Highland Park mayor vows to continue fight to ban guns like one used in July 4 mass shooting
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS) -- The mayor of Highland Park has finished her second trip to Washington in the 17 days since the tragic 4th of July mass shooting.
Before she left, she met with CBS 2's Tim McNicholas for a one-on-one interview about her fight on Capitol Hill, her community's efforts to heal, and a big meeting at the White House today.
Nancy Rotering flew to Washington this week to make an impassioned plea to senators to ban guns like the one used in the parade shooting.
Now that the Senate hearing where she made that plea is over, she said her work is not.
"On one hand I'm hopeful, on the other hand I'm dismayed," Rotering said.
One day after a contentious hearing, the mayor says her hope stems from the statements of Democrats who support her efforts.
"But on the other side, it was almost as if they were talking from a different dimension."
She's referring to comments made by Republicans opposed to banning assault-style weapons.
Like Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who said, "If we want to stop crimes, we need to get criminals off the streets and we need to have more police."
"It was very frustrating to hear conversations regarding weapons of combat being flipped on their head and thrown into a different category." Rotering said.
The mayor also met privately this week with Attorney General Merrick Garland.
They talked about federal resources to help survivors cope with trauma.
For example, the FBI's Victim Service Response team has helped provide free counseling to people in Highland Park.
"So we will continue to work together to bring our community back to its feet, but we are also gonna continue our fight to make sure other communities don't have to go through this pain." Rotering said.
Rotering said she is pleased Illinois is looking at implementing an ban on high-powered rifles, "but let's be clear, as long as we are surrounded by states with very lax gun laws, we are not an island. So people who are intent on doing harm to communities, will just go outside of the state."
Mayor Rotering said she's prepared to return to DC if it will help get an assault-style weapons ban.
And after her interview, the mayor met with several White House staff members, including a Senior Advisor to President Biden.
They debriefed the hearing and talked about what more can be done in regards to gun safety.