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Last Friday, Southern District of Illinois Judge Stephen McGlynn
issued a preliminary injunction against the state, preventing it
from enforcing the ban while the case continues. The ban on more
than 170 semi-automatic firearms and magazines over a certain
capacity was enacted by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Jan. 10. Following
McGlynn's action Friday halting enforcement of the ban, social
media posts showed lines of patrons inside gun stores looking to
buy items.
“Tonight is the busiest night yet!,” a Wednesday Facebook post
from GAT Guns in East Dundee said. “We will halt sales and pick
up at 7:30 so we can help the line of customers who are already
in line! The earlier you can come in during the day the
better!!!”
In the week since McGlynn's order, gun rights advocate Todd
Vandermyde said one gun store told him they’ve had their largest
volume of sales ever.
“I was at a gun store yesterday, and he just got in a pile of
firearms to restock his shelves,” Vandermyde told WMAY. “So, the
gun stores, things are moving again.”
In response to the injunction, the state as defendants asked
McGlynn to stay it pending appeal. After the judge instead
scheduled briefings, the state motioned with the Seventh Circuit
Court of Appeals to intervene and reverse the injunction while
the case plays out.
Vandermyde said the state is “stamping their feet.”
“They’re just like, ’you got it wrong and the other judges up
north got it right,’” he said. “And I’m not sure that’s the
appropriate tact to take in this case.”
Late Thursday afternoon, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook granted a stay on the
injunction.
“Any response to the motion for a stay must be received by the
close of business on May 9, 2023,” Easterbrook wrote.
Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and
other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of
award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning
Newsfeed out of Springfield.
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