Protesters gather against gun raffle held by Lake County Republican Party
Protesters gathered Friday outside a fundraising dinner being held by the Lake County Republican Party.
The protest wasn't about the event, but a gun raffle being held.
“Within 2 weeks of 58 people being murdered and 500 people wounded, it’s just insensitive to me,” said Elise Hauptman, who calls herself a supporter of the 2nd Amendment.
“Let's not lose track of what they're trying to do here: they're trying to make people come to their fundraiser because they think they might win a gun. Well no one should be winning guns,” said protest organizer Lee Goodman.
The dinner, attended by former Congressman Joe Walsh, included a number of top-dollar sponsorship packages.
One -- according to a website for the dinner -- a $2,000 "2nd Amendment Sponsor" that includes a semi-automatic, military-style, rifle and 10 raffle tickets for a shotgun, and a separate safe with up to three guns inside.
Mark Shaw, the chairman of the Lake County Republican Party says the dinner's been in the works for a year, and a large portion of the proceeds is earmarked for charity.
Some of the proceeds are going to a Las Vegas fund assisting families of cops killed in the line of duty.
Shaw says no one will leave the dinner with a weapon, and that they will have to have a valid permit and go through the necessary waiting period.