Ask Evanston City Council - $2 Million To Fight Crime or A Law Suit over AWB

The Evanston City Council seems to have decided to make a potentially bad investment by choosing to enact an "Assault Weapons Ban" [the "AWB"] which is legally flawed, violates the 2A, and seeks to confiscate property from up to the point of the passage of the law abiding citizens. If they pass the AWB,  it will result in drawn out and expensive litigation....similar to the litigation which occurred when SCOTUS announced its decision in Heller and Evanston continued to refuse to recognize the right to individual handgun ownership. The NRA and Second Amendment Foundation ["SAF"] sued the cities of Chicago, Oak Park, and Evanston. Evanston wisely capitulated at a relatively early stage and amended its ordinance to comply with Heller. Chicago and Oak Park weren't that bright...and wound up writing a check to the NRA/SAF for $1.5 million to cover THEIR legal fees plus another $1.5 million of their own legal fees...in other words $3M spent for NOTHING.

If the City passes the AWB they will certainly find themselves defending another expensive lawsuit. The Mayor and the City Council have already seen a draft copy of the suit, as of the last City Council meeting so they know what is coming. The cost of defending an AWB suit is estimated to be $1.5 - $2 million, with the risk of having to pay the additional amount if they fail and the other side is awarded legal fees. The Cook County "Blair Holt" AWB has been in litigation for six years [Wilson v. Chicago], and has been thrown out and tossed back to the court of original jurisdiction. The Evanston City Council is potentially facing a $2-4 million cost to defend a law that, is quite likely unconstitutional and going to be thrown out.....a law that seeks to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Automatic ["NFA'] weapons have been prohibited in Illinois since 1934. In fact, since the NFA was passed in 1934 there has only been one murder committed with one and that was by a police officer. Out of 564 murders in Chicago in 2012 NOT A SINGLE ONE WAS COMMITTED WITH A RIFLE.....LET ALONE AN ASSAULT WEAPON.

The Evanston City Council....acting like sheep at the suggestion of Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon are seeking to pass an AWB...a topic they clearly don't understand...to solve a problem that Evanston doesn't have....so it accomplishes nothing. Have they budget for the $2-4 million to cover litigation? If not, where is it going to come from. How many police officers salaries, or improved programs could the same funds cover towards  addressing the crime problem around ETHS.....I think we ALL KNOW THAT ANSWER. The crucial test is whether the Evanston City Council can overcome its own hysteria to solve a problem that needs to be addressed rather than "do something" by passing a faulty and unneeded law which is focused on solving a non-existant problem. Could a Columbine or Sandy Hook happen in Evanston....YES you bet....ask anyone in law enforcement. Would passing an AWB in Evanston do anything to prevent it....NO...and the same people will confirm that response. 

It may be too much to expect, but the Evanston City Council could make the right choice and do something about local gun violence.