Posted on 07/18/2005 8:35:44 AM PDT by Columbus Dawg
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The National Rifle Association announced Monday that it would not hold its 2007 national convention in Columbus as planned.
The announcement came one week after City Council passed an assault weapons ban, NBC 4's Kyle Anderson reported.
NRA officials said the group would return once the state legislature enacts a pre-emption that would overturn the Columbus ban, Anderson reported.
Local convention officials said the three-day convention would have brought 60,000 people and $15 million to the local economy.
The officials had hoped the speculation would not prove true, and as of late last week said it had not heard anything from the NRA, Anderson reported.
Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.
Way to go City Hall.
Here's hoping the NRA goes to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, or Indianapolis just to stick it to Columbus.
Isn't that the same Mayor who wouldn't go after the school principal at the school where the special ed girl was raped?
Now running for Governor?
The NRA is welcome to come back to Houston with any type of gun that goes BANG, BOOM, THUMP, THUD, BASH.
Here is the only way to save the NRA Convention in Columbus. For some reason, I don't see Taft signing this at all.
Lawmaker aims to stop cities from restricting gun ownership
Monday, July 18, 2005
Jim Siegel
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The lead sponsor of Ohio’s concealed-weapons law is crafting legislation that would prohibit cities from enacting their own gun laws, and restrict media access to gun-permit records.
The provisions are among a number of "loopholes" in Ohio’s gun laws that still need to be addressed, said Rep. James Aslanides, a Coshocton Republican.
The bill, which he expects to introduce within the next month, would ban cities from enacting laws like the one the Columbus City Council passed last week banning assaultweapon sales. It also would clarify that cities cannot ban guns from parks or other places not designated as gun-free zones under state law.
"State law would have to be the only standard," Aslanides said. "It stops municipalities from abusing ordinances so as to restrict gun ownership."
The Columbus city councilman who spearheaded the assault-weapons ban said cities should decide their gun laws.
"This would be another example of the state not caring enough about the safety of citizens when it comes to guns," Councilman Michael C. Mentel said.
Under the city’s new law, guns defined as assault weapons can no longer be sold in the city after Aug. 11. Residents who already own one must register it with the city Department of Public Safety. They have 90 days from when Mayor Michael B. Coleman signed the bill last week to register the firearm or face a firstdegree misdemeanor charge.
Such laws take away Second Amendment rights, Aslanides said.
"It’s a slippery slope that, from a public perception standpoint, isn’t needed," he said.
But stopping Ohio cities from passing gun laws is difficult, because home-rule provisions in the state constitution give local officials certain governing rights, said John Mahoney, deputy director of the Ohio Municipal League.
Generally, if the state doesn’t regulate something, local governments are allowed to pass laws to fill in the gaps, he said, as long as they don’t conflict with state laws.
"The state can’t just say, ‘We’re going to regulate it, you guys don’t touch it,’ " Mahoney said.
The situation is similar to one in February 2002, when Gov. Bob Taft signed a law regulating predatory lending that also prohibited local governments from enacting their own laws. Mahoney said a court case challenging that law is still active in Cleveland.
More than 6,200 central Ohioans obtained licenses in the first year of the concealedcarry law, according to lists compiled through mid-March. Attorney General Jim Petro’s office said 51,998 Ohioans had registered through the end of April. Supporters and state officials originally estimated the number would be around 100,000.
Aslanides’ bill could face the same hurdles that for years delayed passage of the current concealed-carry law — opposition from Taft and some sectors of law enforcement.
In particular, Aslanides wants to alter two provisions that Taft insisted upon before he would agree to sign the bill: That journalists be allowed access to county lists of those obtaining concealed-carry permits, and strict guidelines on how guns must be carried in vehicles.
Under the current law, the public cannot see who holds a permit but journalists can get the names of all concealedcarry permit holders in a particular county. Gun advocates were angered when newspapers published the lists.
Those advocates argue that making permits public discourages people from obtaining them, puts people at risk by letting criminals know who has a gun and goes against the intent of the law to allow people to carry guns in secret.
"We have to find a way to keep people from being victimized by having their names put in the paper," said Chad Baus, spokesman for Ohioans for Concealed Carry.
But the media’s watchdog role is eliminated if lawmakers close off a process that must ensure that permit recipients get proper training and criminal background checks, said Frank Deaner, executive director of the Ohio Newspaper Association.
Aslanides said his proposal would enable reporters to ask if specific individuals have obtained a permit, rather than providing them entire county lists.
That, Deaner said, is not enough.
"There has to be some way for us to look inside the system, especially since the system destroys so many records after the permit is issued," he said. "I am not aware of any instances where there was harm from the release of the lists."
The governor remains strongly supportive of the current permit access, Taft spokesman Mark Rickel said.
In the past, Petro has supported more access to permits.
"I think the limitation to have these records available only to journalists is unduly restrictive," he said in January 2004. "I think it should be open records, like anything else."
Kim Norris, spokeswoman for Petro, said this week that he hopes a balance can be struck between open records and the privacy needed to keep people safe.
Aslanides said he also wants to eliminate the requirement that a gun be in "plain sight" if a permit-holder in a vehicle is stopped by law enforcement.
Officers can have different interpretations of "plain sight," he said, and it also can lead to unsafe situations if the driver is required to move the gun so the officer can see it. Aslanides wants to remove the plain sight requirement from law, but still require a driver to tell an officer if he or she has a gun in the car.
But changing requirements involving guns in vehicles runs into potential opposition from Taft and from the State Highway Patrol.
During years of gun-law debates, Taft repeatedly said he would not sign a bill if it was opposed by law enforcement. The Highway Patrol’s demands for restrictions on guns in vehicles held up the bill before a compromise was reached in December 2003.
Lt. Rick Zwayer, spokesman for the Highway Patrol, said the agency has not taken an official position on the forthcoming bill. But the agency doesn’t see a need to change the current law, and he disagrees there has been trouble interpreting it.
"It has proven so far to be safe for passengers in the vehicle and the officers who are performing traffic stops on a daily basis," he said. "The law is safe as it is."
If they want to keep it in Ohio....Toledo!!
Yes it is.
Hence, the nicknames related to Manhood. That comes from his infamous Glenn Beck interview.
I was personally hoping for a place around Columbus, like Delaware County. Unfortunately, I don't think there is a facility large enough.
Actions have consequences. For Colombus, this is only money. That is just the beginning of the real cost.
Ping
NRA bump! Good for them!
I hope it's somewhere close to where I'm at. I've never been to an NRA convention and was irked that I missed Pittsburgh's.
Near me would be good!
I wish the NRA would come to Wisconsin. We have lots of gunowners here.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA................!!!!!!
They never learn.
FYI.
Don't the communists pretty well run Toledo? I'd be surprised if they don't already have something similar.
This whole thing stinks. Mayor Coleman and the idiots on the City Council know that the upswing in crime has nothing to do with assault weapons.
The people who are committing all the crimes here aren't using assault weapons so it's just stupid liberal dimwits and their feel good policy's that are going to cost Columbus $15 million dollars.
But there is one good side to all of this. It gives Republicans a good weapon to fight against Coleman when he runs for Gov. Just remind everyone of the $15 million dollars he cost this city.
The part of this bill that grants media access to the list of concealed-permit holders but bars the general public from having access seems unconstitutional.
I took the course, Law and the Media, years ago but I remember there was a Supreme Court ruling regarding the media's right to inspect prisons and talk to prisoners in a prison in New Mexico, I believe. The Supreme Court held that the media has no right superior to the general public for increased access to public records and access to government facilities.
http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/Releases.aspx?ID=6130
Comments from NRA EVP Wayne LaPierre: City Council Drives Freedom and NRA Out of Columbus
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Comments from NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre
Two months ago, I was pleased to announce that the National Rifle Association chose the great city of Columbus to host our 136th annual meetings and exhibits in May of 2007.
Today I’m here to announce that the convention is cancelled. The NRA is not coming to Columbus in 2007.
The convention is canceled because last week your city council voted unanimously to revoke the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens in Columbus by banning perfectly legal firearms.
Councilman Michael Mentel led the gun ban. He said the NRA “isn’t going to dictate the policies of this city.” But Michael Mentel certainly wants to dictate the policies of the U.S. Constitution for the people of Columbus.
Michael Mentel and your city council have embarrassed this great city in the eyes of the nation. By declaring that citizens who live inside its city limits have less freedom than people outside its city limits.
So, thanks to the Columbus City Council, sixty-five thousand people will not be coming to your wonderful Greater Columbus Convention Center in 2007.
Hundreds of exhibitors won’t fill your grand halls with the latest in guns, hunting and outdoor gear.
Even though half the U.S. population lives within 550 miles of Columbus, they won’t be packing their families to come spend money with your hotels, motels, restaurants, airlines, cabs, buses, retailers or attractions.
The only thing the city council can expect out of their decision is the gratitude of those businesses in the city we go to instead.
Thanks to your Columbus City Council, at least twenty million dollars of new tourist revenue will not boost the economy of Columbus in 2007.
You’d think a city council would do their homework. You know — find out if their gun-ban scheme worked anywhere else before they turn good citizens into criminals overnight.
The U.S. Congress already tried this exact same gun ban. Nationwide. For ten straight years. That’s enough time to learn if it works, right?
It was such a miserable failure that after ten years they called it off last September. And since they ended the gun ban, crime has gone down!
But your city council thinks they’re smarter than the U.S. Congress, and didn’t learn a thing from that failure.
Your city council didn’t learn that semiautomatic guns are not assault weapons. They are not machine guns.
They didn’t learn that semiautomatics are not high-powered, they can’t spray bullets, and they’re not used in 99% of all gun crime.
Your city council didn’t learn that their ban includes guns owned by thousands of honest Columbus hunters and sportsmen — who won’t react well.
And your city council didn’t learn how voters react to politicians who abuse their Second Amendment freedoms — like Al Gore, John Kerry and Tom Daschle.
Finally … this is an unnecessary loss and embarrassment for the people of Columbus. It’s also proof for state lawmakers that it’s time to protect lawful gun owners by making firearm laws uniform across Ohio. So that radical rogue agencies like this city council can’t create a confusing and dangerous patchwork of firearms laws.
The NRA is going to work with the people of Columbus and the Ohio Legislature to pass state preemption legislation and restore freedom to the people of Columbus.
When the Ohio Legislature enacts preemption, freedom will be restored to the people of Columbus.
And when freedom comes back to Columbus, we will come back to Columbus.
Thank you.
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