Denial.
It isn’t just a river in Egypt.
It would seem as though the first batch of denial letters have gone out from the Illinois State Police.
The letters (of which we’ve now seen two) go like this:
“In reviewing your application for a Concealed Carry License, the Illinois State Police received an objection to your eligibility from a law enforcement agency. Pursuant to 430 ILCS 15(a), the ojection has been submitted to the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board. The Board has notified the Department that it has determined by a preponderance of the evidence that you pose a danger to yourself or others / are a threat to public safety.
Therefore, the Board has affirmed the objection and determined that you are not eligible for a Concealed Carry License. Your application for a Concealed Carry License is hereby denied. You may appeal the decision of the Board by petitioning in writing the circuit court in the county of your residence for a hearing on the denial.
Jessica Trame
Bureau Chief -Firearms Services
The letter does not specify which agency filed an objection, the contents of the objection or specifically how the individual is a danger to themselves and/or public safety.
In short, what we’ve got is a “may issue” licensing scheme, crafted by House Speaker Michael Madigan, where anti-gun local officials can nix a person’s carry license application based merely upon heresay, unsubstantiated allegations and our favorite – baseless, pro-forma orders of protections issues as part of divorce proceedings by attorneys seeking to bolster their clients’ negotiating position.
What now?
Those who have received these letters are often upstanding members of their community. Both who have contacted Guns Save Life in recent days (I’m still catching up on email from an off-line weekend, so there may be more) hold carry permits from other states, in addition to valid FOID cards. One is an Illinois-approved instructor (for the time being).
Valinda Rowe and Todd Vandermyde are compiling names and details of those who have been denied.
Mr. Vandermyde is working with the NRA’s lawyers at NRA’s headquarters in Waples Mill, VA and they are putting together their plans for taking these baseless denials head-on.
Valinda Rowe has the specifics of what they are looking for:
Please keep in mind this is new territory. We have never been here before and we are all learning the process as we go. There are a lot of questions we cannot answer yet, but we will find the answers. We ask that you be patient as we find our way through this.
First, if you have officially been denied by the Board of Review, please email as much information to me as you can:
1. Your complete legal name.
2. Your application number
3. TCN fingerprint number if you submitted prints.
4. A copy of the official notification letter(s).
5. Any personal history you think might have played a part in the denial.
6. Any interactions with law enforcement. This includes conversations, interviews, reports, arrests, convictions.Email to VRowe(at)IllinoisCarry.com
Todd Vandermyde adds that they are wanting a full and complete narrative of your past. “No secrets,” he wrote. “Any lack of truthfulness will count against you.”
Also: The Bloomington, IL connection.
Guns Save Life is investigating a Bloomington PD issue. If you’ve been denied and you’ve lived in Bloomington any time in the past 10-15 years and/or have had ANY contact with Bloomington PD or any other agencies in McLean County, we want to hear from you.
JBoch(at)GunsSaveLife.com
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