Here I am pounding this out (Monday, Feb. 16th) while still shaking off fever and chills of Influenza A & B, battling lice with kiddos (bald is beautiful for me in more ways than one…), and herding cats for GSL. At least the thermometer’s finally flirting with 60° and spring vibes are creeping in as I’m sipping hot tea. With the fluff out of the way, let’s cut to the chase with real talk on Illinois gun news, served straight-up with a side of sarcasm and hold the woke.
Springfield Shenanigans: The RIFL Bill Circus
Oh, the drama around the so-called RIFL bill (HB 3320, the “Responsibility in Firearm Legislation” nonsense). Everyone’s losing their minds, fundraising like it’s the end times, and click-baiting for views.
Reality check: that RIFL bill got sent to the Rules Committee last March —that’s the legislative equivalent of the graveyard.
If the anti-gun radicals in Springfield really want it, they’ll Frankenstein it into some unrelated shell bill on the last frantic night of session and ram it through. That’s their playbook. Save your wallet—don’t feed the unethical fundraising trolls preying on panic.
Other “brilliant” ideas floating around Springfield: Banning sales of older Glocks that can be illegally modded with a “switch” to go full-auto. Yeah, switches are already super-illegal federally and statewide. But logic? Nah. The Springfield day-drinkers figure making it double-plus-illegal will magically stop criminals and win votes from folks operating on half a tank of IQ. Public education in the Land of Pritzker being what it is… maybe they’re onto something.
Brain trust idea #2: Forcing gun owners to carry liability insurance. Cue the latest flavor: HB 43 creates a “task force” to “study” it. We all know what “study” means in Springfield-speak—paving the way for “you must buy this or lose your rights down the road.” Watch this one; it’s sneaky.
IGOLD: Your annual field trip to Springfield
Mark your calendar: Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day hits Wednesday, April 15, 2026 (tax day—easy to remember, right?). Worth going? If it pumps you up and reminds you you’re not alone, absolutely. You betcha. Bonus: you’ll catch Dave McDermott dropping knowledge bombs at the Prairie Capital Convention Center / Bank of Springfield Center. Guy’s a beast of a speaker—learn how to survive the legal gauntlet after you’ve already survived the bad guy. Knowledge that could literally save your freedom.
I’ll likely be there, maybe with a pair of seven-year-olds to introduce them to the bad idea factory of the General Assembly.
Rumors
Confiscation/buyback of registered PICA guns? Total ghost story. Grok and I hunted high and low—nothing. Zip. Nada.
Guns Save Life is “broke”? Nah, we’re not bankrupt, but we went all-in on the legal war to smash the PICA ban. Five-figure checks, redirecting every dime we could to lawyers instead of our own lights-on fund. We gave until it bled, then kept giving. No other Illinois gun-rights group has ponied up like GSL. Meanwhile, at least one outfit raised piles for “PICA legal expenses” and… crickets on actual spending.
Bottom line: We’re critically low right now. At the end of January, we didn’t have the cash to print and mail this issue of GunNews. [Spoiler alert: It was printed Wednesday morning, Feb. 17th.]
Things are stabilizing—we’ll bounce back hard by summer—but we’re in austerity mode for now. All-volunteer, slashing every non-essential expense and grant. Instead of drama-queen fundraising mailers we’re focused on public education and proven results.
If you believe in the mission, donations would be a godsend. Checks to: Guns Save Life, PO Box 51, Savoy, IL 61874. Or grab extra tickets for the gun drawings—same fight, more fun.
Chicago: Mayor’s Fist-Thumping vs. Reality
While the mayor pounds the podium and screams “ICE is bad” and “Trump’s a fascist!” at every presser, gang hits are happening in broad daylight, and downtown/Mag Mile/Gold Coast visitors are getting brutally and savagely beaten and robbed in broad daylight. And that’s if they’re lucky. Crime’s not impressed by Mayor Moron’s press conferences and virtue signaling.
Primary Day: March 17, 2026 (St. Patrick’s Day)
We can’t endorse, but we can spotlight. Pro-gun candidates tend to show up at GSL meetings—multiple times. Shoutouts to Sheriff Mendrick and Ted Dabrowski (and honorable mention to Darren Bailey, a GSL Life Member!), Jeff Wilson (Congress, and he’s got an ad in here), and locals like David Timm gunning for the Sangamon County Sheriff Republican nod.
Speaking of Sangamon County GOP: They’re meddling hard in that sheriff primary, putting their thumb on the scale with a scurrilous mailer instead of letting voters decide. Local parties should not be involved in primary battles. Let the people decide. Then they wonder why their coffers are empty? Shameful stunts like this.
We’ve welcomed David Timm (running for Sangamon County Sheriff) a number of times. We like him (but we can’t endorse him). We also welcomed the current Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch. She and her chief deputy made a positive impression as well.
But the mailing (and newspaper ad) from the Sangamon County Republican Committee was not only scurrilous, chock full of half-truths and innuendo, but the fact the local committee is putting its thumb on the scale ahead of a primary election is despicable.
Here’s Timm’s response with a little fisking:
!!!!!!! MY RESPONSE, READ!!!!!First of all Happy Valentine’s Day!!! It appears a mailer and social media post were sent out today about me from my opponent.
These statements are less than accurate….However… She’s saying I’m Dangerous?!?! Yeah I’m dangerous, TO THE STATUS QUO!!!!! So with my continued transparency lets address each issue they presented:-1993 criminal trespass to a vehicle (18 years old) From the launch of my campaign I have openly admitted I went to jail for a few hours one night. In 1999 I was STILL hired by the sheriffs office, 25 1/2 year career-2000 cited for abuse of department equipment? Ask anyone at SCSO what this means, they will have no clue. What I can tell you is I, like many, went through dispatch for phone call transfers. The chief deputy claimed I caused the county (yes entire county’s) phone bill to be $60.00 higher. I had been on one year, I wrote a check and carried on-2002 reported road rage? Really, go ahead and show me where that happened and if you can provide that proof, make sure you provide if it was substantiated as well, and the discipline I received.. EXACTLY-2006 suspension (it was a day in a half) because I had words with a supervisor. The Lt on my shift had everyone bring their complaints to me about a female supervisor (not my job as a deputy). She accused me of something on the phone one night and I corrected her. I immediately called the Lt at home and told him what happened. Please see attached memo after the incident where he (look closely at who he is) admits causing the unnecessary stress. Ohhhh and Ive never been ordered or sent to anger management-counseling for making sexual remarks? I simply told the records division at that time it was non of their business who I was involved with and if they had any questions, please contact me direct. Counseled for it, NO, because I did nothing wrong-2008 WRONGFULLY TERMINATED!!!!! An arbitrator made this decision… facts, I stood up for sexual harassment, which involved the chief deputy, who was involved in all the above, who the sheriff at that time (also quoted on this flyer) was protecting and allowed him to remain around these female victims so his buddy could have more time on his pension, FACT!-2023 suspended for filing false reports, LIE!!!!! Show me a substantiated complaint resulting in suspension for this, YOU CANT, it does not exist!!! Please see the attached in regards to this matter… written reprimand with falsification of department records unfounded. And I would have fought and won the written reprimand as well but our contract does not allow written reprimands to be grieved. Reminder, I had a 25 1/2 year career at the sheriffs office, and this is the lies that make me dangerous? Sangamon County we deserve better!!!Any questions I’m ALWAYS available for the truth. Thank you for the support, vote March 17th with your heart
Trust Restored, Voices Heard
He also received multiple big endorsements, including the Sheriff’s Deputies union. From the Illinois Times:
The union representing Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department deputies, correctional officers and court security staff says its membership overwhelmingly endorsed recently retired deputy David Timm to be the next sheriff over incumbent Sheriff Paula Crouch.
Timm, 50, a Republican from rural Pleasant Plains, is collecting signatures on petitions to challenge Crouch, a Republican from rural Williamsville, in the GOP primary for sheriff on March 17, 2026. Retired Illinois State Police master sergeant Marc Bell of Springfield has announced his intention to run in the Democratic primary for sheriff.
Illinois is gonna Illinois, but we’re still in the fight. Stay on top of our website for the latest urgent news and information, with plenty of entertaining stories as well. After all, who doesn’t love stories with happy endings?