- The Washington Times - Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin on Wednesday attributed the guns laws in Indiana for the continued wave of violence in neighboring Chicago.

“We’re next to Indiana and if you go to a gun show in Indiana, you can purchase a gun without a background check. And so that’s what’s happening,” Mr. Durbin, a Democrat, said on MSNBC. “The drug gangs and these thugs are filling up the trunks of their car and heading into the neighborhoods of Chicago. And we see these gun violence crimes happening every single day.”

Mr. Durbin said that nearly 600 people have died in Chicago due to gun-related deaths so far this year. He said that he wants to close the gun-show loophole and put in additional restrictions for “straw purchasers,” such as a convicted felon having his girlfriend or mother buying a firearm for him.

He pushed back on the idea of requiring high insurance costs for those wishing to purchase a firearm, saying background checks are the first priority.

“I gotta be honest with you, it is a step way beyond our current conversation, but I do think that when you look at the polls and find that the overwhelming majority of gun owners in this country support comprehensive background checks, then you know you have an issue within the realm of political reality,” Mr. Durbin said.

Gun restrictions have become a topical discussion with two recent mass shootings in Nevada and Texas. Both shooters purchased their guns legally, prompting legislators to question what more can be done to restrict access to people who intend to use them for such purposes.

• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.

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