New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made some notable comments about opponents of his showpiece gun control law, known as the SAFE Act.
“The Republican Party candidates are running against the SAFE Act—it was voted for by moderate Republicans who run the Senate! Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves. Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that’s who they are and they’re the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are. ” NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to Susan Arbetter via blog.timesunion.com
A clarification posted at the Governor’s web site, not further attributed, claims he meant only to insult and expel representatives of conservatives, not conservatives themselves. A later posting, attributed to Mylan Denerstein, the Governor’s Executive Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice (sic), takes the form of an open letter to Frederic Dicker, a columnist at the New York Post and local talk show host. She characterizes Mr. Dicker as an extreme conservative—two words never far apart in official missives—who maliciously misrepresented Cuomo’s words with the intent of causing mischief in an election year. Continue reading →
Area mental health professionals say they’re concerned about an aspect of the state’s new gun law requiring them to report potentially dangerous patients.
The New York State SAFE Act includes a section designed to “…remove firearms from those who seek to do harm to themselves or others.” The law requires reporting by doctors, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers and registered nurses to advise authorities.
Since that provision of the law took effect March 16, officials have received at least 30 reports of people whose gun licenses should be reviewed, state police say. Continue reading →
“…John Doe, an upstanding professional with no outstanding criminal convictions and no history of violent action received a letter from the Pistol Permit Department informing him that his license was immediately revoked upon information that he was seeing a therapist for anxiety and had been prescribed an anxiety drug. He was never suicidal, never violent, and has no criminal history. The New York State Department of Health is apparently conducting a search of medical records to determine who is being treated for anxiety drugs and using this as a basis for handgun license revocation.
The National Rifle Association on Thursday joined the the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, other sportsmen’s groups, firearms businesses and individual gun owners in a lawsuit challenging the state’s strict new gun control law.
The federal suit, filed in Buffalo, said the law violates the constitutional rights of “law-abiding citizens to keep commonly possessed firearms in the home for defense of self and family and for other lawful purposes….” via Fox News
A Western New York man now faces seven years in prison for violating Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s new gun control-law, the NY Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (or SAFE Act).
Benjamin M. Wassell. Credit: Buffalo News
Benjamin M. Wassell, an Iraq War veteran, was charged with twice selling newly banned military-style ‘assault’ weapons and standard-capacity magazines to an undercover police officer as part of a sting operation conducted by State Police and the New York Attorney General’s Office, the Buffalo News reported.
Altogether, the 32-year-old Silver Creek resident was slapped with three felony charges and one misdemeanor, which as noted could end up putting Wassell, who has no prior convictions, behind bars for as many as seven years.
“By selling these illegal firearms, Mr. Wassell’s actions had potentially dangerous consequences for New Yorkers,” said state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “We have seen far too much gun violence in our state in recent months, and the sale of illegal semiautomatic weapons will not go unpunished.”
On Jan. 24 Wassell sold a Del-Ton AR-15 to an undercover agent along with six standard-capacity magazines and 299 rounds of ammunition for $1,900.
Due do the fact that the rifle has one or more military cosmetic characteristics, i.e. a detachable magazine, a pistol grip and a telescoping stock, it is considered an ‘assault’ weapon under the NY SAFE Act and cannot be sold to anyone but a licensed dealer or an out-of-state citizen.
The first sale Wassell made to the undercover officer was made nine days after the Governor rammed through the law in the dead of night after waving the mandatory three-day legislative review period. Instead of arresting Wassell after his first offense, the investigators held out and remained undercover to see if he would sell another banned firearm. Unfortunately, he did…
Thoughts and analysis. This is only beginning.
Gun owners in the Empire State should be on high-alert moving forward. Both Cuomo and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg will continue to appropriate state and city resources to conducting sting operations that attempt to entrap law-abiding gun owners.
NY SAFE Act: Question on ‘Assault’ Weapons Registration
The way it looks, lawmakers want to ensure that this law is taken seriously. Previously legal firearms are now banned. And if you fail to register them in the coming weeks, you’re now a criminal in the eyes of the state.
Also, please note that these laws do not only apply to firearms, but magazines as well. The NY SAFE Act put a retroactive ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. If you’re caught with a 10-plus round magazine, you’re a criminal. If you load more than seven rounds in your ten round magazine, you’re in violation of the law.
ALBANY, N.Y. – A New York state judge agreed Friday to consider whether the state’s tough new gun restrictions were rushed into law in violation of the state constitution. State Supreme Court Justice Gerald Connolly signed an order granting the request for a hearing by plaintiffs who are challenging Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to waive the three-day review usually required before votes on bills, according to LoHud.com.
The plaintiffs argue the law violates the guarantees of free speech, property ownership and the right to petition the government guaranteed under the state and federal constitutions.
Plaintiff Robert Schulz called Cuomo a “king” for pushing through the nation’s toughest gun law by suspending the three-day vetting period by submitting a “message of necessity” on the law, which allows the constitutional waiting period to be suspended.
Citizens and local authorities are waking up to the tyranny that is rearing it’s ugly head in the United States today. On Thursday, the Oswego County Legislature approved a resolution against parts of New York State’s new gun laws. The measure passed by a unanimous vote (25-0)!
The measure says the new Safe Act has a severe impact on guns that are used for safe recreation. It argues that state lawmakers didn’t have enough time to review it before it was passed. A copy of the resolution will be on its way to both Barack Obama and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The Grey Enigma 