Lawmakers call on DuPage Sheriff to retract vow not to enforce assault weapons ban

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Six members of Congress, and several state lawmakers and DuPage County Board members, are calling on DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick to take back his statement he will not enforce the state's new ban on assault weapons.

The ban, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker nearly two weeks ago, prohibits the purchase, sale, or delivery of assault-style weapons. While those already owning guns on the assault weapons list will be allowed to keep them, they must register them with the Illinois State Police.

Mendrick, along with dozens of other county sheriffs in Illinois, have said they will not be checking if lawful gun owners register their weapons.

U.S. Reps. Sean Casten, Delia Ramirez, Bill Foster, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Quigley, and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia have sent Mendrick a letter chastising him for saying he won't enforce the ban.

"As Sheriff, you do not have the authority to set enforcement priorities based on your personal views of a law's constitutionality. Moreover, by choosing not to enforce the law, you will put the safety of DuPage residents and law enforcement officers at risk," they wrote.

The Congress members said Mendrick should retract his statement and commit to enforcing the laws of the state in a fair and impartial manner.

Casten, Ramirez, and Foster will join four state lawmakers and four DuPage County Board members on Monday to call on Mendrick to enforce the assault weapons ban.

In a news conference on Monday, Casten called Mendrick's position "dangerous and unconstitutional."

"His actions are going to make future mass shootings more likely," Casten said. "They are going to compromise the safety not only of civilians who want to go out and celebrate their holidays, but he's going to put the police officers who are there to protect them directly in the line of fire."

DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy also has criticized Mendrick's position, saying the sheriff "should not be playing politics with state laws."

In a lengthy statement released on Monday, Mendrick again criticized the new law as "poorly written" and for having "no clear direction on who will be enforcing new gun laws." He said he was contacted by Casten on Jan. 16 about enforcing the law.

"There is absolutely nothing that we are doing or not doing that would make a mass shooting more accessible in DuPage County," Mendrick said in the statement. "In fact, I have asked on multiple occasions to increase penalties on all existing gun crimes, but it does not appear that they want to have that conversation. They seem more concerned with lawful gun owners than people illegally possessing guns."

DuPage County resident Holly Blastic of Moms Demand Action, said "It's very concerning to me that I have a sheriff who doesn't think he needs to enforce this law."

On Friday, a judge in downstate Effingham County granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the state from enforcing the ban against 866 people who have filed a lawsuit challenging the assault weapons ban. The order applies only to those plaintiffs, and the state can still enforce the ban against anyone who isn't part of the lawsuit.

At least two other lawsuits have been filed against the ban.

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• DuPage County