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Florida Law Enforcement Mislead & Push the Limit of the Law to Stop Open Carry Rights

StogieC

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Messages
745
Location
Florida
Florida Law Enforcement Mislead & Push the Limit of the Law to Stop Open Carry Rights

http://www.ammoland.com/2011/04/13/...the-limit-of-the-law-to-stop-open-carry-bill/

In fact, it appears that members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office may have violated the law in order to influence the committee members.

During his testimony, Captain Mike Fewless stated, “I actually stopped by every one of you guys’s [sic] office this morning (and) dropped off seven photographs of some biker outlaw gang guys that have carrying concealed firearm permits [sic]. Those are the ones we’re worried about carrying.”

Florida Statute 790.0601 expressly forbids the release of personally identifying information of a person who has applied for or who has received a license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm. The specific circumstances in which that information may be released are with the express written consent of the licensee, by a court order upon showing a good cause, or upon request of a law enforcement agency in connection with performance of lawful duties.

There is no exemption for release of identifying information by anyone for the purposes of furthering a political agenda.
 

StogieC

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Messages
745
Location
Florida
Florida Law Enforcement Officers Push the Limit to Stop Open Carry Rights Bill.

For Immediate Release – April 13, 2011

Florida Open Carry
(A grass roots community of over 6000 registered members.)
----------------------------------------------​

Florida Law Enforcement Officers Push the Limit to Stop Open Carry Rights Bill.
The main provision of Florida Senate Bill 234 would, for the first time since 1987, permit concealed weapon or firearm license holders to carry handguns openly. On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony regarding the bill.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Major Ken Davis told of a recent traffic stop of six Tampa Bay Outlaw motorcycle gang members. “Although the six Outlaws were certified gang members, and had histories of criminal arrests, most were also concealed carry permit [sic] holders”, he related.

According to Florida Statute, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services must suspend the licenses of those persons arrested or formally charged with a crime that would disqualify an individual for a license until final disposition of the case, and a licensee who is under an injunction that restrains them from committing acts of domestic violence or acts of repeat violence. Finally, the agency must revoke the license of a licensee who has been found guilty of, had adjudication of guilt withheld for, or had imposition of sentence suspended for one or more crimes of violence within the preceding three years.

One must conclude that Major Davis was either embellishing the facts surrounding the criminal arrests of the certified gang members in order to sway the committee, or his department was derelict in not reporting the disqualifying arrests to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for suspension of the licenses of those involved.

In fact, it appears that members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office may have violated the law in order to influence the committee members. During his testimony, Captain Mike Fewless stated,
“I actually stopped by every one of you guys’s [sic] office this morning (and) dropped off seven photographs of some biker outlaw gang guys that have carrying concealed firearm permits [sic]. Those are the ones we’re worried about carrying.”

Florida Statute 790.0601 expressly forbids the release of personally identifying information of a person who has applied for or who has received a license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm. The specific circumstances in which that information may be released are with the express written consent of the licensee, by a court order upon showing a good cause, or upon request of a law enforcement agency in connection with performance of lawful duties.

There is no exemption for release of identifying information by anyone for the purposes of furthering a political agenda.

Outright misrepresentation of fact appears to be a tactic our sheriffs are willing to utilize to defeat SB 234. Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson testified that open carry would be evident in the stands at next year’s Daytona 500 auto race. Conveniently, Sheriff Johnson omitted the fact that carry at a professional athletic event is a violation of existing statute, and Daytona International Speedway is a privately owned facility and has the statutory right to have anyone trespassed from the property for any reason, including carry of open or concealed firearms.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly in these times of fiscal austerity, were any public funds utilized to oppose the expansion of Second Amendment rights on behalf of the Florida Sheriffs Association? Although elected officials, like the sheriffs are exempt, statute forbids anyone else to be compensated for lobbying without being registered as a legislative branch lobbyist. This means that if any non-elected law enforcement officers were compensated for in any way, by any public or private entity, they very well may have been in violation of law. Were any publically owned vehicles used for travel? Did any of the officers use per diem allowance or stay overnight on the taxpayer dime? And how many were on the clock? But even if on their own dime, was it ethical to then wear their uniforms and, ironically, their firearms to the committee meeting?

It is apparent that member agencies of the Florida Sheriffs Association may be willing to embellish circumstances, bend the law, and intentionally misrepresent facts in order to influence the committee and the legislature at large in order to maintain their virtual monopoly on open carry. Ironic since in 1987, when shall-issue concealed carry was being debated, the same association stated they preferred open carry over concealed carry so their deputies would not have to guess at who was armed.

Florida Carry, Inc.
www.Open-Carry.org

About: Florida Open-Carry.org is a grass roots movement of Florida residents who endeavor to raise awareness in the community of our second amendment rights. Our primary goal is to help educate others about their right to legally open carry and advocate for repeal of the general ban on open carry in Florida. Florida is one of only seven states where open carry is generally illegal.
Join our Facebook group of over 2000 members at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133834343298930
Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/FL_Open_Carry/
Sign the Petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/FLOC2A/
 

ixtow

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,038
Location
Suwannee County, FL
I was waiting for one of the Fearless Leaders to catch that one.

Exactly what is a 'certified' gang member? Is this defined in Statute? Or is it an invention of the out of control LEOs we have here in Florida? Do you get a certificate in the mail to let you know you've been 'certified' as a Gang Member? Or do you get a gold star, you know, the kind you pin to your chest next to the "HCSO" emblem...

I'm getting my Gangs mixed up now, my bad...

I hope discovery of compensation was done BEFORE this press release. If not, all that evidence just disappeared...
 
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~*'Phoenix'*~

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
538
Location
Florida
Very nice. Who can we send this to? How can get involved in showing them they need to stay within the mandates of their legal duties, and stop playing law-bending lobbyist?
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
Why would 'outlaw' biker dudes get a permit?

Wouldn't that be an oxymoron: Outlaw w/a Permit? (sounds like a Dolf Lundgren movie).
 

Mas49.56

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
308
Location
Florida, USA
I wonder if news agencies and Internal Affairs would like to know about this illegal action on the part of the "gang in blue" members.
 

~*'Phoenix'*~

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
538
Location
Florida
I wonder if news agencies and Internal Affairs would like to know about this illegal action on the part of the "gang in blue" members.
Probably not as badly as they would like to see our OC attempt go down in flames :banghead::mad::banghead:
 

~*'Phoenix'*~

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
538
Location
Florida
Why would 'outlaw' biker dudes get a permit?

Wouldn't that be an oxymoron: Outlaw w/a Permit? (sounds like a Dolf Lundgren movie).

I guess it's "Outlaw" as in the name of the biker gang... But wouldn't they have a pretty hard time keeping a CWL anyway?
But if they could, wouldn't that be legal anyway?
 

77zach

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2007
Messages
2,913
Location
Marion County, FL
To serve and protect.

This should really give people some pause, because there are two possibilities concerning these high ranking LEO's.

1. They're functioning retarded persons

2. They want to be like little judge dreads on a power trip bossing every one around or they hate the freedom or some variation on the "only ones" theme. They want a police state.

This bill IS NOT controversial.


This would be like if New Jersey had a bill to legalize pumping your own gas and fire chiefs and fire marshalls all came to Trenton for a hearing and started saying gas stations would be blowing up everyday and children would burn to death. "Chief, why do 48 other states not have a problem with people pumping their own gas?"

"Senator, we spoke with fire marshalls in other states and they said it doesn't work."

This is beyond willful ignorance. They are lying anti-american filth. Period.
 
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ocholsteroc

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
1,317
Location
Virginia, Hampton Roads, NC 9 miles away
Final push for Florida open carry needs nationwide support!

Just trying to help! I found this in my FB messages. ;)




Open carriers - this is it - on Friday the last committee to hear the open carry rights restoration bill will decide the fate of open carru in Florida.

Your action is urgently needed - please execute the laert item below:

--
April 13, 2011

URGENT! SB 234 Press Release - E-mail request from Florida Open-Carry.org and Florida Carry, Inc.

Dear Friends,

Please review the press release included below. Senate Bill 234 will meet the Florida Senate Rules Committee on Friday, April 15 at 9:15 am. We request that you send this to the members of the committee.

Please copy and paste everything below into an e-mail to the committee members.
---------------------------------------

TO:

thrasher.john.web@flsenate.gov; alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov; bullard.larcenia.web@flsenate.gov; flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov; gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov; gardiner.andy.web@flsenate.gov; jones.dennis.web@flsenate.gov; margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov; negron.joe.web@flsenate.gov; richter.garrett.web@flsenate.gov; siplin.gary.web@flsenate.gov; smith.chris.web@flsenate.gov; wise.stephen.web@flsenate.gov

SUBJ: Support SB 234 – Don’t give in to the same forces that fought us in 1987

Dear Senator,

The Rules Committee, of which you are a member, will consider Senate Bill 234. This bill would restore the practice of open carry of firearms. The Florida Sheriffs Association has been lobbying heavily in opposition, citing misinformation and exaggeration. Please see the recent press release from Florida – Open-Carry.org

When you cast your vote on Friday, please consider the realities of open carry and do not give in to the emotional and misleading speculation designed to persuade you to make a bad decision. Please vote in favor of SB 234.

Respectfully yours,

<Insert only your name here>
 

StogieC

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Messages
745
Location
Florida
I see some FOIA requests being sent out in the very near future.

Already done.
I have the pictures. One of them was of a prospect holding up a Mongols rocker. The other pics were mugshots.
Waiting on info about who was on the clock and had travel reimbursements.
 
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rvrctyrngr

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
363
Location
SE of DiSOrDEr, ,
Already done.
I have the pictures. One of them was of a prospect holding up a Mongols rocker. The other pics were mugshots.
Waiting on info about who was on the clock and had travel reimbursements.

....and THAT is how you do THAT!

Nicely played, Sean. You should, like, start a 2A rights organization or somethin'. :lol:
 

77zach

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2007
Messages
2,913
Location
Marion County, FL
Already done.
I have the pictures. One of them was of a prospect holding up a Mongols rocker. The other pics were mugshots.
Waiting on info about who was on the clock and had travel reimbursements.

You the man!

Any word on how/if they're going to try and make "happy" both sides. (ie, kill OC)?
 
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