Posted on 04/21/2009 7:42:22 PM PDT by neverdem
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is at it again. Two years ago, mere weeks after the shootings at Virginia Tech, Mr. Bloomberg, who seems to think most gun violence originates in Virginia, authorized a rogue sting operation, sending teams of private investigators into the Old Dominion to set up “straw” purchases of firearms. He did this without informing any of the pertinent authorities of his intention, thus eliciting somewhat more than quizzical looks from Gov. Kaine and Attorney General Bob McDonnell.
Just this past week, Mr. Bloomberg took aim at Virginia yet again — and at Mr. McDonnell in particular. He and a group he has rather lavishly funded — Americans United for Safe Streets — released a TV ad advocating the elimination of the “gun-show loophole” and calling out Mr. McDonnell, now the presumptive GOP gubernatorial pick, for what we view as his support of Second Amendment rights.
The ad featured the brother of one of the 32 Virginia Tech victims, who, in no uncertain terms, accused Mr. McDonnell of protecting criminals rather than Virginia residents.
If this spot did not raise hackles, it should have. It’s time for the halogen spotlight of public attention to shine on these 30 seconds of misinformation.
For starters, any attempt to link the alleged “gun-show loophole” to the Virginia Tech tragedy is galactically specious. Seung-Hui Cho purchased the weapons he used legally, at a firearms store. The systemic crack, in this instance, was not an absence of a proper background check, but the failure of mental-health authorities to properly report Mr. Cho’s condition and status. This crack has since been filled, courtesy of Messrs. Kaine and McDonnell and the General Assembly.
Second, what Mr. Bloomberg seems eager to push is not the closure of any “loophole” — all registered dealers are obliged to run background checks for any buyers, even at gun shows — but rather governmental regulation of private firearm sales.
To his credit, Mr. McDonnell does not favor such an expansion of governmental reach into the affairs of law-abiding private citizens, and is explicit in saying so. The meddlesome Mr. Bloomberg is decidedly less forthcoming. This is not about gun shows, or the prevalence of Virginia firearms in the Big Apple — or even, for that matter, Virginia Tech. It’s all about regulation and control, and a contraction of Second Amendment rights.
Kaine’s sympathies are clearly with Bloomie, he could have charged the NYC mayor on a number of counts.
Interesting that Bloomberg is careful to target only the Republican McDonnell for his self-funded ads.
There he will discover that somebody who works for him has gotten him in a real mess regarding guns, gunshows, and someone's civil rights in Virginia regarding walking around with a holstered pistol.
Bloomberg, as rich as he is, may find it difficult to get out of our prison system.
Given Bloomberg's earlier violations of our laws regarding straw purchases, it's entirely probable that he'll be trying something else, equally against the law, and even the Democrat governor is going to let this go down as a lesson to others of his kind to not try it again.
And NYPD wonders why we won’t sell them any guns... Well fellas, here’s your answer.
Mike
Yes, Mr Bloomberg needs to mind his own beezwax!
I thought it said Bloomberg Targets Virgins, Nuns
It must be past my bedtime.
If easy access to guns in VA has caused such high crime in NY, why has it not caused as high a crime rate in VA?
Boycott NYC
Exactly. Mr. Bloomberg needs to be focusing on why his city is harboring a huge assortment of criminals who act like a powerful magnet to suck in guns from all over the United States.
This is very bizarre.
What a doofus. I wonder what stings people might like to try in New York? Virginia should hit’em back.
You’re aiming even higher than I was. I was just about to post a scenario of many of his straw purchasers getting arrested, making it difficult to for him to hire anyone else for his illegal out-of-state operations. But sending Bloomberg to prison for it... oooo, a tingle just went up my leg.
You just know that happened to a lot of other readers too.
That, and open carry laws definitely send a message.
He is a 4’11” midget jackass gun grabber Global Warming-panicked wacko.
It's about a cramdown of New York's statist, bossist, utterly graceless and unredeemed pigs-at-the-trough "cultchah" on the Old Dominion -- the final payoff of the Civil War.
Let's hope Virginia stands up for herself and waxes Bloomsquat's ass for him.
We gotcher gun control right heah, Bloomie!
“Americans United for Safe Streets”
That’s funny. I’m for safe streets too. I just think guns make this possible, whereas Bloomie thinks that criminals will just leave you alone if you don’t bother them.
“He is a 4’11” midget jackass gun grabber Global Warming-panicked wacko.”
And I would just love to know how many armed people are guarding him. It’s easy to be anti-gun when you are protected.
If Bloomie really believes all of this, he needs to give up ALL protection by people with guns.
Double speak Bull****
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