MyFox
 

Spectre's Blog

by Spectre from Oviedo, FL

Last Post 342 days, 21 hours Ago


NYC Mayor Bloomberg “stings” then sues Virginia Gun Shops for straw man gun sales.

 

This story really caught my eye.  NYC’s Republican-In-Name-Only (RINO) Mayor Bloomberg literally conducted undercover operations against Virginia gun shops for their role in illegal guns in NYC.  Thankfully, Virginia is fighting back and the investigators that bought the guns in an attempt to highlight “straw man” sales, might have broken federal laws in their subterfuge.  More troubling is the fact that Bloomberg is targeting legally-sanctioned retailers.  I suspect that most of the illegal guns in NYC are from theft, smuggling rings and the mob, (just like in Puerto Rico).  I understand the equation, 8 million people versus 200,000 cops, but this is not the solution!

18 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 18
Page 1 of 1
DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 6:32 AM

I am just wondering, is the the fact that it's a gun sting that bothers you - or a politician from NY going after things in Virginia?

If he was doing a drug sting in Virginia because he received information that they were flooding NY streets from a meth lab in Virginia would you feel the same way?

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 6:40 AM

Bloomberg doesn't care about anyone's feelings. He started the no smoking in bars and retaurants, he took the lead in having trans fats removed from fast food. Now he is cracking down on illegal gun sales that are flooding his city.

He is a politician that is actually doing something about things corrupting the health and welfare of his city. People complained and said he was crazy with both the no smoking and the transfat issues. Now most city's have adopted those standards.

Do you think a politician doing something to help their city is wrong?

All I usually see on here are complaints about politicians who are doing nothing, now there are complaints about politicians who are actually doing something.

Seems like a catch 22 - damned if you do - damned if you don't.

droanx read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 8:12 AM

The problem with this case is much different then drugs.

Guns are legal to buy. Like it or not. Now Bloomberg sent people to try and buy guns out of state. a "straw purchase" is when somebody buys a gun and they are of good background. They pass the background checks etc. Then they turn around and give it to their illegal buddy.

How does the legal gun dealer know that is what is going to happen? That is the big problem with what Bloomberg is doing here. Just because a straw purchase was made does not mean the dealer knew about it.

What VA is doing now, I think, is charging the people that did this for Bloomberg because what they did is in fact illegal. At least that's what they should do.

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 8:45 AM

Do you know how this was done? Do you know if it was a blatent thing with the gunseller knowing the person was buying it for someone else.

What I mean is something like this as an example.

A 15 year old walks into a store and tries to buy cigarettes. The clerk ID's the kid and refuses to sell them. The kid asks the next person in line to buy them the cigarettes in front of the clerk. The 2nd person buys the cigarettes and the clerk gives it to them. The 2nd person then gives the cigarettes to the kid right in front of the clerk.

If this is a similar situation as to how the gun sting is being performed then good for Mr. Bloomberg.

If the gun seller doesn't have any idea, then it isn't a crime. I wouldn't even be able to call it a sting.

Do you know how it is being done?

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 8:51 AM

A Clip from the New York Daily News about Bloombergs battle against illegal guns and the people who have them.

CINCINNATI - Flanked by 14 new members of a mayors' coalition, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Thursday a national television and Internet campaign against federal legislation that he said would hamper cities' efforts to combat illegal guns.

Bloomberg said the campaign would oppose the so-called Tiahrt Amendment, a rider added to congressional appropriations bills that Bloomberg said restricts cities' access to government information on illegal guns.

New York's billionaire mayor said he would provide initial funding for the campaign.

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory formally joined the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition at the Thursday event, as did 13 suburban mayors from around Ohio and Kentucky, bringing the group's total membership to 182.

"Public safety is a regional issue that requires a united response," Mallory said. "Criminals do not recognize municipal boundaries, and we need to make sure that our efforts do not stop at our individual borders either."

Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino launched the coalition last year to press the government to share federal gun trace data with local law enforcement.

The National Rifle Association's lobbying arm says on its Web site that the Tiahrt Amendment would protect gun owner privacy. But a rival gun group, the American Hunters & Shooters Association, has thrown its support behind the mayors.

Bloomberg dismissed any arguments in favor of the amendment.

"Keeping illegal

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 8:52 AM

"Keeping illegal guns off our streets has absolutely nothing to do with the Second Amendment or the rights of lawful gun owners," Bloomberg said. "It's about enforcing the law and cracking down on criminals."

Cincinnati last year had 89 homicides, more than in any year since police began keeping consistent records in 1950. Mallory says that most killings in the city are drug-related.

Bloomberg said a national campaign is the only effective way to fight illegal gun sales.

"This is not a battle that can be waged within state lines," he said. "It is a national problem that affects all of us. Solving it requires local governments to work together to share information and to coordinate our strategy."

New York has sued 27 gun dealers in various states, including Ohio, alleging they sold firearms illegally to undercover private investigators conducting a sting for the city. Officials say the dealers have supplied hundreds of weapons used in New York crimes.

"Plain and simple, we are trying to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," Bloomberg said. "Those criminals are killing our children and killing our police officers, and it's just got to stop."

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 8:53 AM

And here is another:

109 GUN-BLEEP MAYORS. MORE LEADERS JOIN MIKE'S FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL GUNS

BOSTON - Mayor Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced yesterday that their coalition of mayors fighting for stricter gun-control laws has swelled to 109 from 15 since April. "We are Republicans, we are Democrats and we are independent," Bloomberg said. "We represent cities of all sizes from 44 different states. "But no matter what our differences, we all share one thing in common - a belief that we have a responsibility to do everything possible to take illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of criminals." The duo announced the launch of a new Web site for their group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and said they will hold a summit in Washington in January, aimed at getting reluctant federal lawmakers behind their effort. "Mayors are problem solvers," said Menino, who said that federal officials are "out to lunch" on the gun issue. "That's what we do. We don't run away from our constituents and their concerns. We will not allow extremists in the gun lobby to turn our streets into a war zone." Bloomberg has raised his national profile in the last year, crisscrossing the country to call for stricter gun control laws. Last week, he traveled to Harrisburg, Pa., to lobby state lawmakers for tighter gun laws. In May, after the city conducted its own out-of-state sting operations, exposing illegal gun sales by stores whose weapons have turned up on New York streets, the city sued 15 gun shop owners in five states. Yesterday, the mayor said that suit was an exampl

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 8:55 AM

Yesterday, the mayor said that suit was an example of how city leaders can take charge of the issue, despite the gun lobby's strong influence in Washington. "Until we make a dent in this problem, we have to work together because the fact is the gun laws of one state affect the people of all the other states," Bloomberg said.

So now I ask you, Bonehead? or someone who is actually doing something?

I have my own opinion as to who the bonehead here is.

droanx read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 8:56 AM

I don't know how it was done.

All I know is most gun shops are not big franchises. If the peopple that Bloomberg is doing this to are truly innocent then Bloomberg is destroying their business. They will be paying tons in lawyer fees. They most likely will go out of business.

Generally speaking I think Bloomberg is sueing instead of having the shop's owners arrested because there is not enough or no evidence of a crime.

This of course is all speculation because I am not a lawyer involved in all this nor do I read all about it on the NRA's website.

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 9:09 AM

According to the articles I've posted, it doesn't seem to me that they are innocent

droanx read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 9:17 AM

yea, sorry they weren't there when I wrote my comment.

I like to believe in the idea of karma. If these people aren't inncocent and have finally been caught then great! However, if they are truly innocent and some big giant is pounding on the little people. Well in my opinion that's not cool.

From those articles I don't see anything that would make me believe these people are innocent or guilty for that matter. I don't really trust the media to do good reporting anymore especially when half of them can't spell "expiration."

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 10:06 AM

I also owe you an apology for the way I wrote my response with the bonehead comment. When I reread it, it soundled like I was calling you a bonehead when in fact I meant the boneheads were the people selling the guns illegally.

I apologize if any future readings cause the same thing to be assumed and am writing this to clarify what I actually meant.

droanx read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 10:25 AM

Anyone selling a gun illegally is definately a Bonehead. The question is did they do it illegally?

I never thought you were calling me a Bonehead so no problems. :)

Spectre read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 10:56 AM

DVS,

I appreciate your points about Bloomberg, but respectfully disagree. He's the poster child for Government intervention, (e.g. Transfats, etc). I guess that's my Libertarian-side showing. Here's the VA deal. Private investigators bought firearms from legal gun dealers and since they had clean backgrounds (after undergoing background checks) received the guns and transported them to NYC. This is supposedly "mirroring" how guns are getting to NYC. The problem is that on the federal form, the purchaser is "affirming" that the gun is for their use, etc. Taking a gun across state lines and re-selling is a federal offense. Thus in this "sting" the gun purchasers "willfully misrepresented" their intentions.

DVS11965 read my blog view my photos
May 22, 2007 | 11:18 AM

Yep I agree, if that's how the "sting" was done, then it is done wrong.

As far as transfat goes, I don't think that's a bad thing. The same way people don't want smoking when they eat - another Bloomberg deal, I don't want transfats in my food. It is good for everyone who eats these foods.

I smoke and I complain everytime I go out and eat and have to walk outside to smoke after I finish. Just because I am unhappy about doing so, doesn't make me right. I realize that, and thet is why I also agree with the law he made that inconviences me the most. Especially when its raining and/or cold outside.

I hope his next act is to make people step on a scale or make a bloodpressure check before they can purchase that entenmann's cake and their diet coke :) lol

droanx read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 11:25 AM

If you don't want transfats in your food then don't eat out. Or just eat at restaraunts that don't have it. The government shouldn't tell businesses how to run themselves.

Smoking affects other people than just yourself. I don't smoke and don't want to be around people that do.

Transfat= personal choice
Secondhand smoke= not my choice

Bloomberg supporting big governmnet= true statement

I don't want the government telling me what to do 24/7

Meb452m read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 10:42 PM

If those that used a gun in the commission of a felony were given a summary execution with their stolen weapon both theft of guns and related crime would end.Problem solved!

Meb452m read my blog
May 22, 2007 | 10:48 PM

Oh yeh,and if the felon wants a decent burial,hand him a shovel and let him dig his own pit!Televise one or two of those and crime will drop!

Page 1 of 1


Write your comment below:




Spectre

Aviation Professional. Married 21 years, (two daughters 9 & 13). Born. SEP'61 Proud to be a Conservative, Christian Republican. Embry-Riddle Grad 1991. Pro-gun, (CWP) & Pro-life! I bleed Red, White, ORANGE & BLUE! Favorite Books: The Bible, Atlas Shrugged, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Favorite Commentators: Limbaugh/Beck/Hannity/O'R
eilly/Coulter/Miller/Boor
tz/Ingraham/Humphries What's a Spectre? The scariest thing you've ever seen: the AC-130 Gunship (One helluva terrorist killer). Former AC-130 Crewmember 1st Special Operations Wing, (SOW) Hurlburt AFB, FL 1980-1986.

Member Since: 1/25/2007