Major Illinois Prohibitionist Arrested: Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his
chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested Tuesday for what U.S. Atty.
Patrick Fitzgerald called a "political corruption crime spree" that
included attempts to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by
President-elect Barack Obama... The arrests dealt a tumultuous blow to
Illinois government, at once raising questions about the leadership of
the state and the fate of the open Senate seat--which the governor alone
has the power to fill under the state law... ("Blago." A former
Congressman, used that office and his current office to try to push
Chicago-style infringements on the rest of the state and the rest of the
nation.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-rod-blagojevich-1209,0,7997804.story
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/10/illinois-governor-charged-with-bribery/
Scandal Casts Cloud Over Big Brother: ...Authorities stressed that Mr.
Obama was not involved in the far-flung corruption probe, but a 76-page
FBI affidavit mentions a top Obama adviser who will be a senior White
House staffer, a prominent labor union that worked for his candidacy,
convicted felon and former Obama fundraiser Tony Rezko, and
Washington-based consultants... Within hours, lawmakers from both
parties were calling for Mr. Blagojevich's resignation and Republicans
were trying to exploit the scandal by demanding that Mr. Obama offer
more details about his relationship with the disgraced governor...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/10/scandal-casts-cloud-over-obama-presidency/
What Did Big Brother Know...: The corruption arrest of Gov. Rod
Blagojevich is raising questions about what Sen. Barack Obama knew of
the Illinois Democrat's alleged activities, including his apparent offer
to appoint Obama's preferred candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate in
return for "private sector" help from Obama...
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83223
Big Brother Plays Duck and Cover: President-elect Barack Obama did his
best to distance himself from the spectacular public drama playing out
in his home town yesterday, refusing to talk about the indictment of
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich during his only public appearance outside
his Chicago transition offices. Federal prosecutors said flatly that
there is no evidence of involvement by the president-elect in
allegations that Blagojevich (D) attempted to sell Obama's vacant Senate
seat to the highest bidder. But the conspiracy allegedly dreamed up by
Blagojevich was an unwelcome development in Obama's transition to power,
threatening something Obama has avoided throughout his career - the
taint of Chicago politics...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120903058.html?hpid=topnews
---
The Ammunition Accountability Threat: Legislation to trace ammunition is
pending in several states, and many gun owners are concerned that it is
just another attempt by anti-gun groups to violate citizens' Second
Amendment rights. An organization known as Ammunition Accountability is
pushing to make coding technology mandatory across the nation. Its
website claims it is a group of "gun crime victims, industry
representatives, law enforcement, public officials, public policy
experts, and more" who are "saving lives one bullet at a time." ...
(This legislation was killed in committee in Arizona.)
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83210
---
Virgina Commission Defers Gun-Show Recommendation: The Virginia State
Crime Commission put off a decision on whether to recommend legislation
closing the so-called gun show loophole Tuesday, but promised to do so
before the General Assembly convenes in January. Victims and family
members of those injured or killed by a student gunman last year at
Virginia Tech pleaded with the commission to support closing the
loophole, in which private sellers at gun shows are not required to do
the background checks on buyers that commercial dealers must provide.
Others, most carrying weapons, asked members not to confuse the issue
with the tragedy at Virginia Tech because gunman Seung-Hui Cho did not
buy the two firearms he used to kill 32 others and himself from a gun
show...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/10/crime-commission-puts-off-issue-of-gun-show-sales/
---
Meanwhile, in Minnesota...: ...The Brady Law has proven effective - but
has a loophole, one that allows anyone to purchase weapons from
unlicensed sellers at gun shows and other venues. Some states have
closed the so-called "gun show loophole," but Minnesota is among the
states that hasn't... A national law to close the gun show loophole
wouldn't change anything for law-abiding citizens who purchase guns for
hunting, recreation or self-protection... (This new mantra about
law-abiding gun owners ignores the large numbers of people whose
purchases were blocked by NICS due to "false positives.")
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/80049/
---
Surge in Florida CWFL's: Right now, more than a half million people in
Florida have a concealed weapons permit. That's a 50% jump from three
years ago, according to the Department of Agriculture. More than 23,000
of those people are in Jacksonville. People you wouldn't even expect to
carry guns now feel like they have to. We spoke to two Beaches
businessmen, who rallied their friends, and got all of their permits
together. Marshall Reddy said, "I don't know if the permit makes me feel
safer or not. I think it makes me feel a little more comfortable about
what I can and can't do. But do I feel safer? Not necessarily." Just
because you have a license to carry a weapon, doesn't mean you have a
license to use it. The law states they can only be used in self defense...
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95707&catid=8
---
And in Oregon...: More Oregonians will get concealed weapons permits in
2008 than in any year since tallies began in 2000. The Oregon State
Police say sheriffs reported 115,600 permits for the first 11 months of
2008, with estimates of another 10,000 expected in December. The total
for 2007 was 97,227 permits, the highest previous annual number. To
obtain a concealed weapons permit, a person must complete a current
handgun safety course or show proof of completing police or military
handgun safety training. Fingerprints, a criminal records check and
letters from two references are also needed.
http://kdrv.com/page/70237
---
Oops, Wrong House, Arkansas Version: Police in northeast Arkansas say a
Trumann man looking for his wife after an argument went to the wrong
home and was shot to death by the homeowner when he tried to force his
way inside. Trumann police say Saturday's shooting death of 34-year-old
Todd Short appears to be a justifiable homicide. Police Chief Larry
Blagg says Short apparently got into an argument with his wife, and that
she went to a family friend's home. According to police, Todd Short went
to a nearby home - thinking that's where his wife was staying - and
tried to force his way inside. The homeowner, Jimmy Hand, then fatally
shot Short with a shotgun. Police say the two homes were "cookie cutter"
and that both had similar cars in the driveway...
http://www.wxvt.com/Global/story.asp?S=9475506&nav=menu1344_2
---
Oops, Wrong House, California Version: ...At approximately 11:30 p.m. on
Nov. 10, Mike Nicholson III, 24, knocked on the door of William Six's
residence on De Los Angeles Road. Six answered the door and found
Nicholson standing there with a 10-inch knife. Nicholson told Six to
give him the keys to his best truck and reportedly said, "I'm robbing
you," according to a release from the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office.
Six balked and closed the front door. Concerned Nicholson was going to
remain outside his residence or steal one of his vehicles, Six retrieved
a firearm. Six confronted Nicholson at the bottom of his driveway and
ordered Nicholson to the ground. Six told deputies Nicholson sat down
for a short time, but became belligerent. According to Six, Nicholson
said he did not have to remain at the scene and started to get up off
the ground. Six responded by firing a warning shot into the ground. That
seemed to do the trick, as Six was able to hold Nicholson at gunpoint
until Deputy Jim Moser arrived to take Nicholson into custody... (At
least the warning shot was fired into the ground, not into the air.)
http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=251104
---
Oops, Wrong House, Florida Version: ...Melissa Galarza, of 817 Bradford
Circle, answered a knock on her door Thursday evening, and two white
males charged into the home and demanded "the money," a Lynn Haven
officer wrote in an incident report. One of the men punched Galarza in
the face twice and knocked her to the floor. The men covered her mouth
to keep her from screaming and kept demanding the money, reports said.
While on the floor, Galarza remembered she had a gun within reach on the
bottom shelf of her coffee table. She drew the weapon, and the two men
backed off before charging at her again. Galarza said she fired in
self-defense, and the men fled her home together, report said...
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/andrews_13313___article.html/haven_lynn.html
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
