Inappropriate response

On: By: admin

The NRA responded to Senator Gillibrand’s missive by release a copy of her 2008 letter praising the organization:

“One day after Kirsten Gillibrand slammed the National Rifle Association (NRA) as the “worst organization in this country,” the group on Monday posted an effusive letter it received from Gillibrand in 2008 in which she praised “the work that the NRA does to protect gun owners rights” and said she hoped to work with it “for many years in Congress.” … “I want to be very clear that I always have and always will believe that the correct interpretation of the 2nd amendment [sic] is that it applies to an individual’s right to carry guns, and does not apply generally to the National Guard or a group of individuals in a State,” Gillibrand wrote to Cox, following what she described as a meeting with him the previous August …”

If NRA thinks this is going to embarrass her it won’t work.  Our elected officials have done so much worse than flip-flop and lie on issues.

The reason for the flip-flop is because Democrats, especially NYC-area ones, don’t see the NRA and 2A as important because NRA refuses to get involved with Democrat politics.  I have had elected Democrats explicitly say this is the problem, not so much guns themselves.  The only way to get back at them is to be involved in their selection and election processes, especially the primaries where most urban races are decided.  This is what other groups do and there is nothing stopping NRA from doing the same.

Kicking off “Gun Violence Awareness Month”

On: By: admin

So-called “Gun Violence Awareness Month” kicks off today with a noon press conference by NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

In the Senate, S-6151 will likely advance to 3rd reading today and be voted on later in the week.

On the Assembly Codes agenda for Tuesday:

  • A-7739, Relates to local and state law enforcement’s access to records of applications for licenses of firearms.
  • A-7921, Relates to possession of firearms on property owned by or held in trust for SUNY ESF.

Gillibrand: ‘The NRA Is the Worst Organization in This Country’

On: By: admin

She wasn’t saying any of this when I met her years ago at the Poughkeepsie FNRA dinner.

Newsbits

On: By: admin

Thursday’s Newsbits:

Today at 6:00pm Assemblyman David Weprin will participate in Queens Borough President Melinda Katz’s Queens town hall meeting on gun control, Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd., Queens.

Armed Citizen:

Jurisprudence:

Legislation:

NRA:

Politics:

S-6151 and S-6196 on Senate floor calendar

On: By: admin

Senate bills S-6151, relates to the transport of pistols or revolvers by licensees, and S-6196, relates to possession of firearms on property owned by or held in trust for SUNY ESF, are on first report and have been placed on the floor calendar.

NSSF thinks Pothole Al is golden

On: By: admin

The Post reports:

“While Gov. Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers debate a litany of issues before the Albany session adjourns on June 19, former GOP US Sen.-turned-powerhouse lobbyist Al D’Amato is co-chairing a “Long Island cocktail reception” fundraiser in Great Neck Sunday for the governor, The Post has learned. And he has also hit up his roster of 90 clients to kick in to Cuomo’s campaign kitty. “I’m doing something with a group of people for Gov. Cuomo, I will be a participant,” D’Amato told The Post …”

One of those 90 clients Park Strategies represents is the NSSF.

Years ago a former contract lobbyist convinced NSSF that their problems in New York stemmed from the fact that the legislature wasn’t hearing enough bullshit from NRA/NSSF and that they ought to hire a Albany-based PR firm to do it full time.  NSSF then retained Capitol Group and from 2011-18 threw hundreds of thousands of dollars at them.  Of course, they got nothing good from the legislature in return because PR isn’t the problem.

So starting this year NSSF switched to Park Strategies paying them $6000/month plus expenses, apparently thinking that having one of the sleaziest political figures in the state tell their bullshit to the legislature is going to pay off.  It will, for Al, when he cashes their monthly checks.  As for the firearms industry, they would get more action by dumping a bag of money off the balcony into the Well of the LOB than having Park Strategies on retainer.

Why bother?

On: By: admin

I found this amusing nugget in City & State’s article, “The rise and fall of John Flanagan“:

“… Gun control activists were swarming [John] Flanagan’s office. He was on their list of elected officials to target on their lobbying visit to the state Capitol on a recent Tuesday afternoon. Yet no one seemed to recognize the lanky Long Islander as he slipped out the front door to his office down the hall from the Senate chamber. It was just minutes until the annual Police Officers Memorial begins across the street, and Flanagan was eager to keep up appearances. “I’ve got to pay my respects,” he said …”

With the Republicans in permanent minority status in the upper chamber there is no legitimate reason for gun control advocates, or any other activist group, to waste their time with Flanagan.  The GOP has no ability to advance or block legislation in the Senate.  They are a total non-factor in state government in large part due to milquetoast Flanagan’s “leadership.”

Legislature responds to lawsuit

On: By: admin

Legislators know they are likely to lose the NYC transport lawsuit so they have prepared a response in the form of A-7752/S-6151.

From the Justification:

“Premise licenses for firearms in New York State allow a license holder to possess a firearm in a specific location, either their home or place of work, the address of which is specified on the license. Recognizing that premise license holders may have a legitimate reason to transport their firearms to another location, either another premise where they have a license to possess a firearm, a shooting range, or a shooting competition, this bill seeks to clarify the ability of premise license holders to transport their firearms to and from locations where they may legally possess such firearm. In order to ensure that any transportation of firearms that occurs is done safely and responsibly, this bill requires that, during transport, such firearms must be kept in a locked container separate from the ammunition.”

Bill text explicitly states, “The term “locked container” shall not include the glove compartment or console of a vehicle.”

As for non-City residents thinking about transporting a gun into the municipality:

“… [licenses] issued by a licensing officer other than the police commissioner of the City of New York shall not authorize transport of a pistol or revolver into the City of New York in the absence of written authorization to do so by the police commissioner of that city.”

“Ghost” guns bill passes Assembly

On: By: admin

“Ghost” guns bill A-763A has been substituted for S-1414A in the lower chamber and and passed the Assembly this afternoon by a vote of 111-22.

Here is the press release by Speaker Carl Heastie.

The bill now heads to the Governor for signing.  No word as to when that will happen.