Posted on 01/18/2002 12:52:46 PM PST by gnarledmaw
January 17, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact: senator Dave Zien, (608) 266-7511
Baumgart, Doyle Propose Gun Ban
Pump Shotguns and Most Other Firearms Banned
Virtually every gun used to hunt in Wisconsin would be illegal to use under a bill authored by Senator Jim Baumgart at the request Attorney General Jim Doyle.
The supposed terrorism legislation would outlaw the use of any pump, lever or bolt action rifle or shotgun as well as any revolver or semi-automatic firearm for hunting, self-defense or target practice. In fact, only single-shot firearms, less than one-percent of all firearms, could be used by anyone except law enforcement and the military. Anyone using a firearm that holds more than one bullet or even owning a single bullet would be guilty of a Felony.
"If Baumgart and Doyle get their way, every hunter in Wisconsin would be an instant criminal, facing prison and a lifetime loss of voting rights," said state Senator Dave Zien (R-Wheaton). "Reloading your own shotgun shells could send you to prison for 15-years."
Rather than ban firearms outright, Doyle and Baumgart ban all types of ammunition by defining the bullet as both a "destructive device" and an "explosive," the gunpowder as an "explosive" and even the tiny primer that ignites every bullet is specifically called a "detonator."
Owning, possessing or using any of these items would be a felony offense, unless the citizens could prove they were only for use in "firearms that are designed to shoot no more than one shot without manual reloading" (i.e. single shot firearms).
"Can you imagine a Wisconsin elected official outlawing the use every pump shotgun and labeling every duck hunter a terrorist?" asked Zien. "Maybe the Attorney General should concentrate on the real terrorists and leave law-abiding gun owners alone."
The bill even goes as far as allowing photographs of a person with banned material to be used as evidence of a crime.
" This will make the picture of a hunter with her Remington 870 and a trophy buck evidence of terrorist activity," said Zien.
In 1998, Wisconsin voters amended the state Constitution to protect the right of law-abiding citizens to posses and use firearms. Because the Constitution prevents Doyle from banning the gun, the only way he can deny hunters the use of their guns is to ban the ammunition.
"It is no wonder people are cynical about their government," said Zien, author of Wisconsin's Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
"When the attorney charged with upholding our Constitution deliberately tries to thwart that Constitution and deny the will of the people, it gives all public servants a bad name."
Information on the Attorney General¹s website describing the points of Doyle¹s "Anti-Terrorism Legislative Package" mentions nothing about the gun ban provisions. Zien noted the information distributed to legislators also mentioned nothing about the bans. Doyle can only propose the language to legislators. The legislative author (Baumgart) takes whatever he chooses from Doyle's draft and introduces his own bill. Baumgart likewise mentions nothing about the bans in his memo to legislators asking them to join as cosponsors of his bill.
No more purchases of any kind of product from Wisconsin; no more chain saws; no more lawn care products; no tractors; no trailers; no aluminum products; etc. No traveling to nor through Wisconsin.
Gee how I am going to not like surrendering my Milwaukee tools, drill, SawZall, etc.
Tsk. Tsk.
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