Anti-Gun Judge Approves Bloomberg Lawsuit: A federal judge on Wednesday
kept alive a lawsuit accusing Georgia gun dealers of illegally selling
firearms that end up being used in crimes in New York City. In a 99-page
ruling, U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein in Brooklyn said he found
ample evidence the gun dealers "have been responsible for the funneling
into New York of large quantities of handguns used by local criminals to
terrorize significant portions of the city's population." (Weinstein has
a lengthy history of supporting litigation against the firearm industry.)
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2007/08/15/gun_0816_web.html
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Misinformation From New Jersey: Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who
has been among the leaders in a nationwide effort to release federal gun
trace data to local officials, applauded today an agreement between the
state and federal governments that allows Trenton to access that
data...It is unclear how this affects the federal Tiahrt Amendment, a
provision in federal law that prohibits the ATF from sharing certain
kinds of gun trace data with local governments and police departments.
(The Tiahrt amendment does not prohibit sharing data to investigate
specific crimes; it prohibits sharing bulk data that some cities seek to
use to sue the firearm industry.)
http://www.nj.com/hudsoncountynow/index.ssf/2007/08/healy_applauds_gun_data_sharin.html
---
Number Of FFL's Plummets Since 1994: Tougher laws and stricter
enforcement cost nearly 200,000 U.S. gun dealers their licenses since
the mid-1990s, a new study shows. Led by remarkably sharp declines in
states including California, Florida and Washington, the number of
federally licensed firearms dealers fell 79 percent nationwide since
1994. In that year, Congress adopted new gun-control measures that still
spark fiery debate. (In January 1994, Ron Noble, Undersecretary of the
Treasury for Enforcement, was the keynote speaker at the closing banquet
of the now-defunct American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers. He used
most of his time to tout the new Clinton Administration drive to reduce
the number of FFL's. Virtually all of the cops in the room sat there
with arms crossed, rather than applaud, at the conclusion of his speech.)
http://www.topix.net/content/kri/2007/08/firearms-number-of-gun-sellers-plummets-since-1994
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Pennsylvania Town Council Stalls On Gun-Ban Ordinance: Firearms
advocates returned to Peters Township Council for a second meeting in a
row on Aug. 13. After a public outcry July 23, council placed a stay on
an ordinance that had not yet taken effect which would have prohibited
possession of firearms in township parks and buildings. Council is
expected to decide whether to repeal or enforce the ordinance at a
future date. On Aug. 13, Judy Brown, Pennsylvania coordinator of the
Second Amendment Sisters and an Upper St. Clair resident, asked council
what they were planning to do with the ordinance that is currently in limbo.
http://www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08_15_PT_gun_advocates2007_08_15T01_46_34
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A Look At CCW In California: A liberal political consultant ostensibly
provides some historical insights into California's arbitrary system of
CWP issuance. (There is ample room to question some of his assertions,
such as shifting all blame to the Republicans and his inaccurate
characterization of San Diego County policy. No mention is made of The
Los Angeles Times campaign to drive San Diego County's Sheriff Duffy
from office for issuing CWP's at a much higher rate than the
contemporaneous sheriffs in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.)
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/08/arbitrary_natur.html
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Clerk Cleared In Fatal Shooting Of Robber: A gas station clerk acted in
self-defense when he fatally shot a robber and will not be charged,
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said
today...Zappala said Crawford had already pulled a gun at two other
businesses that night before he confronted Wetzel.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_522318.html
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Which Rules Were Violated - Some Answers: ...According to those familiar
with the incident, Gustafson was showing his Police Department-issued
semiautomatic pistol after removing the clip that stores the rounds. He
explained that there are ways an officer can disable a weapon in close
proximity to keep it from being fired. It apparently was part of a
demonstration of the department's "weapons retention" procedures.
However, there was still a bullet in the chamber. Gustafson pointed the
weapon at his neck and pulled the trigger, shooting himself, according
to authorities.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/15/BA9ERIE64.DTL
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Yeah, Right: Apparently Yahoo News has pulled a photo of an Iraqi woman
showing "two bullets which she says hit her house following an early
coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr
City." The problem is that the woman is holding intact, unfired
cartridges. (Perhaps if more journalists knew something about firearms,
they would not be so easily duped.)
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/08/hhhmmmsomething.html
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NRA Offers Troops Free Membership: Active-duty military personnel are
eligible for a free one-year membership in the National Rifle
Association. A one-year membership typically costs $35. This offer will
run indefinitely, said Zach Price, workplace giving coordinator for the
NRA Office of Advancement. It is also open to Guard and Reserve members
who have been called to active duty.
http://endthewaronguns.blogspot.com/2007/08/nra-offers-troops-free-one-year_15.html
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
