Illinois Gov. Pritzker’s Family Opens New Gun Range (SeanMaioranoPhotography/Shutterstock)
January 24, 2023
By Mark Chesnut
The situation with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his so-called sweeping “assault weapon” ban and registration scheme has taken an even more interesting turn.
We told you a few days back how Pritzker had signed the extreme ban that outlawed many types of semi-automatic rifles and allowed citizens to keep their current guns if they register them and pay a fee. At the time he made not-so-veiled threats to law enforcement officers because there were already rumblings of possible noncompliance among legislators and sheriffs.
Just a week later, sheriffs were already fighting back , with more than 80 percent of the state’s 102 sheriffs saying they oppose the law and won’t enforce it. As Coles County Sheriff Kent Martin said at the time, “Citizens who own these firearms legally, have done things properly to get them and who use them responsibly, they’re not the ones who are the problem.”
Now, media reports indicate that some of Pritzker’s own family members are in opposition to such mass firearms bans. In fact, according to chicagocitywire.com , Pritzker’s cousin is now opening a gun range in Somers, Wisconsin, about 65 miles north of Chicago, where people can shoot the very guns Pritzker and Democrats in the Illinois legislature have outlawed.
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Jennifer Pritzker, formerly named James Pritzker, is a retired Lt. Col. with the Illinois Army National Guard and is the brainchild behind the range, which will also house the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, which will move to the new location from Chicago.
“This facility is needed because the Pritzker Military Museum & Library has outgrown existing archive space, due to the success of the museum and the generosity of our donors,” Jennifer Pritzker said. “The growth is a testament to public interest in preserving the stories of our country’s brave service members and their commitment and sacrifice in the name of freedom and democracy.”
The approximately 22,000-square-foot, two-story facility will include indoor shooting ranges, training opportunities and a retail facility. Of the 15 shooting lanes, 10 will be 25 yards long and the other five will be 50 yards.
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Interestingly, unlike nearby Illinois that has deemed firearms to be evil and no has banned many commonly owned models, the village of Somers, Wisconsin, is welcoming the shooting facility with open arms.
“I’m very excited about it,” Somers Board President George Stoner told Kenoshanews.com. “I am very supportive of it, as is the board. It’s going to be a huge asset to the area and community.”
About the Author Freelance writer and editor Mark Chesnut is the owner/editorial director at Red Setter Communications LLC. An avid hunter, shooter and political observer, he has been covering Second Amendment issues and politics on a near-daily basis for over 20 years.
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