Just ahead of “Double Barrel” Joe Biden’s visit to the Constitution State, Dan Malloy has riled people on both sides of the ballistic fence. The Connecticut Governor has released his own slate of gun control measures, short-circuiting the work of a legislative “super committee.” “’It’s apparent to me that the legislature will not reach bipartisan consensus on this issue,’ the impatient potentate told the Journal Inquirer. “I’m always being accused of trying to play this outsized role. I’ve held back. It’s not working, and I will very shortly be speaking on this issue on a fairly comprehensive basis.” Surely the Veep’s planned visit today had nothing to do with the Gov jumping the gun. So what’s on his wish list? The usual civilian disarmament agenda—AND BEYOND! First up . . .
An expanded “assault weapons” ban (with registration), magazine capacity limits (10 rounds), universal background checks and a private sale registry. He’d also expand the list crimes that would make someone ineligible to own a firearm. Busted for smoking a joint in college? Kiss your gun rights goodbye.
The Governor would also like Connecticut to establish a pre-crime unit. Firearms dealers would be required to maintain electronic records of all firearm and ammunition sales “to better anticipate and respond to criminal activity.” And they’ll be “required to routinely transfer such information to law enforcement.”
And just so everyone knows who’s buying what, “By executive action, the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection will be required to regularly report to the Governor and General Assembly on such purchases.”
As you’d expect, the Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation isn’t pleased with Governor Malloy’s end run around the Assembly. They’ve released the following statement:
As the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry with a sizeable economic presence and workforce in Connecticut, we at the NSSF and our members based in the state will review Gov. Malloy’s proposals in detail. We certainly hope to have the opportunity to engage with him in a meaningful dialog to achieve real and effective solutions that will help to make Connecticut safer.
We are, however, troubled by the Governor’s apparent change in attitude and seeming impatience with the approach of the General Assembly’s bipartisan Gun Violence Task Force and even his own commission. We do not believe a rush to quick-fix legislation is likely to produce real public safety solutions, while it holds the clear potential to hurt good-paying manufacturing jobs in our state.
We applaud the General Assembly’s bi-partisan task force for working to fully evaluate all the issues and points of view, including that of our industry, in an effort to craft an effective public policy response. We hope the Governor will give the General Assembly the opportunity to get it right. We believe that is more important than achieving headlines in connection with Vice President Biden’s visit to Danbury today.
And so Connecticut’s Governor is priming the pump to drain law-abiding Americans’ supply of firearms. They’re joining New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island et al. in the rush to prevent spree killing and reduce “gun violence” by removing modern sporting rifles, handguns and standard capacity magazines from law-abiding Americans and curtailing the right to use whatever’s left. Good luck with that. Not.
[h/t Chris P.]