CIVIL RIGHTS UPDATE: Illinois gun owners plan rally in wake of Supreme Court order.
The Illinois State Rifle Association says gun owners have run out of options in a case challenging the state’s prohibition of carrying concealed firearms on mass transit.
The case Schoenthal v. Raoul dealt with whether the state’s ban of carrying firearms on mass transit, even for those with concealed carry permits, is constitutional.
A district judge said the measure is unconstitutional. An appeals court differed. The U.S. Supreme Court Monday turned down a petition to hear the case.
“We are very disappointed by the Court’s decision, especially since law-abiding public transportation riders in Illinois are less safe as a result of the law,” attorney David Sigale, who represents plaintiffs, told the The Center Square. “We know that groups like the ISRA will continue to fight this prohibition in the legislative and political arenas, as well as the courts, so that Illinoisans’ Second Amendment rights will be respected.”
Richard Pearson with the ISRA said they’ve run out of options for that challenge. But, there are other cases the Supreme Court could take up.
“They have the Wolford [v. Lopez] case in front of them, which is from Hawaii, which is about public spaces and actually public transportation. So we’ll see what they do with that,” Pearson told The Center Square Monday. “So we were kind of hoping for a favorable ruling, at least to take our case. And that didn’t happen.”
Certainly disappointing.
