News of the day

On: By: admin

The state legislature will return to Albany, again, for more budget follies.  Not sure exactly when they will be back.  I don’t think guns will be on the agenda.

Senator Joe Griffo wants to make the pistol license information private.  The Times Union argues that would be a bad idea.

Rick Lazio continues to implode:

“… Genesee County Republican leaders endorsed Buffalo real estate developer Carl Paladino for governor Wednesday as someone who can “turn things around” in a state plagued by budget woes, high taxes and a seeming lack of governmental response in Albany …”

The Brady Campaign endorsed Kirsten Gillibrand’s campaign:

“… “We want the people of New York to know that we enthusiastically support Senator Gillibrand’s campaign for the U.S. Senate,” Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign said in a release emailed by her campaign …”

Cerberus Capital Management, which bought out Remington and other gun makers, has not made much money on the deals as of yet according to Businessweek.

Taxpayers party

On: By: admin

It appears the Paladino people  have obtained enough signatures to create a “Taxpayers” party line ensuring that one way or another Carl Paladino will be on the November ballot.  Right now I don’t believe Paladino has enough support to take the GOP line from Rick Lazio, but Lazio has nowhere to go but down.  People do not like him and his support among the GOP has been faltering.  I can see him losing next month.

Getting back to the “Taxpayers” ticket:

“… The line, known as the “Taxpayers” party, is aimed at ending the supremacy of the venerable Conservative Party, which has been a must-have line for any successful statewide Republican in New York for decades … [Michael] Long dismissed Paladino’s campaign aimed at ending the party’s influence. “I think that’s a very sad commentary on a person if he really believes in the future of New York,” he said. “The Conservative Party is not an overnight party. We’ve been around 48 years.” …”

Knocking out the CP would be a blessing.  They have long (pun intended) since abandoned principles, especially on the Second Amendment.  That isn’t sitting well with all CP members as Erie Co. chairman Ralph Lorgio is challenging Lazio for that line too, although he does not have the money Paladino has at his disposal.

Ball v. Murphy

On: By: admin

One of the hotter primaries Greg Ball v. Mary-Beth Murphy in SD-40.

Kagan confirmed

On: By: admin

Elena Kagan was easily confirmed to SCOTUS by a 63-37 vote.

Schumer, of course, argued that Kagan is “well within the judicial mainstream.” The Brady Bunch was more honest with their opinion of her:

“… With Ms. Kagan’s background as an advisor and legal counselor to former President Clinton, and her experience as the dean of Harvard Law School, the Supreme Court is welcoming a justice who will respect judicial precedent and one who recognizes that reasonable gun regulations can save lives …”

This Fox News report describes what is at stake:

“… Over the next decade, the Court is likely to decide another three or four gun-rights cases tracing the broad contours of this right, such as whether you can exercise this right outside your home, what sorts of guns are protected by this right, and how high of a bar legislatures must overcome to enact gun-control laws …”

This probably will include all or part of the Sullivan Act.

In recess

On: By: admin

The Senate finally finished up the up the state budget and has left town.  It is possible one or both houses will come back later in the year, but the session is pretty much over.  With the legislature in recess, microstamping dies.  It will probably be back next year, but Eric Schneiderman won’t.

Kagan’s confirmation

On: By: admin

The Senate will likely confirm Elena Kagan as SCOTUS Justice this week.  NRA doesn’t like it, but despite claims by some people that they are not putting their full weight into opposing her, I don’t think that is the case.  The membership has been notified of their opposition and encouraged to contact their Senators, they have run television and print advertisements urging Senators to vote no, and they have said the confirmation vote will be considered when incumbent grades and endorsements are made this fall.  What else are people expecting them to do?

The sad fact is the NRA is in all likelihood going to lose on this.  I do not believe they have the ability to stop Kagan’s confirmation.

Schneiderman’s manifesto

On: By: admin

Eric Schneiderman has released his manifesto outlining what his priorities as State Attorney General would be.  On page 21 we have this:

“Form an I-95 Anti-Gun Smuggling Coalition: As Attorney General, Eric will employ high-tech, multi-state strategies to fight illegal guns and gangs to protect our schools, streets and communities from violence. Over 90 percent of illegal guns seized in New York City originated in states with lax gun control laws, particularly states along Interstate 95. New York cannot solve this problem alone.  We must implement a new regional, interstate and multi-state approach to illegal gun trafficking. Using the Organized Crime Task Force, Eric will lead an “I-95″ coalition of state Attorneys General, and state and local law enforcement agencies, to share and track data on gun crimes and Schneiderman Attorney General Agenda | Criminal Justice gun sales between states. With the OCTF, sharing intelligence with other states and working jointly on trafficking cases, state and local agencies together will attack the flow of illegal guns at the source.  In addition, Eric will deploy the sophisticated tools of OCTF within New York State to stop the movement of illegal guns across county lines. He will aggressively use wiretaps and physical surveillance to track the gangs that arm their members with illegal firearms, often in support of their narcotics trade.”

NYC Legislative Report #2

On: By: admin

NYC Legislative Report #2 is now available.

Mayor Mike is still pushing his carrying while intoxicated idea.

Change you can’t believe in

On: By: admin

The Times Union reports, “Lazio shakes up campaign“:

“Faced with a low bank account and a well-financed challenger, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio is replacing his campaign manager with an adviser to the Republican State Committee … He thanked exiting campaign manager Kevin Fullington “for a successful convention and his long hours and hard work to ready this campaign for the final push.” Fullington joins Lazio’s “executive committee,” composed of people working for the campaign. Matt Walter, Fullington’s replacement, served as executive director for the state GOP under former chairman Joe Mondello …”

Playing musical chairs with party hacks does not address the core problem of Lazio’s campaign, which is Lazio himself.

Not only is he facing Carl Paladino in a GOP primary, he’s facing Ralph Lorgio for the Conservative line.  Lorgio, like Paladino, is trying to making an issue of Lazio’s support for gun control.