All about guns, legislation and politics in New York
The NRA Annual Meeting is underway.
It was announced at the start of the member’s meeting that Oliver North resigned. I watched the broadcast and the membership is upset over accusations of impropriety.
The behavior of current and former NRA Directors in trying to shut down debate was disgraceful.
Now it has come out that New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened up an investigation of the Association’s tax status. Nothing good will come of that.
CNBC reports, “NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to open his formidable fundraising network to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign“:
“New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has raised millions of dollars during his campaigns over the years, has indicated to associates in recent days that he will be opening his vast and powerful fundraising network exclusively to Joe Biden, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter … Cuomo’s support could be a game-changer for Biden. While the former vice president has consistently led Democratic primary polls, he has been aggressively courting donors in a bid to catch up to an already crowded primary field … Cuomo has raked in $100 million in campaign contributions since he first ran for governor in 2010. At least 80 percent of his backers have given him $10,000 or more …”
Cuomo obviously expects something in return for helping Biden, the VP slot, cabinet position, etc.
What is disturbing is that, compared to the current crop of Democrat candidates, Cuomo looks competent and sane.
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence will be holding their annual lobby day in Albany on May 7.
They’re busing in children again from the City. I expect some sort of spectacle will take place in The Well of the LOB.
Wednesday’s Newsbits:
Elections:
Jurisprudence:
Politics:
There will be a special election for Ulster Co. Executive on Tuesday, April 30th.
The choice is between Democrat Pat Ryan and Conservative Jack Hayes. The Republicans could not put up their own candidate and are backing Hayes.
Ryan is an antigun ideologue.
Hayes does not have a record on the issue that I am aware of. He was rated ? by NRA for his previous bid for State Assembly in 2016.
Considering Ryan’s public statements on 2A, Hayes is the better choice for gun owners although I expect Ryan is going to walk all over him in the election. Hayes does not have a functioning website and has not filed any fundraising paperwork with the BoE. Turnout will be low so an upset is not inconceivable.
There is an ongoing controversy within the NRA that I have not felt the need to comment on here as it does not relate to the purpose of this blog.
“… I had a call out of the blue late this afternoon from a person on the NRA Board. It was off the record and not for attribution. This person thinks that the lawsuit might be a smokescreen to protect the NRA from New York State. It gives the impression that they are taking their fiduciary and financial duties seriously. As both the lawsuit notes and I mentioned above, the State of New York revised their statutes to require not-for-profits to do more due diligence and to pay more attention to where members and donors money is being spent. The rationale behind this being a smokescreen to protect the NRA is that, according to this person, the NRA had not been requiring any sort of invoices or other detailed record-keeping for services rendered in years gone by. In other words, Ack Mc said here is how much we want and please send us a check. God forbid that they were that slack but I believe it.”
This better not be true.
The Brooklyn Democrat Committee will hold their annual gala on May 9th. NRA should sponsor this event. There are several reasons for this.
The legislature is not finished with gun control.
New proposals are still being introduced with the latest being S-5261, the companion to A-6947, amends the definition of disguised gun to include certain guns that are designed and intended to appear to be a toy gun. No action on either, just their introduction to Codes.
Also on the floor calendar in both chambers since January is A-763 and S-1414, relating to the criminal possession or manufacture of an undetectable firearm, rifle, or shotgun. These could be voted on at any time.
“A little more than 5 months after Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik was re-elected to her third term, the 2020 campaign has started, with Democrat Tedra Cobb officially entering the race on Monday to unseat her … Cobb lost to Stefanik, 42% to 56%, in 2018. Green Party candidate Lynn Kahn received 1.4%. Stefanik won 10 of the 12 counties in the district, but Cobb outpolled Stefanik in Essex and Clinton counties, where the number of registered Democrats outnumbers registered Republicans …”
Based upon her poor showing last time around, plus the fact that New York will likely lose 2 Congressional seats after the 2020 redistricting, I don’t think either the state or national party is going to give much support to Cobb.