Lawsuit Filed for Frustrating Firearm License Applications and Transfer of Administration Funds
Two residents have filed a lawsuit against Illinois state police for what they called subtle gun control. The plaintiffs claim that the state police have infringed on their rights by delaying the issuance of their concealed carry licenses and Firearm Owner’s Identification card. In addition, the lawsuit indicates that the police department has diverted funds amounting to $29.5 million set aside for the administration of the Firearm Owners Identification card, background checks, and licensing services to other uses thus frustrating the process.
The plaintiffs say that the diversion of the funds to unrelated services has led to “a systematic slowdown and sometimes halt of processing of applications and appeals of the FOID Card Act.” The lawsuit notes that some of the money was loaned to other accounts without any commitment for reimbursement. The diversion of funds has left the department without adequate financial resources to handle firearm licensing requests hence frustrating residents who have paid for the service.
“It is evident that these fund sweeps have caused these delays,” ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson said.
“Because of this practice, ISP processing of FOID and concealed carry applications has slowed to a crawl, allowing paperwork to languish. That’s not just poor performance, it’s pathetic,” Said Alan M. Gottlieb, Second Amendment Foundation executive vice president.
After briefly moving out of the state and returning, Ryan Thomas, 47, has tried to regain his FOID card for 3 years without any success. Goran Lazic, 51, has tried to recover his FOID since 2017 after a false domestic charge was dismissed and the accusation erased from his records.
According to the lawsuit, the police have imposed an unending gun ownership ban on the plaintiffs without any reason. the lawsuit demands issuance of the FOID cards as well as financial compensation for infringing on their rights. The Illinois state police acknowledge that they diverted approximately $13.2 million between 2015 and 2018 to general services due to budgetary constraints.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is pushing universal background checks in our state, and if left unchecked, it will not be long until we see bills like this getting traction in Austin. Texas is embarrassingly ranked 29th for gun rights, and with the help of the political elites in Austin, we will surely rank among New York, California, and Illinois if left to their own devices. Please join our fight today, and help us restore Texas' place as the standard for the U.S.
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