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Dead Constitution See other Dead Constitution Articles Title: Bloomberg, other big-city mayors hold gun summit in D.C. January 23, 2007, 5:37 PM EST WASHINGTON -- Dozens of mayors from around the country gathered Tuesday to urge the new Democratic Congress to fight crime by allowing wider tracking of illegal guns. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino were joined by 50 other mayors, who argue more access to gun sales data would reduce crime in the streets of their cities. Minneapolis, Miami, Newark, N.J., and Omaha, Neb., were among the cities represented. Bloomberg, a moderate Republican, said it was time to "begin showing Congress that it is possible to find common ground on common sense issues." "We refuse to fall into the same old trap that it is an either-or: either respect the rights of gun owners or keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals," Bloomberg said. "That's ideological nonsense, and we've just got to move past it." To buttress their case, several of the mayors cited the recent rises in violent crime across the country. FBI data show that violent crime rose 3.7 percent nationwide in the first six months of 2006 compared to the previous year. In New York, the murder rate rose almost 10 percent in 2006, though the overall crime rate continued to decline. New York's police commissioner, Ray Kelly, said: "After a significant downturn across the nation, violent crime is once again on the rise. Many cities are experiencing a substantial increase in shootings and homicides." The mayors, most of whom were in town for separate meetings later this week of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, faulted the federal government for not doing more to crack down on the illegal movement of guns across city and state lines. The White House has said violent crime has been reduced significantly in recent years, especially in many large cities, and a lot of the credit for that goes to mayors and law enforcement personnel and cooperation at the local, state and federal levels. It has said President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales are committed to making sure that existing laws are enforced. For years, Bloomberg and others have complained about the National Rifle Association's powerful opposition to allowing the government to release gun sales records, also known as trace data, to show which tiny percentage of gun dealers are providing the bulk of guns used in crimes. The NRA and other groups have derided the mayor's agenda as an elitist attempt to fix local crime problems by curtailing the national right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the NRA, called Bloomberg's argument "a wolf in sheep's clothing for the average gun owner in the United States." LaPierre argued past gun trace data was misused in a way that weakened criminal prosecutions of criminals. "The rest of the country doesn't really want New York City-style gun laws imposed on them ... where (gun) permits are given out to the elite and the famous while the average guy is flat out of luck," LaPierre said. The mayors contend lax enforcement of national laws has brought more guns and armed criminals to their doorsteps. "Illegal guns are a national problem that require a national response," Menino said. Menino and Bloomberg formed Mayors Against Illegal Guns last year to press the government to share federal trace data with local law enforcement. That trace data could also be used in lawsuits against dealers and gun manufacturers. The mayors argue that if the trace data were shared, dealers would not be able to skirt or break the law when selling to so-called straw purchasers _ those who technically buy the weapons but quickly give them to someone else. During the gathering, Bloomberg also offered another declaration of confidence in his police commissioner. "I guarantee you he will be our commissioner for the next three (years). After that, Ray, you're on your own," Bloomberg joked.
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