Assault Rifle Drawing Brings Protesters To Lake County
CHICAGO (CBS) – A number of protesters are upset with Lake County Republicans. They're raffling off firearms to raise money. Including one linked to the deadly Las Vegas massacre.
It's a Republican fundraiser that's been planned for weeks. There are flyers promoting what's billed as a second amendment dinner and gun raffle.
"Nobody expected Las Vegas," said Mark Shaw, the Lake County GOP Chairman. "Our hearts go out to the families and victims."
But Las Vegas did happen. A sniper used a modified AR-15 to kill 58 people and injure 500. One that looks very similar to the AR-15 being raffled off here tonight.
"The fact that an AR-15 was used by a crazed murderer, we weren't going not use it," said Shaw. "That would be disrespectful to the donor."
A spokesperson for the Illinois Rifle Association said "The AR-15 is the most popular gun in the country. I'd raffle off one too."
But gun control advocates protesting tonight call the raffle insensitive. Elise Hauptman said the event disrespects those who died in Las Vegas.
"Absolutely. There's no guarantee a law would have saved these people's lives. But there's a distinct possibility it could have."
Democrats running for governor critcized using firearms to raise funds.
"That is so tone deaf, so offensive to so many American," said Chris Kennedy.
"It's ridiculous in my mind that the GOP, at this moment, would do something like that." Said J.B. Pritzker.
There's at least one Republican critic. Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor said he would not attend the event. Lawlor said the raffle was in poor taste and instead was going to be speaking to a gun control group.