Press release:
The Independent Democratic Conference called on members of the legislature to support a bill introduced by State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) [above] that will not only stop individuals on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s terror watch list or federal no-fly list from purchasing guns, but will empower New York State Police to confiscate firearms already owned by these individuals . . .
“No gun should ever wind up in the hand of a suspected terrorist in New York State and after the tragedies in San Bernadino and Paris we will remain vigilant and protect our citizens by disarming anyone who poses a threat to innocent people. It’s an outrage that anyone argues that terrorists deserve Second Amendment rights. We have the right to protect law-abiding New Yorkers who have already experienced terror first hand. I’m calling on lawmakers to support my legislation and take a stand against terror,” said State Senator Jeff Klein.
Klein’s legislation, the Deny Firearms to Dangerous Terrorists Act, was introduced in the State Senate on Friday. It amends the New York State SAFE Act by banning any person on the FBI’s terrorist screening database or federal no fly list from obtaining a New York State issued gun license.
The comprehensive bill also goes a step further by empowering New York State Police to confiscate firearms from suspected terrorists on either list, as well as revoke their license to carry the weapon, under the proposal. The bill provides notification to an individual in writing within 30 days of a gun license being revoked.
The Superintendent of the New York State Police, under this proposal, would sweep both databases once a year to ensure that all appropriate law enforcement agencies are notified and firearms are confiscated.
On Sunday, Governor Cuomo and US Senator Chuck Schumer announced that they planned to close the “terror gap,” by banning the sale of firearms to anyone on a federal terror watch list or no-fly list.
No federal law forbids the sharing of data between federal and state law enforcement agencies, and with a Presidential executive order the information can flow. Congressional gridlock on the issue necessitates passing the Deny Firearms to Dangerous Terrorists Act or similar legislation on a state-by-state basis.
Enacting this measure immediately sends a strong message to the federal government.
“Now, more than ever, it is vital that we take action. I join my IDC colleagues in urging President Obama to allow state access to the terrorist watch and no-fly lists, so that we can ensure that all New Yorkers are kept safe and protected from the threat of terror,” said State Senator David Valesky (D-Oneida).
“We must act quickly to pass this important legislation. While the federal government stagnates on gun control, the IDC is taking action. By passing this legislation immediately, New York State will send a message to our nation – we will not tolerate guns in the hands of suspected terrorists, while citizens are left at risk. This bill would not only ban the sale of firearms to individuals on the no-fly and terrorist watch lists, it would additionally empower the New York State Police to revoke the license of anyone on these lists, and confiscate their weapons. When it comes to protecting New Yorkers, we must be swift and thorough, and that is why I am joining my IDC colleagues in calling for the legislature to pass the Deny Firearms to Dangerous Terrorists Act,” said State Senator Diane Savino (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn).
“As inaction in Congress continues, it is now on us to enact commonsense laws that will protect law abiding New Yorkers from harm. Terrorists and anyone on the no-fly list must not only be restricted from legally acquiring firearms, but proper procedures must be in place to confiscate firearms should they fall into their hands. I join my fellow IDC members in support of the Deny Firearms to Dangerous Terrorists Act, and urge my colleagues in the legislature to pass this law,” said State Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland).
“Suspending a suspected terrorist’s ability to obtain and possess a firearm while they’re on the no-fly list is a common sense measure in the wake of worldwide terrorist attacks. There is a reason that these individuals have been barred from air travel and if the FBI feels that they are a potential liability, we should absolutely factor that assessment in regard to their ability to bear firearms. As elected officials, we are responsible for doing everything we can to keep our constituents safe and that starts by not allowing weapons to fall into the hands of terrorists,” said State Senator Tony Avella (D-Queens).
It won’t be long until the NRA membership list and the terrorist watch list are one and the same.
Holy crapola, Ralph! Don’t be giving them ideas!
So you think they haven’t already decided that? Then what is this whole “NRA is a terrorist organization” theme all about?
That’s the end game, brother. We are all terrorists now.
Well, sh!t.
I’ve always seen myself as more of a patriot & freedom fighter.
Good thing we have those elite overlords with their lily-white hands, lily-white consciences, and superior intellects to set us delusional peasants straight.
What’s the saying? One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter?
Why stop there? Add Republican Primary Voters, Tea Party Member List, ACLU list, delinquent child support and taxpayers, endless possibilities.
But why stop with depriving people of just gun rights? Hey, they could deprive people of their lives and ship them one way to the Work Makes You Free Camps.
If they could, they would.
And veterans…. we’ve been on the .gov’s shit-list for a long time.
CONFIRMED ; Spokesman for New Jersey State Police says ” We do have access to that data . ” ( No Fly Lists ) . It is well underway for 2 years now , only Crickets from N.R.A. ?
12 -11 – 2015 , Connecticut Daily Mirror .Com / politics / No Fly List.
“We must act quickly to pass this important legislation.” Yeah, like in the dead of night without knowing what is really in it. You know, if you want to know what’s in it you’ll have to pass it first. Because a real terrorist wouldn’t be able to build a bomb out the shit under his kitchen sink instead.
The telling statement, “Terrorists and anyone on the no-fly list must not only be restricted from legally acquiring firearms, but proper procedures must be in place to confiscate firearms should they fall into their hands.” They even admit you may be on the no fly list and not be a terrorist, but they don’t want to let you buy a gun and will take away what was legally purchased as well. Apparently though they only want to restrict you from “legally acquiring firearms”, any other way must be okay then.
Nobody stopped to think that if an actual terrorist is in the country, he can find out if he’s on that list real quick. Won’t even have to try buying an airline ticket, either. Just wait until the po-po comes around asking for any guns and he can explain he had some but lost them when his yacht sank off the Hamptons. Then wipe his hard drive with a hammer. Sure, great advance in the war on terror.
Their plan is to link these lists to firearm ownership in the name of closing the ‘terror gap’ (what absolute BS), and then immediately add anyone who wants to purchase, or already has a firearm to the list of ‘suspected terrorists’. Forget NRA members, Republicans or any of that stuff, the people added to the list will be anyone who has or wants a gun. Excepting of course the usual connected and rich elites, natch.
They may not plan to add everyone on day one, but add everyone is exactly what they plan.
This is a complete end run around the second amendment, period, full stop.
As a NY resident i am amazed yet again. The terrorist watch list is merely a list of those that are accused by an agency. I could swear that in america we don’t remove rights until after a conviction….you know, in a court. I vote to remove these accused people’s 4th and 1st amendment rights while we are at it. I mean they are soo dangerous afterall. Also, these people can’t have kids they are terrorists. Social services should take their kids. What if they work in a school? What if they are attorneys, can they practice law? This entire idea was written by someone, or a group of someone’s, who have no idea how to stop terrorism but have some first class ideas on how to strip RIGHTS from unconvinced people. Next, we just need to disband the courts and let the legislature decide who is innocent and who is not.
Eleven months until the election – get used to this crap!
This is grandstanding for votes, nothing more and nothing less, since the chance that any of this will pass Constitutional muster when inevitably brought to court as violations of Second, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights are extremely remote, unless Hillary wins and packs the SCOTUS with a Liberal majority.
Only problem I see is, SCOTUS is already refusing to hear gun rights cases for the present. I don’t have a lot of hope that the election is going to change things to the benefit of gun ownership.
I’m in hopes it spawns boat loads of law suits for this lack of due process.
Full on thought police in action. Wow.
The Independent Democratic Conference
WTF is an “Independent Democrat?” Is that like a flowery fart or something?
you can find them on isle 2, next to the canned unicorn, hens teeth and frog hair.
” empower New York State Police to confiscate firearms already owned by these individuals . . .”
You say you want a revolution…
You say you’ll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow
Excellent choice of (liberal) artist.
Touchė!
So if restricting the “suspected terrorists” from flying and purchasing firearms (purchasing does not equal “not getting”), what else can we ban them from?
An incomplete list:
Marriage
Procreation
Business ownership
Vehicle ownership
Loans
Home ownership
Right to worship
If we can’t trust them on planes or with guns then all this other stuff makes sense too, right? Reductio ad absurdum
New plan. We get these NY Dems and their families on the terrorist watch list. When their guns and their “no fly” status are not revoked, we point out their elitism, hypocrisy, and upper echelon cronyism as compared to us mere plebeians.
Imagine the look on their faces when they get raided in the middle of the night.
They say that they are doing this in the name of safety, to protect the innocent people. What about all the people who have already been killed or raped by people who weren’t allowed to own a gun? What about protecting them? What about their rights to be safe? I guess NY didn’t give a shit about them.
this was my thought exactly. If it is constitutionally permissible to seize firearms from suspected terrorists, and why is it not also permissible to search every residence of anyone who is a known gang member or gang associate? Gee, I bet if the authorities could get away with that, the crime rate in the Big Raspberry would plummet. Even if any arrests for illegal possession of firearms would be tossed by each and every court for searches without probable cause.
And here I thought that most legislators were attorneys. And that the Legislator had attorneys on staff to advise as to the legality/constitutionality of proposed measures. Guess i was wrong.
So, basically, the standard of Pre-Crime. These people might do something bad so lets pre-arrest them but not take them to jail just yet.
And this is a prime example of why universal background checks, i.e. universal registration, is a bad idea. Because even if it is illegal for the federal government to confiscate your guns, they could just make the registry available to the state governments.
Known this a**clown for years. Should be right behind Silver on the US Attorney Bharara’s list.
There are days when I wish we would just go ahead and have the zombie apocalypse or something equally messy.
At least in a Zombie Apocalypse the brain dead are easy to identify and you have carte blanche to deal with them as you will.
I’m pretty sure liberals would find a way to extend legal protection for zombies, create .gov funded pro-zombie “civil rights” organizations, and charge anyone who slays a zombie with a hate crime.
Then it would be the tax-payers’ responsibility to support zombies with food, shelter, and medical treatment…..
Sure, why not? After all, every election cycle the dead are already voting Democrat.
Do the words “witch trials” mean anything to those people? What about McCarthyism?
“… as inaction in congress continues…”
What “inaction?” Multiple bills, amendments to other bills, bearings and more. You just don’t like how all that action came out.
“As congress continues to reject vague, ineffective and illegal legislation on citizens owning guns, impeding our intended sop to a slice of our base, slap at not our base, and power grab all in one, we’re really annoyed that we cant get this three-fer, no.matter how many times we try.”
There. Fixed it for you.
And to think that 70+ employees of Homeland Security are on the watch list.
Will those that are NY residents get their guns grabbed?
Well,
At least we get a new oxymoron from this: “Independent Democrat”.
Ain’t no such thing. Democrats are lemmings. Independent thought is a rarity.
To have to label yourself as an “Independent Democrat” really speaks volumes.
So, if we add all the employees of the New York State Police to the terror watch list, who is going to seize the guns?
Learn to read a map NY, and then get out more. I mean to Syria, don’t drag your a_ _ to the heartland. You’re not welcome.
NY can’t dictate to us, they are a piss ant small state with stupid residents that give us this sh_t.
Now, now Joe. We are all not that bad. I have a Mosin, a Zastava and a Remington or two so I don’t think I quite fit your stereotype. And if I were to leave I would skip over the heartland and end up in Idaho.
They can’t even enforce the SAFE act as it stands now. These shitheads are really aching to force a confrontation and see some blood shed over nothing, aren’t they?
The key word is this travesty is “suspected”. I guess now suspicion constitutes guilt and why stop at seizing arms, why not just send them to Gitmo? After all, what the hell is the Bill of Rights anyway?
This is all smoke and mirrors to appeal to people who don’t have very good critical thinking skills. Any law like this actually passed and enforced would be tossed by the first judge to hear the appeal. It’s as equally ridiculous to say that people on the no-fly list should not be free from warrantless searches.
The comprehensive bill also goes a step further by empowering New York State Police to confiscate firearms from suspected terrorists on either list
So…through some mysterious process your name winds up on a mysterious government list, and you’ll only find out you’re on it when the police break your door down and confiscate your property.
Somebody tell me which country we’re in again?
“Deny Firearms to Dangerous Terrorists Act”
Why are we denying “dangerous terrorists” access to something other than prison? I mean, if they’re so damn dangerous, why are they allowed to be out mingling with the rest of us? I propose the “Arrest, Convict, Sentence and Jail Dangerous Terrorists Act.”
Sorry, I’m not seeing anything surprising, they want to deny firearms to EVERYONE, if they think they have legal cover for this group, they won’t even slow down. Given the right circumstance, I can see them passing a law to deny firearms specifically to 33-year-old transvestites under 5’11’.