Rock Island Today

In the ongoing legal dispute over the Protecting Illinois Communities Act, Charlie Helmick, a candidate for the Illinois State Representative District 72, has voiced his stance on Second Amendment rights, asserting that limitations should not be placed on law-abiding citizens based on the actions of a few. Helmick conveyed his perspective on Facebook.

“It’s not right to limit my rights based on someone else’s abuse of theirs,” Helmick said on Facebook.

Helmick linked to a text of the 2nd Amendment, reading “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

The timing of Helmick's remarks aligns with an impending U.S. Supreme Court hearing concerning a legal challenge to the contentious gun ban enforced by the Protecting Illinois Communities Act. This law, which bans over 170 types of semi-automatic firearms, is facing substantial opposition from various groups and has sparked a legal battle with potentially far-reaching implications.

The lawsuit titled Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois v. Pritzker questions the constitutionality of this gun ban. It cites violations of both the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. A resolution may not be reached until after January 1, 2024 - the registration deadline for Illinois firearm owners - thereby causing further uncertainty and delays in implementing this controversial legislation. The plaintiff coalition includes Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois, Guns Save Life, and Gun Owners of America. According to Prairie State Wire, they argue that this law unjustly labels commonly owned firearms as "assault weapons" and raises concerns about constitutional rights infringement through mandatory registration.

Helmick hails from the Quad-Cities area and currently resides in Silvis. His diverse background spans military service, arts and business; including service in the United States Marine Corps and Department of Homeland Security along with three decades at FedEx. His political career gained traction around 2008 during Barack Obama's presidency, driven by concerns about funds being sent overseas. Helmick fervently advocated for redirecting investments back into the domestic sphere.

In 2022, Helmick made his political debut by running in the Republican primary for the Illinois 17th Congressional District. As a disabled veteran, he centered his platform around healthcare, drawing from personal experiences with delays in accessing essential medical services as reported by Quad City Times.

Helmick's LinkedIn page reveals a multifaceted individual. His artistic journey began in June 1970 and over the past 53 years, he has contributed to the cultural landscape as an independent country music artist, singer and songwriter. He served as a Marine in the United States Marine Corps from July 1980 to July 1984. He graduated from Moline Sr. High in 1982 and later studied law enforcement at the University of Florida in 1994-1995. Currently, Helmick is employed by COUNTRY Financial where he has been working since 2019.

According to Ballotpedia, the 72nd district includes parts of Rock Island County, Henry County, Mercer County, Knox County, McDonough County and Warren County. The current representative is State Rep. Gregg Johnson (D-East Moline).