Gun Politics New York – Page 333 – All about guns, legislation and politics in New York

Daily News lies: Bloomberg far outspends NRA

On: April 11, 2012 By: admin

The Daily News is continuing their series of hit pieces with today’s article, “National Rifle Association doles out $217,000 in campaign cash to New York politicians over past 9 years“:

“… Since 2003, the NRA has reported giving New York legislators and political committees $217,400 — the organization’s largest outlay over that period … Almost half of the donations in New York came in 2010, after the legislative defeat of a microstamping bill, which would have required bullet casings to carry unique markings, campaign records show … The NRA then splashed $92,500 to the state Senate Republican Campaign Committee weeks before the 2010 elections, when the GOP won back control of the chamber after two years on the outside …”

That’s a lot of money. Surely, they must be buying a lot of influence with it, right?

Let’s see how much money has Mayor Bloomberg been spreading around. If you go here and type in his name you get:

$500,000 to the NYS Senate GOP on 10/12/06
$500,000 to the NYS Senate GOP on 2/22/08
$50,000 to the NYS Assembly GOP on 5/13/08
$50,000 to the Bronx County GOP on 5/15/09
$75,000 to the Kings County GOP on 9/19/09
$50,000 to the Queens County GOP on 4/27/09
$50,000 to the New York County GOP on 9/22/09
$50,000 to the Richmond County GOP on 9/14/10

And this is just a partial list of contributions he’s made in New York alone. Bloomberg has far outspent NRA trying to get his way and it has not been working. The DN can easily find this information in the exact same place as the campaign contributions NRA has made. They just choose not to report on it.

Then they move on to lobbying data:

“… The NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation — whose officials refused to comment for this story — have also spent a combined $159,000 in lobbying in New York since 2009 …”

Nice, but Bloomberg spent $325,895 during the same period.

Money can’t buy you love

On: April 10, 2012 By: admin

Posted over at State of Politics:

“Hidden in the depths of NYPIRG’s report last week on the record-breaking $220 million spent on lobbying in 2011 is the following eyebrow-raising fact: Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an organization founded and funded by Mayor Bloomberg, dropped a whopping $325,895 on lobbying in 2010, ranking it 73rd on the list of top spenders in that year. But last year, the group spent absolutely nothing. And, according to records on file with JCOPE, it’s on track to spend $0 this year, too …”

$325,895 is a lot of money. I don’t get paid anything from the R&P, I volunteer my time. In spite of this we’ve consistently beat him and even got a win with CoBIS this year. Funny how things work out like that, isn’t it Mayor Mike?

Romney way ahead

On: April 10, 2012 By: admin

Mitt Romney has a big lead in the state according to the latest polls:

“… Fifty-one percent of likely New York Republican voters said they plan on voting for Romney, the Siena College poll found. Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania, took home 18 percent, while Rep. Ron Paul garnered 11 percent. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich trailed with 6 percent …”

No surprises here.

On a crusade

On: April 10, 2012 By: admin

The Daily News is joining in on Mayor Mike’s antigun crusade with a couple more articles, “Shot NYPD cops luckier than police first realized — suspect Nakwon Foxworth had assault rifle” and “A bill only vigilantes could love“:

“… Mayor Bloomberg urged New Yorkers who want curbs on guns tightened to call Congress and rail about the 40% of gun sales that take place with no background check. “If you want to stop the carnage, that’s the only way that I know to do that,” he said. He said callers should tell their congressman or senator that, “It’s time for you to stop listening to the NRA and start doing something.” …”

What the DN never reports on is that even people from NYC aren’t listening to Bloomberg’s call for action. I cannot ever recall a single politician from in/around the City ever referring to receiving a flood of constituent calls/letters asking them to take action on a gun control proposal.

“… First of all, New Yorkers already have a legal right to kill if doing so is necessary to defend themselves and others. They also have a broad right to use deadly force against intruders in their own house or apartment. But when it comes to public places, they also have a so-called “duty to retreat” — to try to run away from an attacker, if possible, before trying to kill him. [Senator George] Maziarz’s bill starts by rolling back the “duty to retreat.” Instead, if someone “reasonably believes” they’re about to be killed or beaten to a pulp, they don’t have to back down. They’re free to blow their attacker away …”

Bill Hammond does not know what he’s talking about. New Yorker’s have a broad right to use deadly force wherever and whenever they feel it is necessary to protect their own life. It is not limited to one’s home and you are not obligated in the way Hammond thinks to retreat from attack. State law says:

“§ 35.15 Justification; use of physical force in defense of a person. 1. A person may, subject to the provisions of subdivision two, use physical force upon another person when and to the extent he or she reasonably believes such to be necessary to defend himself, herself or a third person from what he or she reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by such other person … 2. A person may not use deadly physical force upon another person under circumstances specified in subdivision one unless: (a) The actor reasonably believes that such other person is using or about to use deadly physical force. Even in such case, however, the actor may not use deadly physical force if he or she knows that with complete personal safety, to oneself and others he or she may avoid the necessity of so doing by retreating …”

Those three words are important just like “may issue” is under § 400.00. I previously asked NRA about this and the (paraphrased) response was New York already has some of the best self-defense laws. It’s not a “Castle Doctrine” as the wording is different and there is no clause about lawsuits by criminals against their intended victims, but from a practical standpoint it’s not an issue.

Congress isn’t listening to Bloomberg

On: April 9, 2012 By: admin

Once again, Mayor Bloomberg is trying to make political hay out of some police shootings in order to advance his private sale prohibition bill and the Daily News is happy to assist with two stories: “Mayor Bloomberg: Washington needs to stop cowering before the gun lobby” and “Police Commissioner Ray Kelly fights the good fight in New York City’s long war against guns“:

“… Every one of the criminals who has shot at our police officers possessed his gun illegally. Every one. And make no mistake: It will happen again — and again — until those in Washington stop cowering before the gun lobby. Across the country, more than 80% of gun owners support simple fixes to the background check system that would help stop the flow of guns to criminals. The ideologues who run the gun lobby don’t want us to know that, but it’s true. Americans of both parties support common-sense steps that would save lives and protect our police. But the gun lobby doesn’t, and it has scared Washington silent …”

Not true. Congress is working on the issue in the form of the national reciprocity bill. Mayor Mike is just upset they’re not even paying lip service to his agenda. And why should they? MAIG and the rest of the gun control groups are largely just astroturf and Congress knows that.

“… “There is no easy solution to this problem,” [Police Commissioner Raymond] Kelly said Sunday, “absent a comprehensive anti-gun strategy throughout the country, as opposed to a pro-gun strategy. In New York, we have every law we need on the books. The problem isn’t this state, it’s all the other ones.” …”

If gun laws in other states are the problem, then why don’t those other states have similar problems to New York City? If criminals have “easy” access to guns in North Carolina and Virginia, why do they come back up to NYC to ply their trade? Why not stay down there? I’ve never seen any media mouthpiece ask a question like that before to either Bloomberg or Kelly.

The sound of silence

On: April 4, 2012 By: admin

It’s been several days since CoBIS was scrapped and there hasn’t been so much as a peep out of any of the antigun groups over it. While CoBIS was an undeniable policy disaster, what is important is that a Democrat Governor, not known for being our friend, of a deeply red state publicly admitted a gun control law was a failure and repealed it:

“… “We are ending a program that doesn’t solve crimes or make our streets safe,’’ said Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto …”

This is not an insignificant admission. It’s a major hit to the antigunners agenda, especially to their latest scheme, microstamping. It is going to have ramifications across the country.

CoBIS is dead

On: March 30, 2012March 30, 2012 By: admin

CoBIS is dead! The Governor just signed the bill.

The end of CoBIS

On: March 30, 2012March 30, 2012 By: admin

The legislature just passed budget bill A-9055D/S-6255D which includes abolishing CoBIS. I expect Governor Cuomo will sign the bill shortly and it will go into effect immediately.

This is a big win for the home team. I cannot recall when (if ever) New York ever scrapped one of its gun control laws before.