Townsend Denies Blame For Lapse Of Maryland Gun Checks

Townhal.com ^ | 10/17/02 | CNSnews

[antivenom]

Townsend Denies Blame For Lapse Of Maryland Gun

Checks (CNSNews.com) - Maryland's Democratic Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Thursday denied any responsibility for a decision that resulted in her state refusing to provide the FBI with criminal records of potential gun buyers.

The records are needed for the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which gun control advocates like Townsend support.

Townsend, a Democratic candidate for governor this year, accused U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) of "playing politics" with the issue of criminal background checks.

In a Wednesday press release, Sensenbrenner said Maryland was the only state that refused to provide criminal records - and that the refusal lasted almost six months earlier this year.

Sensenbrenner said he has requested a General Accounting Office audit to determine how Maryland officials spent the money that was supposed to have been designated to record keeping.

Townsend said she does not oversee the Maryland State Archives office, which provides the records and accused Republicans of trying to help her GOP opponent, Rep. Robert Ehrlich.

"They want to get the subject changed from what clearly people are upset about, which are Congressman Ehrlich's votes on assault weapons and Saturday night specials," Townsend said.

Paul Schurick, Ehrlich's spokesman, said Townsend has personally been in charge of crime control for eight years. She is responsible for these guns being sold. The archivist is not in charge of crime in Maryland."

[Cable225]

Townsend, a Democratic candidate for governor this year, accused U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) of "playing politics" with the issue of criminal background checks.

A Democrat accusing a Republican of "politicizing" an issue? Gosh, those nasty Republicans! Has anybody NOT figured out the talking points yet?

[Steely Tom]

I'm starting to get it.

Democrats can attack Republicans on the basis of their intentions but Republicans cannot attack Democrats on the basis of their results, because that would be playing politics.

(steely)

[Grut]

Yeah, but the 'pubbies are still wimping out on this. Where's the add attacking KKT for wanting more crime? Or the one asking her why she doesn't trust the very citizens she wants to vote for her?

[blau993]

I would like to know just what the hell this woman has been doing for the past eight years. She has denied responsibility for every decision made in the administration of which she was supposed to be such an integral part. Her mentor, the RAT Glendenning (from whom she is now running as fast as her own furry little paws will carry her), has described her as the most active Lieutenant Governor in Maryland's history. If she was so bloody active, just what does she take responsibility for?

[tracer]

I hope that this stake will be driven home. I cannot imagine seeing and hearing this harridan for four years. Not to mention the death knell she will bring to an already moribund state.....

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

I would like to know just what the hell this woman has been doing for the past eight years

Beautifully put!

As a Marylander, I can tell you that the Lt. Gov's position is almost entirely ceremonial; the office is vested with NO POWERS except those assigned by the Governor.

Little Miss Kennedy claims all sorts of great accomplishments as Lt. Gov.......until stories of corruption & mismanagement surface, in which case she suddenly turns into "Schultz" of "Hogan's Heros"

".....I......know.......noth.....ing....!"

[aristeides]

I wonder if the failure to conduct the background check is what enabled the sniper to get his weapon.

[aristeides]

I wonder if the missing federal money has been spent for political purposes by the Dems, as has been alleged about the money from the Department of Education. In both cases, KKT supposedly in charge.

[antivenom]

...MISSING federal money...and elections

B-I-N-G-O!!!!

[Freee-dame]

I wonder if the missing federal money has been spent for political purposes by the Dems

The state (read: taxpayers) did pay $1.5 million for the software alone to do ballistic fingerprinting on handguns. The cost of the employees to do it is an additional expense. Result after more than a year: 2 arrests, 0 convictions.

Elect a Dem. Watch the money float down the river of corruption.

[tgslTakoma]

PING!!

Another reason why KKT is bad for Maryland

[Donald Stone]

That would be most ironic wouldn't it.

[mr.sarcastic]

Result after more than a year: 2 arrests, 0 convictions.

Just when I thought I had heard it all, the Dems never fail to come up with ridiculous and asinine ways to waste our money.

[biss5577]

You know, I get so mad about all of this that my heart starts racing. I just hope that the independents of this state feel the same way so we can get these disgusting people out of Annapolis. Her nasty and rude tone when addressing Ehrlich at the "debate" hosted by Morgan State--just made me see red. Lies, lies, lies--are the majority of the people of Maryland really that ignorant to elect her? I hope not, but I am so nervous.

[Bob J]

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[blau993]

Take a deep breath. Settle your heart. Then write the biggest check you can afford to Bobby Ehrlich. He ain't great, but he's the only candidate we've got, and he has got to get the message out to the voters outside of Montgomery County, PG County and Baltimore (or as a Merliner would say it, MingrmeeCanny,PeeGeeCanny and Bawlmwr).

[ninenot]

Well, Wisconsin's about to elect a DemoRat Governor--the male version of a harridan--you may as well go down the tubes with Wisconsin. Misery loves company.

Of course, there's always the possibility of revolution!

[rllngrk33]

As a Merlin resident I still haven't seen or heard of a good reason to vote for KKT. All I've seen is attack ads telling me why not to vote for Erlich. Problem is that all the reasons they tell me not to vote for Erlich are the same reasons I'm going to vote for him!

FWIW I've seen more Erlich signs than KKT signs from the eastern shore to Bawlmer and PeeGeeCanny.(Hope springs eternal)

[maica]

The checks that the Archives were responsible for researching manually were those infractions that occurred prior to 1982. After that date all criminal record checks are by computer. The FBI said that about 400 requests had not been completed during the months in question.

This summer the Archives went from being open to the public 5 days a week to 4 days due to budget shortfalls, so it does not appear that they were getting the extra money that Congress had earmarked for this program.

BTW, on a Baltimore radio talk show, when KKT was challenged on gaping holes in her "budget plan", her answer in each instance was that money would be coming from the federal treasury (so it would not be Maryland taxpayers' money!)