DeKalb Times

In a recent League of Women Voters virtual debate held over Zoom, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois) and her opponent for the 14th Congressional District seat, state Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove), shared their differences on issues such as police brutality, abortion and gun control.

As a co-sponsor of the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, Underwood said she has been proud to see community members in the 14th District embrace the cause of Black Lives Matter, according to the Daily Chronicle.

Oberweis said he supports the right to protest, but is concerned about the line that has been crossed in recent months, when protests are turned into riots. He challenged Underwood for not condemning the looting and violence in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times’ editorial board.

“When it gets to rioting and looting and violence, that’s absolutely wrong. That should not be allowed,” Oberweis said. “No one should serve in Congress and say that it’s OK to loot and riot.”

However, Underwood said she has stood firmly against violence.

“I’ve stated over and over and over again that we should not seek to solve our problems through violence and in fact, my record of protecting our community from violence of any kind is quite clear,” she said. In an effort to back-up that claim, Underwood cited her support for “universal” background checks and a restoration of the assault weapons ban. 

Oberweis argued that the former federal assault weapons ban has been shown to have had no effect on homicide rates and addressed the firearms least likely to be used in any criminal act or homicide according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. 

“Gun violence prevention is a public health issue, and it’s the responsibility of Congress to respond with a data-driven, evidence-based policy,” Underwood said.