Monday, January 28, 2013

Virginia Could Soon Refuse to Enforce Federal Gun Control


With proponents of gun control emboldened and opponents of gun control embattled at the Federal level, it was probably only a matter of time before states started trying to flex their muscles over the question of any new regulations.
Last week, Wyoming fired the proverbial first shot. Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee followed soon. And now, the battle has spread to a state that President Obama himself carried: Virginia.
The Virginia Pilot reports the Virginia House of Delegates recently voted a bill out of committee that would effectively ban Virginia’s law enforcement community from enforcing any new regulations on gun rights by the Federal government.

Private Buyers Invade Seattle Gun Buyback, Offer Cash for Firearms That Would Otherwise Be Destroyed By Police

The Seattle Police Department held its first gun buyback event since the 1990s this weekend, offering people gift cards for their firearms. However, dozens of private buyers showed up in an effort to acquire the guns using the so-called gun show loophole, which allows guns to be sold without a background check.
Hundreds of people showed up Saturday morning to give their rifles and shotguns as well as semi-automatic rifles to police in exchange for gift cards worth $100 and $200 respectively, KING 5 reports. The police planned to destroy the guns and use them as rebar in local construction projects.
Meanwhile, a number of private buyers set up a makeshift gun show-style event and offered cold hard cash for guns and even lured customers with donuts.
“I pay cash, I don’t give Amazon gift cards,” one dealer told a gun seller.
“It’s a historical firearm, I would hate to see it get destroyed. I’ll give you $100 cash for it,” another buyer offered a gun owner.
Many held up signs that let gun owners know they would pay cash for unwanted firearms.


Police barred from Vermont gun range over proposed semi-automatic rifle ban 

The battle over the right to bear arms is flaring in Vermont, where a local gun range has moved to prohibit the Burlington Police Department from training at its facilities after the City Council voted to advance a measure banning semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines.
The leadership of the Lamoille Valley Fish and Game Club explained that it's "difficult" for the club to support the city -- even its officers -- given the actions of the council.
"We have members in Burlington as well as members of our club that are going to be passing through Burlington and this would directly affect them and we felt that a prejudicial vote like that was going to be non-supportive of our club and being non-supportive of our club makes it very difficult to support Burlington City," said Bob Boivin, chairman of the Lamoille Valley Fish and Game Club.
"It is a constitutional issue. I mean, it's not just a Second Amendment constitutional issue; but it's also a constitutional issue for Vermont. We have laws that have the state governing our gun controls in this area and they're looking to supersede those," he said.
 
Media Matters reportedly used illegal guns to protect organization's leader

The former Media Matters for America staffer in charge of guarding the group’s leader not only committed multiple felonies when he carried firearms across the country but did so with the organization’s blessing and money, according to a report in the The Daily Caller Monday.
Multiple guns were reportedly bought and used to protect liberal leader David Brock. They were purchased with member money and were green-lighted by the head of the group, according to an unnamed source.
The Daily Caller reports that Brock's assistant carried a concealed Glock handgun without the proper permit.


AZ Bill: Federal Ban on Semi-Autos Would Be Unenforceable in State 
Within days of opening its 51st Legislature, Arizona state lawmakers have begun considering HB 2291--a bill which declares any federal attempt to "ban or restrict ownership of a semi-automatic firearm... unenforceable" in the state.
Moreover, the bill also lists as "unenforceable" any federal ban on magazines for such weapons and categorizes any requirement for firearm registration as a non-starter as well.
As Wyoming, Texas, and Oklahoma have done, AZ H.B. 2291 threatens felony charges for federal gun grabbers who seek to enforce these measures. 
  
Obama: Congressional action on guns is needed
 President Obama reiterated his determination Monday to see Congress act to reduce gun violence.
"The only way that we're going to be able to do everything that needs to be done is with the cooperation of Congress," he said at the start of a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden and law enforcement officials from the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the Major County Sheriffs Association.
"That means passing serious laws that restrict the access and availability of assault weapons and magazine clips that aren't necessary for hunters and sportsmen, those responsible gun owners who are out there. It means that we are serious about universal background checks, it means that we take seriously issues of mental health and school safety," he said.

 

No comments: