though the gun companies have asked the judge to throw out the decision.

The political controversies engendered by the Atlanta suit may be more pertinent to Illinoisans. Atlanta officials are seeking recovery of costs from handgun violence. But that state's legislature approved a prohibition on municipal suits, reserving such authority to the state. The suit is moving forward, though, because it was filed prior to the new law.

In Illinois, a similar prohibition against suits, sponsored by Milan Democratic Rep. Joel Brunsvold, didn't make it to the House floor; but he says it could come up again this spring. "The mentality that handguns are only used to shoot someone is flawed," he says. "Sportsmen downstate use them for target practice. It's a great sport that's a lot of fun." Brunsvold's district in and around Rock Island offers a stark contrast to Chicago. Rock Island County had three murders in the first nine months of 1998, according to state police.

The suit isn't Daley's only political weapon. In Washington, D.C., Chicago's Democratic U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich has introduced legislation countering Georgia Rep. Bob Barr's efforts to limit regulations on the criminal use of guns to the states and Congress.

Illinois' U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, meanwhile, is pushing legislation allowing municipalities to keep two-thirds of the federal portion of any money awarded as a result of municipal gun suits. However, they must apportion it equally for law enforcement efforts, education and local priorities. Durbin's involvement is noteworthy. He's been a leader in anti-smoking efforts through the years. Eventually, that work paid off in the tobacco companies' multibillion dollar settlement with the states. Some theorize municipal gun suits may force that industry to settle, too, as a way to avoid costly court cases.

And in announcing his suit, Daley said it would hit the gun industry "right where it hurts - in their bank accounts."

As that suit began its journey through the courts, lawmakers in Springfield voted down several of Daley's proposals to crack down on the gun industry.

Daley lost in the legislature when Chicago's Democratic Rep. Thomas Dart saw several gun licensing bills shot down. Along with putting limitations on handgun purchases, Dart had proposed creating a state database of all gun sales. But downstaters of both parties narrowly defeated the bills. "I guess Illinois is not ready for reasonable gun law regulations," Dart said after the vote. Opponents "paint all gun legislation as the end of the world. They consider it the beginning of the slippery slope."