Saturday’s Newsbits:
Elections:
Jurisprudence:
Legislation:
NRA:
Politics:
Category: State Legislation
Mayoral candidates talk guns
The Central Brooklyn Political Action Association held an online forum with the current crop of announced Democrat candidates for Mayor.
On the issue of guns two participants made statements of note: former HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and current Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams:
“… Donovan said “we need a mayor who’s going to lead a national coalition of mayors against the gun industry” and that “if we can cut the supply of guns, we can dramatically change this situation.” …”
He’s just regurgitating the old MAIG line. Boring.
“… “I’ve dedicated my life to the issue of gun violence,” Adams said, adding he “would reinstitute the [NYPD] crime prevention unit, which would…target the specific shooters.” He also said “we need a tristate approach to stop the flow of guns to this city.” …”
Adams has a long history of promoting gun control schemes going back to his time in the Senate. The last nonsense he was pushing was smart guns/smart holsters. Do not what exactly he’s talking about now, but I’m sure it is more of the same failed ideas.
Everytown lobbying on BB guns
Everytown has been lobbying on BB/pellet guns in Albany. Something is brewing on that.
A-1054B amended
A-1054B, Requires the creation and imposition of restrictive commercial practices and stringent recordkeeping and reporting to prevent gun and ammunition sales to criminals, has been amended and resubmitted to Economic Development.
I do not believe the legislature will return to Albany this year. I expect this bill will be pre-filed for the 2021-22 session soon with a new bill number.
Reminder for Republicans
Yet another reminder for Republicans: Voting for gun control crap like Sue Serino did with “red flag” does not prevent gun control advocates from endorsing your opponent in the general election.
Campaign notes
Assorted reports on political campaigns where guns are mentioned.
Looking at the 94th Assembly District Showdown:
“New York’s 94th Assembly District’s election this year features a newcomer to politics, Stephanie Keegan vs. the incumbent, Assemblyman Kevin Byrne. Continuing my efforts to bring you information about some of the more prominent races on our ballot this November, I sought out and was able to catch up with the challenger last week. Ms. Keegan was gracious enough to answer my questions … I believe in sensible gun laws and was awarded a 2020 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction. He voted no on prohibiting domestic abusers from purchasing firearms, voted no to prohibit firearms on school campuses, voted no on amending background check regulations, and has an A rating from the NRA …”
102nd Assembly: Kraat challenges Tague:
“Republican Christopher Tague was first elected as the assemblyman for District 102 in an early-2018 special election … Now, Tague is defending his seat from a new Democratic challenger, Betsy Kraat … On gun laws, Kraat said she’s content with the state’s Secure Ammunition and Firearm Enforcement Act, and doesn’t see further legislation coming down the pipeline anytime soon. Kraat referenced the arrest of a father and son in Saugerties in 2018 after police investigated them for threats made against the local school district, where Kraat said her kids now attend. The father and son had a hoard of firearms, police discovered. “I know that gun owners are resentful of those,” Kraat said of restrictions in the SAFE Act, “but we also have to take into consideration the violence.” … Tague, a lifelong gun owner, is a strong opponent of New York’s SAFE Act and any other measures that would infringe on the Second Amendment. “I’m a constitutionalist,” Tague said, “and I believe in the Second Amendment, and I believe in people’s Second Amendment rights. Owning a firearm is not all just about wanting to go out hunting and target shooting. The Second Amendment was put in place to be able to protect yourself, to be able to protect your family, your neighbors, and your property. “Responsible gun ownership is like everything else,” Tague continued. “If you own a car and you drive down the road it’s your responsibility to be a responsible operator of that vehicle. It’s the same thing with owning a gun. We cannot allow government to tell us everything we can or cannot do. That makes this country not America anymore … The reason why we’re the greatest country is because we allow people to think for themselves. We allow people to have personal responsibility. “Do accidents happen, do bad things happen?” Tague went on. “Yes, they do. I understand that. But you can’t legislate every single thing that could possibly happen because then there’s nothing left. And that’s one of the reasons why I ran, is because different aspects and different people in this country continue to infringe our constitutional rights. And once those constitutional rights are taken from us, we’re no longer America. We’re no longer that free country that’s gotten to where it is today … I will always defend the Second Amendment.” …”
Meet The Candidates: Christine Pellegrino For State Senate:
“… Democrat Christine Pellegrino, 51, of West Islip is running for for New York Senate’s 4th District. She is challenging incumbent republican nominee Phil Boyle … Common Sense Gun Safety: As a mother and a teacher, I stand for gun safety and stopping violent criminals, terrorists, and domestic abusers from easy access to powerful weapons that have killed children, teachers, and community members in a matter of minutes. I support the funding of research on gun violence prevention …”
Election 2020: NY Senate candidate Danks Burke prioritizes lower taxes, Medicaid reform:
“… In her 2016 run, [Leslie Danks Burke] took a strong stance against the NY SAFE Act gun control law. She said the law penalized law-abiding gun owners more than criminals, and that it was bad legislation because New York gun owners didn’t help draft it …”
Campaign notes
Assorted reports on political campaigns where guns are mentioned.
Meet The Candidates: Rob Bennett For State Assembly:
“… Independent Rob Bennett, 35, of Lindenhurst is running for New York’s 11th Assembly District … Pro 2A, repeal the (Un) SAFE Act …”
Meet The Candidates: Judy Griffin For Assembly:
“Democratic incumbent Judy Griffin is facing challenger Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick for her seat representing the 21st Assembly District … I am a strong advocate for common-sense gun legislation, and in my first term I was proud to sponsor and pass a package of common-sense gun legislation, which included my first bill that became law. The new law prohibits school administrators from arming teachers or other school employees in K-12 schools across the state and ensures that only qualified and capable individuals, school resource officers, law enforcement and security guards are legally allowed to carry guns on school grounds. Additionally, I am a co-sponsor on pending legislation that would prohibit the manufacture and sale of untraceable ghost guns by requiring gunsmiths to serialize and register firearms and unfinished frames or receivers …”
Kevin Thomas and Dennis Dunne, Sr. vie for New York State Senate District 6:
“… Thomas: In my first term, I secured record school aid for Nassau County, and over $500 million to clean up the Grumman Plume while making the property tax cap permanent, which will save taxpayers $189.9 billion over the next decade. All of this, in addition to new funding for our infrastructure, groundbreaking protections for our environment, relief for our student loan borrowers and common sense gun violence prevention made it one of the most productive sessions in New York state history …”
Barber, Oberacker square off in 51st district senate race for seat held by Seward:
“Democrat James Barber and Republican Peter Oberacker will square off in the race for the 51st state Senate seat now held by Republican Sen. James L. Seward … Both also said they support the Second Amendment, with Barber saying he “strongly support(s) the second amendment, the first amendment, and every amendment that provides the citizens of this country with our rights, freedoms, protections, and equal justice.” Oberacker criticized the state’s SAFE Act as “poorly written, hastily passed and horribly implemented,” and said he would “oppose any unconstitutional legislation like the SAFE Act that restricts gun owners’ rights …”
Likely to happen
The Buffalo News delivers the bad news, “Supermajority in sight for State Senate Democrats as they dramatically outspend GOP“:
“… “We’re feeling very optimistic,” said Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, a Queens Democrat who is also chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. He cited everything from gun control to tenant protections as among the accomplishments of Democrats in their first two years in power …”
New: Updated NY campaign filings are in. Senate Dems have $2.7M for homestretch, having spent $3.8M since July. Senate GOP has $978K, having spent $442K since July. GOP also bolstered by $1.7M from indy group funded by Ron Lauder.
— Yancey Roy (@YanceyRoy) October 5, 2020
It’s probably going to happen.
At a minimum the Republicans will loose SD-46 and SD-56 which gives the Dems a supermajority of 42 seats. I see them losing SD-41 as well. Best chance for a GOP pickup is with Rob Astorino in SD-40.
Brooklyn Lawmakers Renew Push To Pass State Bills Targeting Gun Traffickers
Campaign notes
Assorted reports on political campaigns where guns are mentioned.
Meet The Candidate: Jones For Congress In NY17:
“New Yorkers will choose their representatives to Congress Nov. 3 in the 2020 general election … Mondaire Jones is the Democratic candidate for Congress in New York’s 17th Congressional District … As long as our democracy remains rigged, real change — health care for everyone, environmental reforms, gun safety legislation, dismantling systemic racism, and strengthening reproductive justice — will remain out of reach. It’s time to take our democracy back from billionaires and special interests, and I am ready to lead that fight …”
Christine Pellegrino, 4th Senatorial District:
“… She will seek gun control measures that would stop criminals, terrorists and domestic abusers from easy access to firearms …”
Serino-Smythe race for NY Senate seat is rematch of 2018 election:
“Republican state Sen. Sue Serino and Democrat Karen Smythe are squaring off in a rematch of the 2018 election in New York’s 41st Senate District … Serino, on her website, says her priorities are: reducing taxes, creating jobs, “standing up for taxpayers,” fighting the heroin epidemic, repealing the New York gun-control legislation known as the SAFE Act, combating Lyme disease, urban revitalization, and “restoring faith in government.” ….. Serino said the SAFE Act, enacted in the wake of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, is “stripping law-abiding citizens of the rights that our founders and veterans fought to protect,” and she called for improved mental health services and “getting guns from criminals.” …”
Smythe v. Serino: NY’s 41st Senate district candidates on the issues:
“… Smythe supports the work of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and various other groups advocating for gun control measures. She believes that “protecting our kids from gun violence should not be a controversial or partisan issue” and claims that Serino continues to block “all” gun safety measures. Serino has co-sponsored legislation to repeal the 2013 SAFE Act, which the New York State Legislature passed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting to increase penalties for illegal gun use and insists that the state should be focusing on mental health-related prevention. Serino also voted against S.8121, which ensures that convicted domestic abusers do not have access to firearms. In her most recent term, she opposed bills increasing penalties for improper gun storage, prohibiting firearms on school campuses and establishing 30-day waiting periods, while also voting to prohibit both bump stocks and 3D printed firearms and establish a firearm buyback program …”
Candidate Profile: Steve Stern For New York Assembly District 10:
“Election Day is right around the corner, and voters will choose between incumbent Democratic state Assemblyman Steve Stern and Republican challenger Jamie Silvestri in the general election Nov. 3 … “During my tenure in the Assembly, I have worked hard to: … Pass legislative initiatives that keep guns out of the wrong hands, secure our schools and keep our children and teachers safe …” …”
Candidate Profile: Burdick For New York State Assembly:
“Residents of northern and central Westchester will choose a new state Assembly representative Nov. 3 in the 2020 general election … Democrat Chris Burdick is seeking election to the State Assembly in District 93. His opponent, John Nuculovic, is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines … NYS currently has the most progressive state legislature in its history, and over the last year-and-a-half has achieved so much. However, there is still much more we can do on issues such as the environment, social justice, infrastructure and educational funding, health care, gun violence, and women’s rights …”