CITY HALL — Mayor Rahm Emanuel emptied both barrels Wednesday in blasting the federal appeals court decision striking down the state's ban on concealed weapons.
"I just think the court ... is wrongheaded," Emanuel said. "And I think they need to start spending a little more time in the real world."
The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Illinois law Tuesday and gave the state 180 days to craft new legislation. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is said to be considering whether to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, which has already struck down the city's earlier gun ban.
"The U.S. Supreme Court originally made a horrible decision. They are too removed from the day-to-day lives of what goes on, not just in the cities, but across this country," said Emanuel, emphasizing that he was giving his personal opinion and not a legal one. "This opinion is also wrongheaded.
"I do not think you should be undermining our law-enforcement agencies and our communities and our residents with a ruling that creates more potential for violence."
Emanuel said he sympathized with hunters and other legal gun owners who might feel otherwise in other areas, but "what goes on in the city of Chicago is clearly different from what goes on in parts of our downstate. I respect that, but I want people to also respect the the city of Chicago, respect our children, respect our residents. We have issues that are different."
He said the ruling "runs counter not only to common sense, but to every police chief in the country" in their efforts to "get guns off the streets."
He compared the decision to the order presented the same day by Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans banning cell phones in courtrooms.
"Somehow the courtroom is a place of sanctity that needs respect without cell phones, but [on] our streets, all types of guns are allowed on them," he said. "It's a strange set of values that guns are permissible on the streets, but cell phones are a hindrance to the courtroom."
Emanuel said he offered any and all city resources to the state attorney general to fight the ruling in any way possible.
