By Anna Liz Nichols, Associated Press
A state panel on Monday banned the open carry of guns in Michigan’s Capitol, a week after an armed mob rioted in the U.S. Capitol and following a plot last year to storm the statehouse.
Moves to ban weapons at the statehouse have been pushed since April, when protesters opposed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19 restrictions, some armed with long rifles and other weapons, entered the Michigan Capitol demanding to be allowed onto the floor of a legislative chamber that was closed to the public.
The Michigan State Capitol Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the Capitol, had been reluctant to issue rules for firearms, but it shifted course Monday and issued the order to ban the open carrying of weapons.
A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, who previously said the commission shouldn’t be responsible for creating weapons policies, said last week that he would support an open carry ban after violence erupted at the U.S. Capitol by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters.
Some of the anti-government extremists accused in a plot to kidnap Whitmer had carried guns at lockdown protests at the Capitol last spring. Prosecutors say the accused ringleader initially talked of recruiting 200 men to storm the building, take hostages and “execute tyrants.” A secondary plan involved locking exits and setting the statehouse on fire, according to court documents.
Democratic legislators want the policy to ban all firearms, not just open carry.
Sen. Dayna Polehanki has pushed an effort to ban all firearms from the Capitol by introducing legislation last year that died in session. The Livonia Democrat said Monday before the panel vote that an open carry ban does not go far enough and will lead to a false sense of security for those who work at and visit the Capitol.
“Bullets are bullets,” she said no matter what kind of gun a person brings.
“There is no reason any gun belongs in the Capitol, it’s absurd, the world thinks it’s absurd,” Polehanki said. “It sickens me that this is even being considered as a viable action.”
SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE,,, !!!
“After US Capitol Siege, Michigan Legislature Bans Open Carry Inside the State Capitol”
Ooooh, “bans”…
“Bullets are bullets,” she said no matter what kind of gun a person brings.
“There is no reason any gun belongs in the Capitol, it’s absurd, the world thinks it’s absurd,” Polehanki said. “It sickens me that this is even being considered as a viable action.”
———————-
So the State and Capitol Police will be disarming…?
I have no problem with this. I totally support surrounding any capital building with armed peacefully civilians.
I suggest that everyone bring an airhorn. And use it. For those people from Tennessee, they know exactly what I’m talking about. And that “horn” protest was very successful, in defeating the proposed state income tax. Tens of thousands blowing horns all at the same time.
The psychological effect was devastating. It was much more effective than a hand full of liberals beating on their little drums.
The sound echoing off the buildings in downtown Nashville was overwhelming.
You can still reach out and touch the eardrums of your lawmakers.
Love how this one-sided blog mentions Democrats but fails to mention the word “Repulican” when the REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEADER caved and is allowing the commission to ban firearms in capital building. Does anyone trust this web site anymore? Or is everyone here ok with being fed half-truths and lies.
Looks like this article came from the associated press so it isn’t really ttag’s views anyway.
I am happy to blame both Democrats and Republicans for their failings, so thanks for pointing this out.
Here in Florida the Republicans are against open carry in general, and won’t even allow that, except some old rule pertaining to fishing and camping. So we won’t be open carrying in the Capitol either.
No open Carry in South Carolina either. Just my opinion, but I’ve never heard anyone making an argument for it here. Maybe just the circles I travel in. Maybe it’s regional or cultural, other factors? I dunno.
Manse Jolly,
Open carry can be a regional thing. Open carry can also be First Amendment expression — especially at rallies at state capitol buildings.
Additionally, consider the — shall we say “thought provoking”? — dimension which open carry imparts onto legislators. Your constituents with long guns slung over their shoulders and standing in the legislature gallery overseeing the house/senate floor is an incredibly stark reminder that our government only governs with the consent of the governed.
“Open carry can also be First Amendment expression…”
Well, if a dildo in a holster is a “political statement” then…. I’d say you’re right.
Nah, fuck that. A gun in a holster is obviously “hate speech” and not protected. Because reasons.
Did you know that in Palm Beach County you can only make a private sale of a firearm to an individual that possesses a valid CCW permit? All private sales to non-CCW holders must go through a FFL holder. It is a country ordinance.
TheUnspoken: you are correct, it was taken directly from the AP. I stand corrected.
I don’t see how banning open carry accomplishes anything which would not be accomplished by simply banning crime. OH! Except for inconveniencing honest citizens.
Really I would not expect most state capitols would be allowing armed protestors inside, and was surprised they did allow it before….but really if people were showing up to forcibly take over the capitol do you think having a law to ban openly carrying a firearm is going to stop them. Good thing the British didn’t pass a law banning armed protest.
Well, they did try. Attempting to forcibly confiscate the colonies’ powder and shot is what touched off the revolution.
Shirkey shirking.
Next they’ll come with hands out for donations to ‘stop the Democrats.’
Really? Have you had your head under your pillow for the past year? My email and my phone texts have been BURIED under demands for money to “stop the Dems” for well over a year now.
Because doing so has worked so well for schools.
This proves that the Government is afraid of an armed population. This is the reason for the 2nd. Excuse me while I write to my state legislatures.
And when you are done writing to your state legislators, make sure you add the date of the next Second Amendment March to your calendar! (And request vacation time in advance.)
“There is no reason any gun belongs in the Capitol, it’s absurd, the world thinks it’s absurd,”
Does that include the guns carried by cops? Somehow I doubt it…
I agree, you should not take guns to the capitol unless you are there to repossess it when no political solution is possible.
Texsun57,
I beg to differ: constituents standing above the state house and senate floors in the gallery with long guns slung over their shoulders is a stark reminder that those legislators only govern with the consent of the governed (as I stated above).
And yet you wonder why we can’t have nice things. The morons really screwed it for everyone last Wednesday.
How so?
Not like it’s the first time people have gone in. Comparatively Wed. was sorta lame…Selfies! vs bombs and shooting.
Heck, People tried to break into SCOTUS this year, but they were the Left kind of people sooo that’s ok.
But the Right kind of people will not step into the temple, the holies of holies is off limits to those scum. Instant death penalty and much smiting.
last part is /s
Last Wednesday the damage or lack thereof matters not . It was was the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the wrong way and nothing will change that. The morons on Wednesday unilaterally surrendered the Moral High Ground and this will have consequences for years to come.
The results are already happening, will get worse and will not be effectively opposed because idiots gift wrapped the excuse. Another Dylann Roof moment.
Ranger Rick,
Really? First of all, do we know for certain that Trump supporters, rather than agent provocateurs, injured Capitol police and damaged the Capitol building? Second of all, what exactly is an effective alternative response to state and federal governments which now openly and blatantly violate their respective laws and constitutions?
“..this will have consequences for years to come…..”
GOOD!
I, for one, want the Left/Progressive/bought… to be afraid. I saw a couple of pictures as some cowered behind furniture…I want them to remember that and most of all..
I want them to overreact in a huge, huge way.
Drop the hammer, put the boot on everyone’s neck, shoot the non-complying fly-over peasants Do It! I dare them.
The smarter ones have realized that what the witch Pelosi is doing will not yield the results she seeks.
She and her Marxist ilk will only bring more people to the cause of Freedom.
Ranger Rick, you are absolutely correct.
Many claim that the smashing of windows and battering down of entry doors was done by BLM and or antifa, no Trump supporters involved.
Then why didn’t the so-called patriotic Trump supporters immediately join forces with the capital police to repel these terrible thugs and invaders?
Why didn’t the so-called patriotic Trump supporters immediately stop the vandalism and damage?
No, this was a violent insurrection by a mob of Trump supporters whipped into a frenzy by trumps rally. Trump used the word fight 20 times, then directed the mob to the United States Capitol where a joint session of Congress was being held, conducting election deliberations as the United States Constitution mandates.
During his rant, Trump told his supporters that he would march with them, but of course he was lying. He immediately went back into the White House, into his safe space because he knew it was going to get ugly, that was his plan.
And by the way, your new Republican representative may have a serious problem, during the assault she was clearly communicating target directions to the insurrectionists with specific details as to the location of the speaker of the house of representatives.
Giving that sort of aid directly to the insurrectionists moves her legal exposure from sedition directly to treason.
So it’s a siege now? FFS…
You’re right. Let’s call it what it was: An armed insurrection fomented by President Donald J.Trump.
Armed insurrection? We must be looking at diferent fotos and videos. I didn’t see any guns except for law enforcement.
Are you lying to aid your fellow insurrectionists or are you just willfully ignorant?
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/13-arrested-5-weapons-recovered-at-u-s-capitol-riot/amp/
And what is your position on 70 year old Lonnie Coffman from rural Alabama and his dozen mason jars full of homemade napalm?
Yes sir, that makes for a real peaceful protest by Trump supporters.
“Napalm, it sticks to kids!”
His name, state of residence and age do not make him a Trump supporter. What makes you think he is?
Well, his grandson and his ex-wife both say he is a Trump supporter.
Do you have evidence to the contrary you’re willing to share with the group?
“Lonnie Leroy Coffman is from Alabama, United States. Here are 13 more things about him:
He lives in Falkville, Morgan County, Alabama. (a)
He is a big supporter of Donald Trump, according to his former wife. (b)
He previously lived in other areas of Alabama including Cullman County. (c)
He has no criminal history in Cullman County. (d)
The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office found no pistol permit records for him. (d)
On January 6, 2021, he was one of the supporters of Trump who breached the U.S. Capitol building and disrupted a joint session of Congress to certify the vote of the Electoral College and affirm Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. He carried a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and a 22-caliber derringer style handgun (a)
He travelled from Alabama to Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021 via his red pickup truck with Alabama tags. (a)
After the riot in the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol Police bomb squad members found in his truck one black handgun, one M4 Carbine assault rifle along with rifle magazines loaded with ammunition and components for the construction of 11 Molotov Cocktails in the form of mason jars filled with ignitable substances, rags and lighters. He was arrested when he returned to the truck. (a)
Neither the firearms recovered from him or his pickup truck nor the destructive devices found in his vehicle on January 6, 2021 were registered to him. (e)
He was 70 years old when he was arrested on January 6, 2021. (a) His mugshot has yet to be released.
On January 8, 2021, he was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a destructive device, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. (a)
His grandson Brandon Coffman described him as a Republican who had expressed admiration for Trump at holiday gatherings. (f)
His detention hearing is scheduled on January 12, 2021. (a)“
Nobody in the kerfuffle at the capitol building was armed. Except the police of course. A couple of nutjobs on the fringes somewhere in DC does not an insurrection make.
You are astoundingly gullible if you truly believe anything like an armed insurrection happened.
Michigonians.. time to ignore this ban and put in work.
Ranger Rick and Miner 49er ask the right questions and draw the correct conclusions.
The look over here it was antifa/blm someone not us is a fantasy, but then believing trump requires believing a lot of utterly untruths (aka lies) like the election was stolen…
Fact is, anyone who supports the insurrectionists either before, during or after the fact, is guilty of providing aid and comfort to the enemy and therefore liable for treason charges.
And the double standard was on full display at the capital Wednesday:
“As I approached ALBERTS from his rear, I noticed a bulge on ALBERTS’ right hip. Based on my training and experience, I recognized the bulge was consistent with that of a hand gun. … ALBERTS was also wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying a backpack. At that point, I told two MPD officers next to him that ALBERTS had a firearm on his person. ALBERTS, apparently hearing that, immediately tried to flee, but I was able to detain him with the help of two other officers. A black Taurus G2C 9mm (Serial#AAL085515) was recovered from D-1’s right hip. Additionally, a separate magazine was located on D-1’s left hip. Both the gun and the spare magazine were in held in two separate holsters. The handgun had one round in the chamber with a twelve round capacity magazine filled with twelve rounds; the spare magazine also had a twelve round capacity and was filled with twelve rounds. MPD Officers also seized a gas-mask from the defendant’s person as well as the defendant’s backpack containing a pocket- knife, one packaged military meal-ready to eat (MRE), and one first-aid medical kit.“
So this armed insurrectionist attempted to flee the police officers who were detaining him.
“ALBERTS, apparently hearing that, immediately tried to flee, but I was able to detain him with the help of two other officers.”
Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times as he walked away from the police.
Alberts was armed, and also attempted to flee the police, but he wasn’t shot seven times in the back.
White privilege, another benefit of being a trump terrorist committing violent insurrection against the United States government.
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK SO?????
What a poor article. SMH
1. The legislature didn’t do anything. A commission that doesn’t have rule making authority called the Capitol Commission made it up after the AG and governor whined about guns because we kept the legislature from doing anything.
2. The “rule” is so poorly written that CPL holders can still OC.
3. 2nd Amendment day happens every year and plenty of state reps carry openly on that day too. A pro-2A democrat brought his AR-15.
Such a fake news article that probably belongs on CNN, and so do some of the gun-butter commenters.