Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s momma never taught him that two wrongs don’t make a right. After the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, Peduto, the rabidly anti-gun Steel City mayor, flouted Pennsylvania’s state law prohibiting local regulation of guns. Instead of following the rule of law, he defiantly ignored it. And now he’s looking at possible impeachment for his stunt.
Peduto proudly signed a bill to ban guns and standard capacity magazines within Pittsburgh city limits, even though Pennsylvania state law expressly prohibited that sort of local lawmaking. Not only that, Peduto’s bill also includes confiscation a red flag provision – again, in violation of the Keystone State’s preemption law.
Now, state representative Daryl Metcalfe has begun the process to remove Peduto from office using the same rule of law that Peduto flagrantly ignored when it suited him. Metcalfe publicized his efforts at a rally of gun rights supporters at the Pennsylvania state Capitol yesterday (see photo above).
From the Pennsylvania Capital-Star:
On the same day that hundreds of gun-rights supporters rallied in the state Capitol, a firebrand member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives said he would begin impeachment proceedings against Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto over the city’s new gun control ordinances.
State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, who’s circulating the impeachment resolution, told the Capital-Star Monday that Peduto “brazenly” violated the state Constitution when he signed the bills, which include restrictions on the use of assault-style weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines. Peduto also signed into law a measure that allows authorities to temporarily seize firearms from a person deemed at risk of harming himself or others.
Under Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act, municipalities are prevented from regulating “the transfer, ownership, transportation, or possession of firearms.”
Sadly, Pennsylvania’s House leadership doesn’t seem inclined to hold Peduto accountable “at this time.”
If the House passed the resolution, it would then convene a subcommittee to investigate Peduto, according to Metcalfe. Once its investigation is complete, the mayor’s impeachment case would go before the state Senate, which must consider the subcommittee’s findings and vote on removing Peduto from office.
The resolution won’t go to the House floor for a vote unless it has the support of Republican leadership. And a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, indicated Monday that’s unlikely to happen.
“We’re not interested in pursuing impeachment,” Cutler spokesman Mike Straub said Monday. “Pittsburgh residents will decide who their mayor is. The legislature doesn’t need to be involved at this time.”
Metcalfe was nonetheless optimistic Monday that his colleagues will support his resolution.
Ah, yes. Pennsylvania House members expressed reluctance to pursue impeachment against crooked gun-grabbing Attorney General Kathleen Kane, too. In the end, though, she resigned and was later sentenced to prison.
Time will tell how long Peduto lasts in his role as mayor. Or if he will end up behind bars like countless other members of the Mayors Against Guns felony club.