All about guns, legislation and politics in New York
Saturday’s Newsbits:
Jurisprudence:
Politics:
There’s a myth that judicial candidates can’t talk about issues while running for office. Case in point, “Judicial Candidates Contend For Nomination In Brooklyn Dems’ Community Forum“:
“… Frank Teah, Program Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, asked the candidates what judges can do to work with the community and law enforcement to curb gun violence and better Brooklyn. Candidate Bernard Graham pointed towards lobbying and advocating with lawmakers to end the flow of “Ghost Guns” into our communities (which are causing a major uptick in murders), with candidate Kenneth E. Gayle adding that we should “resist sensationalism and stick to the facts. Stick to the prescribed sentencing guidelines prescribed by the legislature and stick to the bench.” Other candidates demurred more towards community involvement beyond the bench as a solution to curb crime. “There’s part of being a judge that isn’t on the bench,” Betsy Jean Jacques said. “It’s talking with young people, meeting and explaining how the law works, and empowering people to be able to advocate for their communities.” …”
This is why 2A supporters (and the organizations which are supposed to represent them) need to screen judicial candidates and weed out obvious stinkers like Graham and Phil Steck.
According to the Times-Union, Assemblyman Phil Steck is considering running for state Supreme Court this fall:
“… Assemblyman Phil Steck of Colonie is among the candidates being discussed in Democratic circles as a possible selection at the party’s nomination convention later this summer. Albany County Democratic Committee members say Steck has shown interest in a state judgeship. Steck declined to comment when asked if he was interested in a spot on the bench. Steck’s seat was a major concern for Assembly Democrats this past election cycle as the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee spent more than $363,000 to boost his campaign, the most it spent on any candidate in the state …”
Steck is one of the worst antigunners in Albany. We don’t need him on the court. If he runs and looses he keeps his Assembly seat, but that is better than having him on the court.
Some of the electeds along with a mouthpiece from NYAGV held a rally (if you can even call it that) at the Capitol today:
Senator Hoylman said he would be pushing for his bill S-580, Makes community violence prevention services available, to the extent permitted by federal law, to any Medicaid beneficiary who has received medical treatment for an injury sustained as a result of an act of community violence and has been referred by a certified or licensed health care provider or social services provider to receive community violence prevention services from a qualified violence prevention professional.
Tuesday’s Newsbits:
At 11:30am today State Senators Zellnor Myrie, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Julia Salazar and Assemblyman Demond Meeks will join New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and other gun control advocates at a rally, Million Dollar Staircase, Third floor, State Capitol, Albany.
Elections:
Jurisprudence:
Legislation:
NRA:
Politics:
S-2284, Relates to manufacturers’ reporting the sale or distribution of firearms, is on the Senate Codes agenda for Monday @ 11:30am.
The bill itself seems pretty harmless, just requiring manufacturers report to DCJS the number of firearms they make and sell in a year. However, I suspect the true goal is to gather information that could be used for more junk liability actions against gun dealers and makers.
Some good news from the courts on gun rights.
5th Circuit Judge Cory Wilson determined a law banning people under domestic violence restraining orders from owning firearms was unconstitutional and a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled that a federal law prohibiting people who use marijuana from owning firearms is likewise unconstitutional. This are important as the rulings put 2A on par with other specifically enumerated rights which cannot denied without due process.
Bonus: New York Supreme Court ruled the state’s “red flag” law as unconstitutional in a specific case.