Cuomo calls in the Brady’s

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Last week it was announced that Cuomo’s cronies had created their own gun control group.  This week it was announced that they will be running ads in the state:

“The state Democratic Committee announced today it will be promoting its agenda — and one backed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo — through ads and mobilization efforts in New York and the nation … The party said in a news release that it is setting up committees on the issues of … gun safety …  A Democratic official clarified that while the effort will promote national issues, the effort will only be in New York and the ads will only run in the state.  The effort will also promote Cuomo’s agenda back home, including gun control … The first ad campaign will focus on gun violence and feature Sarah and Jim Brady calling on Washington to pass comprehensive gun legislation …”

I’m having trouble deciding which is the dumber idea: Trying to promote an agenda that caused a huge drop in the Governor’s popularity or digging up these two fossils to use as mouthpieces for that agenda.

It’s almost as if Cuomo is stuck in the early 90s, when gun control and the Brady’s were de rigueur amongst the Democrat elite.  Even a cursory glance at the political landscape would show that a lot has changed over the last 20 years.  From a purely political standpoint, gun control is not a winning issue with the public and no group has the ability to deliver any money/manpower/votes to supportive candidates at election time.  I don’t even see the gun control groups talking much about elections anymore.  Is Cuomo really that out of touch that he does not see this?

Bloomberg’s revenge on Cuomo

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Mayor Mike is getting his revenge against Governor Cuomo for trying to pass off the blame for SAFE onto to him:

“… After a week of almost non-stop corruption revelations … Bloomberg also included Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his revulsion of all things Albany, implying that one of the things that aids corruption is the practice of the governor sending lawmakers something called a “message of necessity” so a bill can pass quickly, without anyone having a the chance to study it.  “Why can’t you give it time?  Well, the answer is they don’t want anybody to see it.  It’s the only explanation,” Bloomberg said …”

Bullseye!

Sheriffs refusing to enforce gun control laws

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There has been something of a trend in more western states for county sheriffs to publicly state they will not enforce gun control laws.  Erie Co. Sheriff Tim Howard is the first New Yorker I’m aware of to make similar statements during a recent interview on WBEN.

Tone deaf NRA

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NRA released their recommendations on school safety this week.

Had they simply said schools should have the option of hiring armed guards/police it there would not have been an issue.  Many schools and colleges do have armed security so it’s not a big deal.  They could have said so-called gun free school zones should be abolished.  Much like drug free school zones they’re feel good nonsense that do nothing to enhance student safety and a rational argument can be made against them.

Unfortunately NRA went another direction with their report:

“… One “model training program” would include a background check for school staffers who want to carry a firearm as well as 40-60 hours in training, former representative Asa Hutchinson, director of the project, said during a press conference at the National Press Club.  While the NRA initially advocated for former police officers to volunteer to guard schools, Hutchinson said the NRA’s research caused the group to back off that approach.  “In terms of volunteers, my impression of school superintendents is they would have great reluctance and so it’s not the best solution,” Hutchinson said. “That’s why we have shifted to school staff, trained school staff, that’s designated by the superintendent of the school board.” …”

NRA is often unfairly accused of being tone deaf by opponents.  This is not one of those times.

This is an astoundingly stupid idea.  How anyone could think they could sell this idea to the general public is beyond me.

ACLU opposes gun bill and gun rights

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The ACLU opposes Harry Reid’s gun bill:

“As Senate Democrats struggle to build support for new gun control legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union now says it’s among those who have “serious concerns” about the bill.  Those concerns have the capacity to prove a major setback to Sen. Harry Reid’s current gun bill, which includes language from earlier bills introduced by Sens. Chuck Schumer and Barbara Boxer.  In an exclusive interview with The Daily Caller, a top lobbyist for the ACLU announced that the group thinks Reid’s current gun bill could threaten both privacy rights and civil liberties …”

That’s great, except for one tiny, little thing: nowhere does the ACLU mention they oppose the bill because they feel it would be an infringement upon specifically enumerated 2nd Amendment civil rights.  They still refuse to acknowledge that.

Fred Dicker interviews Brian Stapleton

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Fred Dicker interviews Brian Stapleton, one of the lawyers handling the NYSRPA lawsuit against the SAFE Act, on his radio show this morning.

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3rd MAIG member arrested

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Another local member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been arrested, Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin.  She was arrested on bribery charges related to an apparent effort by State Senator Malcolm Smith to buy the Republican party line in this years NYC mayoral race.

She is the 3rd New York MAIG member to be arrested after White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley and Monticello Mayor Gordon Jenkins.

Bill Nojay’s SAFE budget remarks

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Good speech from Bill Nojay during Assembly floor debates over the state budget.

Cuomo’s paranoia

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More evidence from Fred Dicker that gunnies are getting under Governor Cuomo’s (thin) skin:

“… Utica area Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney found “the paranoia level surprisingly high’’ during a breakfast visit last month to Cuomo at the Governor’s Mansion.  Tenney, part of a group of Assembly Republicans hosted by the governor as budget negotiations were wrapping up, brought along a cap bearing the logo of the Remington Arms Co., the embattled company in her district that is in danger of closing because of Cuomo’s severely restrictive new gun law.  “She had another assemblyman take her picture wearing the cap at the entrance to the Mansion, because she planned show it to the workers at Remington,’’ said a witness to the events.  But once inside the Mansion, Tenney, a lawyer and mother of a 21-year-old Marine, was surrounded by a number of nervous Cuomo aides including Larry Schwartz, the governor’s secretary, who feared she’d defiantly put on the cap during Cuomo’s remarks.  “Larry put his hand on Claudia’s arm and said, ‘Are you going to wear that during the breakfast because if you are, we’re going to have to ask you to leave’,’’ said the witness …”

Must reiterate what I told the Times more than two months ago:

“… “The more people see about this, the angrier they are getting,” said Jacob J. Rieper, the vice president of legislative and political affairs for the Rifle and Pistol Association … “The bottom line is none of these people thought this through, and it’s starting to stink,” Mr. Rieper said …”

Cuomo was all smiles back in January.  Now he’s looking more and more like a cornered rat.

Schumer on Bloomberg’s ad campaign

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Chuck Schumer won’t answer the question. He knows Bloomberg’s ad blitz isn’t helping.