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WaPo: Beretta starting to look at moving out of Maryland after gun-control push
Hotair ^ | 02/25/2013 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 02/25/2013 1:28:39 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Earlier today, I linked to a Christian Science Monitor report that the firearms industry had begun to organize in opposition to the recent push for increased gun control, but that the major manufacturers had not yet committed themselves. That situation has changed, reports the Washington Post, at least in Maryland, where Beretta makes it home --- at least for now. The company has begun considering a relocation of its headquarters to a state where its product hasn't been made illegal, and may take hundreds of jobs with them:

Beretta, the nearly 500-year-old family-owned company that made one of James Bond’s firearms, has already invested more than $1 million in the machine and has planned to expand its plant further in Prince George’s County to ramp up production.

But under an assault-weapons ban that advanced late last week in the Maryland General Assembly, experts say the gun would be illegal in the state where it is produced.

Now Beretta is weighing whether the rifle line, and perhaps the company itself, should stay in a place increasingly hostile toward its products. Its iconic 9mm pistol — carried by every U.S. soldier and scores of police departments — would also be banned with its high capacity, 13-bullet magazine.

“Why expand in a place where the people who built the gun couldn’t buy it?” said Jeffrey Reh, general counsel for Beretta.

On the line: at least 300 jobs in Maryland’s Prince George County. That’s enough to worry even Governor Martin O’Malley’s Democratic allies in the state legislature. The Post’s Aaron Davis gets the president of the state Senate, Thomas Miller, to admit that he’s “concerned” about a possible move to “places a lot more friendly to the company than this state.” In the lower chamber, the Democrat representing the district, Del. Joseph Vallario, told the Post that “we want to keep those jobs.” Vallario’s chairing the chamber’s Judiciary Committee, so he has some influence on that outcome, but so far the bill doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

Beretta general counsel Jeffrey Reh reminded the legislature that Beretta once moved a significant facility to Virginia the last time the state tried this, and that the next time might be the last:

“I think they thought we were bluffing” in the 1990s, Reh said. “But Berettas don’t bluff.”

For obvious reasons, Beretta would like to stay put. Moving any kind of business costs money, and manufacturing more than most, and the disruption to production will be considerable. Given the history of hostility toward guns and gun manufacturing by the state’s political class, though, it might end up being costlier to stay than to leave. Reh told the Post that the Italian owner recently visited the facility, and when briefed on the law, told Reh, “There always seems to be a problem with Maryland.”

No company will put up with that forever, and few would stay in a state where most of their product line couldn’t be sold.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: banglist; beretta; bluestates; exittax; guncontrol; hittheminthewallet; jobs; manufacturing; maryland; secondamendment; taxes; walletissue
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1 posted on 02/25/2013 1:28:48 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

come to Texas where you’d be appreciated


2 posted on 02/25/2013 1:30:43 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: GeronL

You’ll be appreciated more in Alabama. :)


3 posted on 02/25/2013 1:32:01 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Hope and Change has become Attack and Obfuscate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

MD better get working on their exit taxes.


4 posted on 02/25/2013 1:32:01 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: SeekAndFind

Open up a factory in Ashdod, and employ only American expatriates. You’ll never want for workers.


5 posted on 02/25/2013 1:36:29 PM PST by Eleutheria5 (End the occupation. Annex today.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Unfortunately state legislators that want stricter gun laws and bans don’t give a flying crap about jobs.


6 posted on 02/25/2013 1:36:42 PM PST by knife6375 (US Navy Veteran)
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To: gov_bean_ counter
Even more so here:


7 posted on 02/25/2013 1:37:12 PM PST by Hoodat ("As for God, His way is perfect" - Psalm 18:30)
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To: gov_bean_ counter
You’ll be appreciated more in Alabama. :)

...and we're already recruiting manufacturers - for the exact same reasoning: see this link.

8 posted on 02/25/2013 1:37:55 PM PST by alancarp (Obama will grab your guns and ship them to Mexican drug mobs.)
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To: alancarp

I saw that a couple of days ago. Thanks for the reminder.


9 posted on 02/25/2013 1:40:17 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Hope and Change has become Attack and Obfuscate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

300 jobs is nothing in their scheme of things. The Fed probably hires and fires that many in a day.


10 posted on 02/25/2013 1:40:49 PM PST by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: Hoodat

Lots of Right to Work options out there to be sure.


11 posted on 02/25/2013 1:41:07 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Hope and Change has become Attack and Obfuscate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Michigan is a great place to make firearms, come on over!!!!


12 posted on 02/25/2013 1:41:54 PM PST by exnavy (Fish or cut bait ...Got ammo, Godspeed!)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

I just sent a note to our Ag. commish: figured if he sent one letter, he’d probably be okay sending a second one!


13 posted on 02/25/2013 1:43:57 PM PST by alancarp (Obama will grab your guns and ship them to Mexican drug mobs.)
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To: alancarp

HA! Good job. :)


14 posted on 02/25/2013 1:45:11 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Hope and Change has become Attack and Obfuscate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

All Jill Biden needs is a double-barreled shotgun....and six or eight Secret Servicemen to keep her safe in MD 24/7.

Texas welcomes any and all gun manufacturers. Y’all come!


15 posted on 02/25/2013 1:47:50 PM PST by txrefugee
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To: SeekAndFind
Come to Kansas.

With our history of guns, gunfights, concealed carry-friendly towns, gun clubs, shooting sights, NRA and GOA members, soon to become tax-free on incomes.

We have lots of women who support guns and gun ownership, participate in fire arms proficiency contests.

We've already invited other gun manufacturers here to sample our fair state.

16 posted on 02/25/2013 1:49:07 PM PST by zerosix (Native sunflower)
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To: Eleutheria5

It’s difficult to import small arms into the USA of certain kinds. Basically the parts can be made abroad, but a certain amount of USA labor has to go into the process.

I work for a military contractor, and been told of the repeated issues trying to get the Tavor into the USA, despite massive demand.


17 posted on 02/25/2013 1:50:05 PM PST by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: exnavy

>>Michigan is a great place to make firearms, come on over!!!!

I thought they changed the name to Michiganistan?


18 posted on 02/25/2013 1:51:17 PM PST by Bryanw92 (Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

“You’ll be appreciated more in Alabama. :)”

I’ll bet Perry already has his flight booked to try to get them to move to Texas. Good luck, but if you want it, you gotta go get it.

GO TEXAS


19 posted on 02/25/2013 1:52:25 PM PST by cizinec ("Brother, your best friend ain't your Momma, it's the Field Artillery.")
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To: SeekAndFind

13 bullet magazine?

Does he really mean 15 round magazine?


20 posted on 02/25/2013 1:56:01 PM PST by yarddog (One shot one miss.)
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