Mayors Against Illegal Guns
-
- April
- 18
Two days after the massacre at Virginia Tech, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others in the coalition Mayors Against Illegal Guns moved forward with a new TV ad.
This one tagets the Tiahrt Amendment, under consideration by the House and introduced by Rep. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican from Kansas.
The current version does the following, according to the coalition:
 Prevents Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms from publishing reports that use trace data to analyze the flow of crime guns nationally.
 Limits local governments’ access to ATF trace data.
 Prevents law enforcement from accessing trace data outside its geographic jurisdiction.
 Generally prevents law enforcement agencies from sharing trace data with one another.
 Prevents trace data from being used as evidence in any state license revocation, civil lawsuit, or other administrative proceeding (unless filed by ATF).
The coalition has sued 27 out-of-state gun dealers for allegedly selling firearms illegally to undercover private investigators. Some are in Virginia, and in response the Virginia Citizens Defense League organized what it called a “Bloomberg Gun Giveway.�
The drawing is supposed to be tomorrow. We’ll see what happens.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 at 3:49 pm by Noreen O'Donnell.
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How about getting the facts right for a change, Noreen, instead of just regurgitating press-releases from those whose opinions you share?
Firearms Industry Responds to
Mayor Bloomberg’s Latest Anti-Gun Efforts
Sadly but not surprisingly, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has once again distorted the facts surrounding an important piece of legislation designed to protect law enforcement. The Tiahrt Amendment, while restricting access of firearms tracing data to the general public, does not, as Mayor Bloomberg contends, restrict law enforcement from either accessing or sharing the sensitive information.
The best argument for restricting public access of firearms tracing data is Mayor Bloomberg’s own conduct. Last spring the mayor had the New York City police department inappropriately obtain trace data for use in preparing a civil lawsuit. He turned the data over to private investigators who conducted so-called sting operations of out-of-state federally licensed firearms dealers. He did so without the knowledge of either ATF or his own police department. As a result, he interfered with as many as 18 ongoing criminal investigations, jeopardizing the lives of law enforcement officers, informants, witnesses and others.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated the mayor and his private detectives and admonished him in a strongly worded letter to his criminal justice coordinator. The DOJ warned the mayor that he would face “potential legal liabilities” if he did not stop his clandestine investigations immediately because such actions “jeopardize ongoing criminal investigations.” The response by Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler, stating that the city would not necessarily end these stings, was a stunning admission of Mayor Bloomberg’s true motives.
Protecting the integrity of criminal investigations and the lives of law enforcement officers and witnesses is precisely why the DOJ, ATF and law enforcement groups, such as the national Fraternal Order of Police, support restricting public access to this trace data.
When it authorized further restrictions on the access and use of gun trace data, Congress correctly understood that this information was a crime-fighting tool intended solely for use by law enforcement and that, in the wrong hands, it could be recklessly misused. Mayor Bloomberg’s misguided crusade underscores Congress’ wisdom in imposing these restrictions, which must be reauthorized.
Lawrence G. Keane
Senior Vice President
and General Counsel
The National Shooting Sports Foundation
http://www.nssf.org/news/PR_idx.cfm?PRloc=common/PR/&PR=041307.cfm