Mike
Site Co-Founder
imported post
REMINDER: The Virginia Citizens Defense League’s “Bloomberg-Gun-Giveway” celebration will be held at the League’s regular membership meeting at 8PM on Thursday, 17 May at the Mason Government Center in Fairfax County, VA, located at 6507 Columbia Pike, Anandale, VA 22003; for directions, call 703-256-8035. For more information, see http://www.vcdl.org, scroll down.
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Va. Warns NYC to Stop Gun Store Stings
TINY URL: http://tinyurl.com/yt39hy
RICHMOND, May 9 -- Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell is warning New York to stop, by the summer, sending private agents into Virginia to look for illegal gun sales, saying that the agents could face legal action. Because of a Virginia law that goes into effect in July, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R) and his agents could be charged with a felony if they continue to target Virginia gun dealers with undercover sting operations, McDonnell said. McDonnell (R) has sent Bloomberg what amounts to a cease-and-desist letter. "This was a courtesy letter to the mayor to advise him about a change in Virginia law of which he should be aware," McDonnell said Wednesday. Bloomberg's spokesman, Jason Post, did not seem shaken: "We wish Attorney General McDonnell was as aggressive in enforcing the laws that prevent illegal guns from getting in the hands of criminals as he was in enforcing the laws that protect the gun lobby." . . . Richard Gardiner, the store's attorney, says his client has "no connection" to New York's gun violence. He also accuses the investigators of tricking his clients into making the sale.
"If anything, these dealers are the victims," Gardiner said.
Gun rights groups are also furious, and this spring they persuaded the Republican-controlled General Assembly to intervene. The House and Senate overwhelmingly approved a law that says Virginia or federal law enforcement officials have to be present before such stings can be conducted. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) signed the law in March.
"This new law strikes the proper balance between ensuring proper law enforcement and protecting the rights of law-abiding firearms dealers and those of Virginia citizens under the Second Amendment," McDonnell, a possible Republican candidate for governor in 2009, wrote to Bloomberg.
Mike Stollenwerk, a member of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, praised McDonnell's letter, saying he put "Bloomberg on notice."
The league has also been holding a series of "Bloomberg Gun Giveaways" to support the dealers' legal expenses.
Next week, at Fairfax County's Mason Government Center, "a handgun, a long gun, lots of ammunition, and other prizes will be awarded" as part of a drawing, according to a statement from Stollenwerk.
. . .
FULL URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/09/AR2007050902573.html
REMINDER: The Virginia Citizens Defense League’s “Bloomberg-Gun-Giveway” celebration will be held at the League’s regular membership meeting at 8PM on Thursday, 17 May at the Mason Government Center in Fairfax County, VA, located at 6507 Columbia Pike, Anandale, VA 22003; for directions, call 703-256-8035. For more information, see http://www.vcdl.org, scroll down.
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Va. Warns NYC to Stop Gun Store Stings
TINY URL: http://tinyurl.com/yt39hy
RICHMOND, May 9 -- Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell is warning New York to stop, by the summer, sending private agents into Virginia to look for illegal gun sales, saying that the agents could face legal action. Because of a Virginia law that goes into effect in July, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R) and his agents could be charged with a felony if they continue to target Virginia gun dealers with undercover sting operations, McDonnell said. McDonnell (R) has sent Bloomberg what amounts to a cease-and-desist letter. "This was a courtesy letter to the mayor to advise him about a change in Virginia law of which he should be aware," McDonnell said Wednesday. Bloomberg's spokesman, Jason Post, did not seem shaken: "We wish Attorney General McDonnell was as aggressive in enforcing the laws that prevent illegal guns from getting in the hands of criminals as he was in enforcing the laws that protect the gun lobby." . . . Richard Gardiner, the store's attorney, says his client has "no connection" to New York's gun violence. He also accuses the investigators of tricking his clients into making the sale.
"If anything, these dealers are the victims," Gardiner said.
Gun rights groups are also furious, and this spring they persuaded the Republican-controlled General Assembly to intervene. The House and Senate overwhelmingly approved a law that says Virginia or federal law enforcement officials have to be present before such stings can be conducted. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) signed the law in March.
"This new law strikes the proper balance between ensuring proper law enforcement and protecting the rights of law-abiding firearms dealers and those of Virginia citizens under the Second Amendment," McDonnell, a possible Republican candidate for governor in 2009, wrote to Bloomberg.
Mike Stollenwerk, a member of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, praised McDonnell's letter, saying he put "Bloomberg on notice."
The league has also been holding a series of "Bloomberg Gun Giveaways" to support the dealers' legal expenses.
Next week, at Fairfax County's Mason Government Center, "a handgun, a long gun, lots of ammunition, and other prizes will be awarded" as part of a drawing, according to a statement from Stollenwerk.
. . .
FULL URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/09/AR2007050902573.html