Dupage Policy Journal

Political organizer Jeanne Ives spoke in support of DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick who stands opposed to the implementation of the state’s recent gun ban.

Mendrick, the county’s top elected law enforcement officer, has been under criticism by a bevy of critics – all Democrats – who are suggesting he resign rather than oppose enforcement of a sweeping gun ban that was recently found to be unconstitutional.

Mendrick supporters brought signs to the Jan. 24 DuPage County Board meeting. | Submitted

Ives, the CEO of Breakthrough Ideas, stands against the move by DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy and a delegation of like-minded fellow party members to criticize Mendrick and seek his removal.

Ives, a former state representative and former gubernatorial and congressional candidate, was one of hundreds, many holding signs reading "We support Sheriff Mendrick" who packed into the DuPage County Board chambers in a Jan. 24 meeting.

“I stand in support of Sheriff Mendrick. He has done an outstanding job keeping our communities safe. He has also worked very hard in turning around the lives of those incarcerated in his jail,” Ives said.

“When Sheriff Mendrick started heroin and criminality recidivism rates were 90% and 75% respectively and came down to 18 and 15% respectively. The chairwoman herself, just acknowledged that DuPage is one of the safest states in the country.”

“It is remarkable, and hypocritical, of the chairman, and her Democrat state legislative colleagues and the Democrat Congressional delegation to politically assault Sheriff Mendrick for his thoughtful and reasonable position that HB5471 is unconstitutional. After Fridays decision by an IL judge to issue a TRO on the law, it is likely that the law IS unconstitutional.”

“The DuPage chairman has herself passed numerous laws, that she probably thought were constitutional, but they aren’t.”

“In 2013, she voted for pension reform, that in 2015 was judged unconstitutional.”

“In 2017, she voted for SB31, a law requiring Illinois officials to not enforce federal immigration laws.”

“For a decade, she voted for unbalanced budgets that are unconstitutional.”

“And the chairman, along with her fellow legislators have passed numerous laws without the constitutionally required single subject for a bill or the requirement to read a bill on three separate days before passage.”

“Those last two provisions were two of the reasons the judge issued a TRO on the law."

“The Chairman commented that ‘You do not get to choose which laws you comply with in the state of Illinois.’”

“Five million illegal immigrants have crossed our border in the last two years and none of these people who insist that our laws be followed have said anything about that.”

“If you think this is about keeping people safe, then you should know the chairwoman sponsored and voted for HB3447 which decriminalizes possession of enough fentanyl to kill 1500 people.  She does not care about public safety.”

“Everyone wants the violence to stop. But taking away the rights of legal gun owners while Cook County refuses to prosecute criminals with illegal guns is irrational.”

“And it is telling that the law allows gun manufacturers in Illinois to continue to make and sell these now ‘banned’ guns for people in other states. SO, I guess it isn’t about the guns.”

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) took to extreme language in his characterization of the decision by Mendrick and nearly 90% of the state’s sheriffs to not enforce the law saying the sheriff's “actions are going to make future mass shootings more likely.”

Mendrick answered Casten’s accusations in a statement.

"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 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.”

Casten was one of five other Democrats in Illinois’ congressional delegation who penned a letter against Mendrick.

The dispute comes as Effingham County Judge Joshua Morrison ruled against the gun ban and issued temporary restraining order noting its unconstitutionality. That ruling only applied in Effingham County, but nearly 1,700 others and counting have filed similar lawsuits across the state in addition to federal litigation undertaken by gun owners rights organizations.

Mendrick noted his stance on the issue following the passage and signing of the bill.

“I, among many others, believe that HB 5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution,” Mendrick said in a statement.

“Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for DuPage County, that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the State, nor will we be arresting or housing law-abiding individuals that have been arrested solely with non-compliance of this Act.”