Suburban Chicago Republicans moving ahead with gun giveaway fundraiser 2 weeks after Las Vegas massacre
Mark Shaw
Mark Shaw   the Lake County GOP chairman  said the first-of-its-kind event for local Republicans would proceed as scheduled because it had long been in the planning stages. The Oct. 1 shooting of concertgoers in Las Vegas by a sniper at the Mandalay Bay hotel killed 58 people and wounded hundreds of others.
"Unfortunately  obviously  the tragic events in Las Vegas happened and the fact that we had a dinner scheduled for the 13th of October  that's been something that's been in the works for over a year "  Shaw  told the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday.
 Shaw  said a portion of the dinner proceeds  which  he  called a "sizable amount of money " would be donated to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund that assists families of officers killed in the line of duty.  Shaw  said money had been earmarked for charity  but the decision to donate to the Las Vegas group came after the shooting.
"We're big in supporting law enforcement  especially given all the unfortunate shootings and murders of police officers around the country in the last few years "  he  said.
 Shaw  said the Lake County GOP supports "the 2nd Amendment and the Illinois Republican Party platform as well as the Republican National Committee platform. It says that we support the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment is in the Constitution. It's a right that the Supreme Court has said people have."
As for the dinner's fundraising aspect   Shaw  said such events "are very successful from what I've heard from the (National Rifle Association)  the Illinois State Rifle Association  Ducks Unlimited and other like-minded groups."
 Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press Lake County Republican Chairman Mark Shaw   seen here at a Fourth of July Parade in Deerfield  said a gun raffle had been planned long before the Las Vegas shootings and that a "sizable amount of money" would be donated to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund that helps families of officers killed in the line of duty.  Lake County Republican Chairman Mark Shaw   seen here at a Fourth of July Parade in Deerfield  said a gun raffle had been planned long before the Las Vegas shootings and that a "sizable amount of money" would be donated to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund that helps families of officers killed in the line of duty. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press) (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)
[TGT] said the first-of-its-kind event for local Republicans would proceed as scheduled because it had long been in the planning stages. The Oct. 1 shooting of concertgoers in Las Vegas by a sniper at the Mandalay Bay hotel killed 58 people and wounded hundreds of others.
"Unfortunately  obviously  the tragic events in Las Vegas happened and the fact that we had a dinner scheduled for the 13th of October  that's been something that's been in the works for over a year  [TGT] told the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday.
  [TGT] said a portion of the dinner proceeds  which   [TGT]   called a "sizable amount of money " would be donated to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund that assists families of officers killed in the line of duty.   [TGT] said money had been earmarked for charity  but the decision to donate to the Las Vegas group came after the shooting.
"We're big in supporting law enforcement  especially given all the unfortunate shootings and murders of police officers around the country in the last few years "   [TGT]   said.
  [TGT] said the Lake County GOP supports "the 2nd Amendment and the Illinois Republican Party platform as well as the Republican National Committee platform. It says that we support the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment is in the Constitution. It's a right that the Supreme Court has said people have."
As for the dinner's fundraising aspect    [TGT] said such events "are very successful from what I've heard from the (National Rifle Association)  the Illinois State Rifle Association  Ducks Unlimited and other like-minded groups."
  [TGT] seen here at a Fourth of July Parade in Deerfield  said a gun raffle had been planned long before the Las Vegas shootings and that a "sizable amount of money" would be donated to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund that helps families of officers killed in the line of duty.   [TGT] seen here at a Fourth of July Parade in Deerfield  said a gun raffle had been planned long before the Las Vegas shootings and that a "sizable amount of money" would be donated to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund that helps families of officers killed in the line of duty. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press) (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)