dealer Licensing Act. This failure will be his legacy. *** UPDATE 2 *** Pritzker campaign… “With daily gun violence ravaging our communities and tragic mass shootings plaguing our country, Bruce Rauner has decided to veto a commonsense bill that will keep children and families safe from gun violence,” said JB Pritzker. “High schoolers are leading a nationwide movement and parents in our state are demanding change, but Bruce Rauner has provided nothing but empty rhetoric and absent leadership. This is a governor who is telling children across the state that he cares more about winning his primary than doing his job to protect them. Illinoisans deserve a governor who will treat gun violence like a public health epidemic and take charge to stop these countless tragedies, and that’s the governor I’ll be.” *** UPDATE 3 *** Sen. Daniel Biss… “After weeks of waffling on this critical issue, carefully weighing political consequences in the absence of any moral conviction, Bruce Rauner has announced he’ll veto a bill I cosponsored to stem the flow of illegal guns in our communities. After decades of school shootings across the country and decades more of gun violence ravaging the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois, people are coming together to demand change. Except Bruce Rauner, apparently. Instead of standing up to do what’s right, he’s putting his fealty to the NRA first, once again proving himself a coward incapable of governing.” * Chris Kennedy… Governor Rauner has again put his own political survival above the safety and security of our schools, our communities and our families. This disgusting veto represents everything that is wrong with Springfield where political preservation comes before the citizens our elected leaders are supposed to serve. Governor Rauner made this decision to win a primary but the consequences of it will cost him in November. Students across Illinois will walk out of class tomorrow to protest this decision and urge our elected leaders to take action to prevent the next shooting. I stand with those students. Springfield has abandoned its leadership role in our state and it’s the students who are showing us the way forward. *** UPDATE 4 *** Senate President Cullerton… “I urge Governor Rauner to reconsider his actions. It’s not too late. He’s regretted hasty vetoes in the past. Don’t add to that unfortunate collection. He knows this is a good law, one needed to increase safety in Illinois. I would urge Governor Rauner to think this through and do what’s responsible as opposed to what’s political. At the very least, take the time to do another poll before such drastic action.” * DGA… “Bruce Rauner failed as a leader, today,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Families from all over the state have had enough with gun violence and called on Rauner to take a leadership role in protecting them. Instead, they got a stream of empty rhetoric and platitudes, and the confirmation that Rauner will never stand up to the NRA.” - Posted by Rich Miller

67 Comments Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.

