Defense of city's gun ban to be focus of hearing

City officials will meet with their lawyers this week to discuss how to defend Chicago's strict handgun ban from legal attacks in the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning a similar ban in Washington, D.C.<br /><br />Corporation Counsel Mara Georges and other members of the city's legal department will address the issue at a joint meeting of the Committee on Police and Fire and the Committee on License and Consumer Protection on Thursday.<br /><br />&quot;We need to know that the corporation counsel is vigorously defending this ordinance,&quot; says Alderman Bob Fioretti (D-2), who sponsored the resolution calling for the hearing.<br /><br />&quot;We need to have a clear understanding of the legal arguments, so that we're not pursuing anything on a wrong basis here.&quot;