Lake County Gazette

State Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan) says a Lake County GOP fundraiser that included a gun raffle was insensitive, in light of the Las Vegas concert massacre two weeks earlier.

“It just sends the wrong message that it’s all right to have guns and shoot people,” Link told the Lake County Gazette.

The "2nd Amendment Dinner," at Concorde Banquets in Kildeer, was held in part to benefit law enforcement.

Mark Shaw

Lake County Republican Chairman Mark Shaw said some proceeds from the raffle, which had been planned a year in advance, will now go to the Las Vegas Law Enforcement Assistance Fund, which benefits the families of Las Vegas police killed in the line of duty.

Shaw said it is unfortunate that Link took the opportunity to try and use the tragedy in Las Vegas to criticize an event that supports 2nd Amendment rights.

“Ever since Trump was elected people on the left continue to look for ways to divide the country,” he said.

Some reports said that contest winners would leave the event with their prizes, but Shaw said that no one would walk out that night with a firearm.

“We will have licensed dealers there adhering to the law,” he said. “And that includes waiting periods.”

Link who also serves as Chairman of the Lake County Democrats, told the Chicago Tribune that "only the right-wing Republicans would be having something like this at this time."

But when asked what, if any, would be an appropriate date for the event, Link said he didn't know.

Link is an aggressive opponent of an individual's constitutional right to own firearms. 

When federal court rulings overturned Illinois' local blanket gun bans, Link led the call for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to appeal.