Mayor Mike on Meet the Press this morning:
We both support the 2nd Amendment
Legislative Report #15
Legislative Report #15 is now online.
Buerkle goes after Holder
Ann Marie Buerkle goes after Eric Holder in the latest Fast and Furious hearings in Congress.
Press release, “Buerkle to Holder: “How many more Border Patrol Agents would have had to die as part of Operation Fast and Furious for you to take responsibility?”“Buerkle to Holder: “How many more Border Patrol Agents would have had to die as part of Operation Fast and Furious for you to take responsibility?”
MAIG Super Bowl ad
A MAIG ad will air during the Super Bowl featuring Mayor Mike and Mayor Mumbles. According to the Daily News, the topic will be:
“… fixing the nation’s broken background check system that allows criminals and dangerous people to buy guns illegally …”
Nobody is going to pay attention to this.
Who is paying for this?
The National Gun Victims Action Council is trying to organize a boycott of Starbucks due to the company’s refusal to prohibit open carry of firearms in states where it is legal. The counter-protest supporting Starbucks looks to be going a whole lot better than the boycott. It doesn’t appear NGVAC has much support.
That prompts Days of Our Trailers to ask a good question: Who is paying for this ad on the Times Square jumbo-tron?
Their corporate information is not on GuideStar, but given the NGVAC board is made up with prominent antis out of the Chicago area, I suspect NGVAC is just another money funnel for Joyce and other leftist foundations. Given the lack of public support for their ideology, the antis have to keep reinventing themselves (remember Americans for Gun Safety and American Hunters & Shooters?) to keep their issue fresh. I’ll make an educated guess and say that is who is funding this latest assault upon the 2A. If it is some other person/group I’d like to know who it is.
GOP candidates should put something on the table
The latest Florida polling shows Mitt Romney in the top spot, 9 points over Newt Gingrich.
In Dick Morris’ lunchtime video today he opines that if Romney wins Florida it’s pretty much over for the others. From a delegate standpoint that may be true, but given the way the race has shaped up so far I can see the other candidates hanging around through March.
No matter what he does, Romney just can’t seem to seal the deal. I don’t know anyone who is really excited about him, certainly not gun owners. The NRA’s “All In!” campaign to oust Obama is going to fall flat unless the candidates make a serious pitch to gun owners. Doing that, I think, will have to involve more than just vague assurances of better SCOTUS nominees. Something real good needs to be put on the table.
Redistricting proposal
Proposed redistricting maps are now available for the Assembly and State Senate. Nothing for Congress yet. I’m waiting to see if they screw Carolyn McCarthy over and combine her district with either CD-3 and/or CD-5.
Assembly budget analysis
The Assembly “yellow book” analysis of the Governor’s proposed budget has been posted. It is interesting that it assumes repealing CoBIS would give only a $200,000 savings.
Page 31 in the PDF:
… Combined Ballistic Identification System (CoBIS): The Executive proposes to repeal the requirement that the State maintain its own independent digital database of the marking of gun casings registered in New York. Rather, the Executive proposes to invest in local labs so they can participate in the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) …
Page 73:
… Repeal the requirement for a pistol and revolver ballistic identification database, known as CoBIS. This part would repeal the requirement that the Division of State Police maintain the Combined Ballistic Identification System (CoBIS), an automated electronic databank containing data and other ballistic information relevant to the identification of shell casings and to the pistols or revolvers from which such casings were discharged. This part would also repeal the requirement that manufacturers include a ballistic sample with any pistol or revolver shipped into the state of New York and that firearms dealers submit such sample to the State Police for inclusion in CoBIS …
Page 116:
… The Executive recommends Article VII legislation that would: … repeal the requirement that the state maintain its own independent pistol and revolver ballistic identification database, the Combined Ballistic Identification System …
Page 151:
… The Executive proposes repeal of the requirement that the state maintain its existing independent pistol and revolver ballistic identification database, the Combined Ballistic Identification System (CoBIS). Instead, the Executive would invest $200,000 in savings associated with the repeal of CoBIS to support local and state law enforcement use of the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network …
Page 152:
… The Executive recommends Article VII legislation that would: … repeal the requirement that the state maintain its independent pistol and revolver ballistic identification database …
Reciprocity bill introduced
Brian Kolb introduced a reciprocity bill to the Assembly, A-9086. I am expecting the Democrats to introduce their own version sometime.