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Title: Council passes controversial bill on stolen guns (say they don't care that it's unconstitutional)
Source:
http://www.postgazette.com
URL Source: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08329/930426-100.stm
Published: Nov 25, 2008
Author: Rich Lord
Post Date: 2008-11-25 20:12:02 by freepatriot32
Ping List: *libertarians* Subscribe to *libertarians*
Keywords: Pittsburgh, domestic enemy, Tonya Payne, libertarians
Views: 100
Comments: 3
Pittsburgh City Council gave its first approval today to legislation requiring that anyone report a lost or stolen firearm report that within 24 hours or potentially face a $500 fine. The 6-1 vote, with two abstentions, sets up a final vote likely next week, which would send the legislation to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl for his signature or veto, and then potentially to the courts, where similar measures have been challenged. "Who really cares about it being unconstitutional?" said Councilwoman Tonya Payne, a supporter. "This is what's right to do, and if this means that we have to go out and have a court battle, then that's fine ... We have plenty of dead bodies coming up in our streets every single day, and that is unacceptable." The lone no vote was by Councilman Ricky Burgess, who argued that it would be a "false cure" that would be "particularly cruel" to his violence-plagued northeastern Pittsburgh district. "This legislation will not strike a blow to straw purchasers," he said. "This ordinance will not be enforced, no loopholes will be closed and no lives will be saved, because no municipality can legally regulate firearms of any kind, at any time, for any reason." Council's vote is a win for groups engaged in a statewide push to get local rules for reporting lost and stolen guns. The state House rejected a statewide bill in April. Advocates appearing before council today argued that people called straw purchasers frequently buy guns, then sell them to criminals who could not pass the required background checks. When the guns are used in crimes and traced back to the straw purchaser, he or she just claims the weapon was lost or stolen. Unless that can be disproved, the straw purchaser is off the hook. "It's a loophole that allows illegal gun traffickers to simply state that a weapon was stolen," said Councilman William Peduto, one of three authors of the bill along with Council President Doug Shields and Councilman Bruce Kraus. Councilmen Dan Deasy and Patrick Dowd abstained. Mr. Dowd said that in passing the measure council is "not really effectively changing the situation on the ground," and is inviting a lawsuit. Philadelphia has sought to enforce similar legislation, but the effort has been tied up in litigation. Legally, the question is whether the state ban on local laws on "the transfer, ownership, transportation or possession" of guns extends to the reporting of lost or stolen firearms. The Commonwealth Court threw out Philadelphia's measure, and other gun control rules there. The matter is heading for the state Supreme Court. "To me the question is wide open" on whether such rules are allowed, said Mr. Shields. "This is where you go in [to court] and you make your arguments." Tonya D. Payne is the Councilperson for City Council District 6. Telephone: 412-255-2134 Fax: 412-255-0737 Address: City County Building Suite 510/Floor 5 414 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Tonya D. Payne is the Councilperson for City Council District 6. 
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#1. To: All, *Jack-Booted Thugs* (#0)
ping
http://s5.gladiatus.us/game/c.php?uid=77290 Our Founding Fathers would wonder why those people weren't sent back to Africa once they were freed since they obviously don't comprehend the concept of a constitutional republic.
Inner-City negroe mentality supercedes constitutional jurisPRUDENCE. When people elect ignorant niggers they deserve what they get. When people decide to live in communities run by ignorant niggers they deserve what they get. That fat bitch looks like Idi Amin.
Where's your birth certificate Barack ?
#2. To: freepatriot32 (#0)
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#3. To: freepatriot32 (#0)
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