Thread: Bloomberg Wants to Reframe the Gun Control Debate

8/2/12 at 5:20 PM

Bloomberg Wants to Reframe the Gun Control Debate

• By Joe Coscarelli

After the mass shooting in Aurora, Mayor Bloomberg has gone on the offensive as an advocate for gun control, but he's also well aware of the political realities, going so far as to avoid the actual term. Capital New York points out today that the mayor is careful to refer to "crime control" instead of the loaded "gun control," with a focus on background checks and legal loopholes, and even named his anti-gun organization Mayors Against Illegal Guns, instead of something that sounds more aggressive toward the Second Amendment. To beat the NRA, Bloomberg knows, he has to first help change the conversation.

Speaking to the Huffington Post today, the mayor reprised the comparison between his gun efforts and Grover Norquist's anti-tax movement. "It is probably true that you could create a liberal equivalent of the NRA or Grover Norquist," Bloomberg said. "But nobody's done it yet, and when they've tried to do it, it hasn't really worked." (A poll found the Colorado massacre had no effect on Americans' feelings about gun laws.)

Although he's more than willing to show up on every political talk show, Bloomberg knows he can't do it alone. He needs a paradigm-shifting mastermind: "Now, why does Fox News work and MSNBC doesn't? I don't know. I've asked people," Bloomberg said. "I think somebody that really understands television like [Fox News'] Roger Ailes would say that one side is more committed than the other. I don't know if that's true.

But I've always thought to myself, if you could hire Roger Ailes, pay him $100 billion, and say, 'Hey, go create left wing television.' Could he do it? And I think yes, he would."

If only someone had a media company, piles of money, and was going to be out of a job soon ...

Bloomberg Wants to Reframe Gun Control Debate -- Daily Intel

RELATED

http://www.alipac.us/f9/bloomberg-wa...olence-262514/

IMO,Bloomberg's placing his priorities for New York ahead of the naton, I understand that maintaining law and order in NY is a tall order. Gun control is not a reasonable answer nationally, and his stance is another example of the"me first" attitude of Americans and local politicians.

l live 12 miles from the county seat and fifteen miles from the sheriff's office. The quickest response I've had when calling is 20 mintes if a deputy is immediately available. It has taken up to two hours. After two residential break-ins, certainly I am not waiting two hours for a rescue mission to arrive. The entire household could be stripped, females raped, and all killed. If I lived i NY I would probably be more apt to be armed than out here in the country. NY needs to solve their own enfrcement problems, and I will find a solution to mine.

Why are so many anti-gun mayors criminals?

SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
BY: DAVID CODREA

"A federal judge...postponed ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s status conference on 19 fraud and tax evasion charges, Freep.cominforms us.

Why?

[D]efense lawyers argued they needed more time to comb through a mountain of evidence that the government has compiled.

A whole mountain?

Kilpatrick, of course, has already been convicted and sentenced on other criminal charges, including obstruction of justice and probation violation.

In addition to being a former mayor, he was also a member of anti-gun New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's deceptively-named "Mayors Against Illegal Guns."

Deceptive? Well, yeah--with all the new edicts they're stumping for, it's clear their goal is to make more even guns "illegal," and control what you're "allowed" to own and under what conditions.

And Kilpatrick isn't the first lawbreaking coalition member wanting to impose disarmament laws on you. Not by a long shot.

And some of us have been documenting their criminal antics for some time.

For instance, there's the late Frank Melton of Jackson, MS, who, curiously, didn't think twice about violating "gun laws" himself. And more.

Then there was Larry Langford of Birmingham, sentenced to 15 years for bribery.

“I am sorry,” Langford said, “all this has occurred.”

Yeah, it just "occurred." Not "I'm sorry I did this"...

Or take Sheila Dixon of Baltimore--please! She put on a big media show "visiting the homes of gun offenders." She also helped herself to gift cards intended for the poor, and was convicted of embezzlement. Using terms like "badge of dishonor," the sentencing judge observed "“Simply put, Ms. Dixon leaves the office in total disgrace.” For her part, she complained about being "unjustly pursued for prosecution."

Anybody else noticing a pattern of self-entitlement and refusal to admit responsibility...? Isn't there a term for people like that?

Then there was Eddie Perez of Hartford, guilty of bribery. And Gary Becker of Racine, sentenced to three years for trying to have sex with with a minor.

Or Jeremiah Healey of Jersey City...let's see, obstructing justice, resisting arrest, nude and drinking on the porch, disorderly conduct...

Typically:

“He seemed to feel very strongly that he was wronged. The judge felt differently.”

And let me not forget to give a special mention for my new pen pal, Portland Mayor Sam Adams...

So many control-challenged individuals with a compulsion to control the rest of us...it's hard to keep track of them all.

Until now.

Check out (and bookmark!) Gun Owners Against Illegal Mayors, a website dedicated to chronicling the misadventures of the official criminals for gun control cabal. Hey, I even see a few names on there I haven't commented on!

Just remember to heed the warning from the website's slideshow, and don't try to apprehend one of these criminals yourself.

Chances are, the ones that haven't been caught yet have taxpayer-funded armed bodyguards.
Why are so many anti-gun mayors criminals? - National gun rights | Examiner.com

Appeals court upholds New York gun licensing law

Reuters – 6 hrs ago


A view shows confiscated guns on a table during a news conference in New York October 12, 2012. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly


(Reuters) - The state of New York can continue to require residents who want to carry a concealed handgun in public to obtain a special license, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York rejected a challenge brought by several Westchester residents and the Second Amendment Foundation against the state's handgun licensing scheme.

Like numerous other states, New York imposes restrictions on individuals who wish to carry concealed firearms in public.

Under New York law, people can apply to carry a handgun outside the home for the limited purposes of hunting or target practice. But those who want to carry concealed handguns in public without any restrictions must convince state licensing officers they have a special need for self-protection greater than others in the general community.

Five individuals who were denied permits sued four state court judges, who also serve as licensing officers, arguing that the requirement violated their right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In requesting a carry permit, one of the plaintiffs had argued that as a transgender female, she was more likely to be a victim of violence. Others argued they were in good standing in the community and gainfully employed.

But state licensing officers denied their applications, saying they had failed to show special need for self-protection.

A unanimous three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit upheld the state's licensing law, ruling the Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep arms for self-defense in the home, but does not extend to a right to carry concealed handguns in public.

The decision affirms a lower-court ruling from last year.

"Outside the home, firearm rights have always been more limited, because public safety interests often outweigh individual interests in self defense," Judge Richard Wesley wrote for the panel.

In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a District of Columbia ban on handguns in the home. The plaintiffs had argued that the decision, District of Columbia v. Heller, made New York's handgun law unconstitutional.

But the 2nd Circuit panel concluded that the Supreme Court had only found a constitutional right to possess handguns in the home. The scope of that right outside the home was less clear, the panel said, but noted a longstanding tradition of states regulating firearm possession in public.

Alan Gura, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he disagreed with the ruling and planned to appeal either to a larger panel of the 2nd Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court.

The state has a right to regulate the carrying of handguns in public, Gura said, but the regulations must be objective.

"If the regulation merely states that the police can do what they feel like in terms of licensing people, then it's really just an arbitrary system," he said.

Gura, who argued the Heller case before the Supreme Court challenging the District of Columbia handgun ban, said the issue of Second Amendment protections in the public sphere would likely land before the Supreme Court in the near future.

Other cases are working their way through the courts, challenging similar licensing laws in California, Maryland and New Jersey, he said.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office represents the state defendants, welcomed the ruling in a statement.

"This unanimous decision is a victory for New York State law, the United States Constitution and families across New York who are rightly concerned about the scourge of gun violence that all too often plagues our communities," Schneiderman said.

The case is Kachalsky et al v. County of Westchester, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 11-3642.

http://news.yahoo.com/appeals-court-upholds-york-gun-licensing-law-184036178.html

RELATED

http://www.alipac.us/f9/officials-ta...cticut-267850/

Criminal Behavior by Members of “Mayors Against Illegal Guns”

Coaldale, Pa. Mayor faces pornography charges

The Times News, Carbon County, N.Y., September 9, 2011

Corkery behind bars | Times News Online

The Mayor of Coaldale, Richard Corkery is in jail following a violation of his bail conditions stemming from charges by Carbon County prosecutors that he downloaded child pornography.


Brownsville Mayor has third DWI arrest

The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, May 11, 2010

http://www.themonitor.com/news/span-...tyle-font.html

The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, Texas, Jun. 21, 2011

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/art...-127960--.html

Mayor Pat M. Ahumeda Jr. was arrested after police pulled him over for driving erratically and he refused to take a breathalyzer. The mayor plead guilty to reckless driving and was sentenced to two years’ probation. Ahumeda was arrested for DWI in 1987 and 2003.


Monticello, N.Y. Mayor pleads guilty

The Times Herald-Record, Middletown, N.Y., Jun. 10, 2010

Monticello's mayor enters not-guilty plea | recordonline.com

The Sullivan County Democrat, Callicoon, N.Y., Apr. 19, 2011

Sullivan County Democrat: Mayor, partner plead guilty to five misdemeanors

Mayor Gordon Jenkins plead guilty to five counts of trademark counterfeiting after he and his wife were caught selling knockoff Nikes to undercover police at the store the couple own. A search of their home also turned up marijuana.


Mayor of Tamarac, Fla. turns herself in

The Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 9, 2011

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/03/tamarac_mayor_beth_talabisco_t.html

Mayor Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco faces charges of bribery and official misconduct stemming from dealings with two unscrupulous developers.


Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez sentenced to three years in prison

The Hartford Courant, Sept. 15, 2010

http://articles.courant.com/2010-09-15/news/hc-web-perez-sentencing-0915-20100914_1_abraham-giles-judge-julia-d-dewey-eddie-alberto-perez

Mayor Eddie Perez has been sentenced to three years in prison and three years of probation after being convicted on five felony corruption charges, including extortio


Embattled Racine mayor resigns

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, March 3, 2010

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/86273007.html

Mayor of Racine, Wis. and member of Mayors against Illegal Guns Gary Becker resigned after facing charges in an internet sex sting. Becker was later convicted and received a three year prison term
.

White Plains, NY: After arrest, mayor denies injuring wife

LoHud.com, March 1, 2010

http://www.lohud.com/article/20103010346

http://www.lohud.com/article/20100401/NEWS02/4010405/-1/newsfront/5-new-domestic-charges-against-Mayor-Bradley

Mayor Adam Bradley was arrested for third degree misdemeanor assault. Wife Fumiko Bradley acquired a temporary protective order against him. The mayor was sentenced to three years probation.


Inglewood mayor resigns before pleading guilty to misdemeanor conflict of interest charge

The L.A. Times, Jan. 25, 2010

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/inglewood-mayor-resigns-after-pleading-guilty-to-misdemeanor-conflict-of-interest-charge.html

Mayor of Inglewood resigns ahead of pleading guilty to conflict of interest charges. He also faced charges of embezzlement.


Baltimore Mayor resigns after pleading guilty to stealing from the poor

The Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 6, 2010

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0106/Baltimore-Mayor-Sheila-Dixon-resigns-as-part-of-plea-deal

Mayor of Baltimore, Md. Sheila Dixon and member of Mayors against Illegal Guns was indicted on theft and perjury charges. Dixon was ultimately convicted of taking from a program intended to help disadvantaged children. Dixon had to resign as part of her plea deal.


Larry Langford found guilty on all 60 counts

The Birmingham News, Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 28, 2009

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/10/larry_langford_found_guilty.html

Larry Langford, Birmingham's mayor and a former Jefferson County commissioner, has been found guilty in his federal bribery trial.


Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick sentenced to four months

CNN, Oct. 28, 2008

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick sentenced to 4 months - CNN

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading to two felony charges of obstruction of justice. In addition, the mayor pled to a charge of assaulting a police officer.


New Jersey Mayor and wife sentenced for extortion

The Jersey Journal, Oct. 3, 2008

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/guttenberg/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-0%2F1224916016161280.xml&coll=3

Mayor David Delle Donna, 49, of Guttenberg, was sentenced to four years, 3 months for tax evasion and the extortion of a local business owner.


Mayor with a past has a future in prison

The New York Times, Aug. 22, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/24passaicnj.html?_r=1

When a federal judge sentenced former Mayor Samuel Rivera to 21 months in federal prison on Aug. 15, an era ended in this tattered city of nearly 70,000, leaving many here debating Mr. Rivera’s tumultuous past and wondering what is to come.


Will Wynn pleads guilty to assault

The Austin Chronicle, Mar. 3, 2008

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/News/Blogs/index.html/objID599595/blogID/

Mayor Will Wynn formally pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge Tuesday, stemming from a 2006 incident where he physically ejected purported party crasher Luke Johnson from his Downtown condo; in a signed statement, Johnson described the "contact as offensive and provocative."


The Mayor of Jersey City is convicted over a scuffle

The New York Times, Jun. 6, 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/23/nyregion/23mayor.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

A municipal court judge in this shore town found the mayor of Jersey City guilty of obstructing justice and resisting arrest in a clash with a police officer a little more than a year ago, leading the mayor’s wife, Maureen, to hiss, “It’s a disgrace.”

The mayor, Jerramiah T. Healy, said in a news conference after the verdict that he had no intention of resigning his office, and would most likely appeal the decision, rendered by a municipal court judge, John G. Colannino, who ordered Mayor Healy to pay $828 in fees and fines and then imposed a stay of 20 days.

A Bloomberg anti-gun mayor is charged with carrying weapon

New York Sun, Nov. 22, 2006

http://www.nysun.com/new-york/bloomberg-anti-gun-mayor-is-charged-with-carrying/43999/

The mayor of Jackson, Miss., Frank Melton—who, according to news reports, carries firearms at all times and has a reputation for being tough on crime—pleaded no contest to carrying a concealed gun on the campus of Mississippi College School of Law. He also pleaded guilty to carrying a gun into a church and into a park, also illegal under state law. The first was reduced from a felony charge to a misdemeanor; the latter two were misdemeanors.