Philadelphia to sue state over gun laws

[OneLungMcClung]

Ok, now that I've posted my paranoid rant about keeping your mouths shut, they're everywhere, understand? You guys need to know that the bills are currently "in commitee" - specifically the Commitee on Public Safety. This means that they are congratulating themselves on their swift accomplishment, drinking tea and coffee, and generally acting smug and repugnant. It also means that they are reviewing the bills and adding things to it. If you read the "Assault Weapons" ban bill (#070345), you'll see in the header that it calls for the prohibition and registration of "assault weapons", but there is no provision for that registrative process in the initial biil. From what I can tell, the job of establishing those provisions falls to this Commitee. They probably work with Police and Lawyers to see what needs to be done. Point is this: IMHO we have time, and we are not under illegal law YET, but that may come very quickly. We need to see what the state AG will do for us. There are offices in every county.

Here is the tool to track the bills:
Bill Tracker
You need to put in the header #, like 070345 for the "assault weapons" ban.

Just so you know, I think everyone of these traitorous pigs on the city council signed these bills. NRA is recommending that we call them and respectfully urge them not to support / continue their actions. Although many of you may feel that the only respect they deserve is a slap in the face followed by removal from office, remember the spin and the fallout from the sign holders vs. Cruz at Harrisburg; Be respectful.

I personally think the stakes are too high - disobedience of the law should be no less punishable for them than for us. We need to do more than we did with HR 760.


Those of you outside of Philly, remember that this affects you too. The dismissal of the UFA and the attempted usurpation of regulatory law will affect you.

[Infantry Doc]

Now that these "ordinances" have passed, are you Philadelphians going to carry anyway, register your guns, use FMJS instead of JHPs, and whatever the heck else they want you to do, or wait until the laws are taken off the books by some court action?

Unfortunately, it's not just hollowpoints. That would be bad enough, but the actual language outlaws many other types of bullets. Specifically, they list conical shaped expanding bullets. FMJs are conical and expand (granted, to a lesser degree than JHPs, but they do expand).

These guys need a swift kick in the teeth.

Even better- only the Philadelphia Police Dept and Sheriff's Office are exempted. Every other duly constituted and sworn law enforcement agency in Philly is subject to the restrictions.

Gotta love the arrogance.

[Brick]

I know very little about PA politics, but I believe that the Governor or the AG should send a squad of PSP to the Philly City Council and arrest every Councilcritter that voted for Philly's new gun laws. The charge would be conspiracy.

From UFA:

§ 6111.4. Registration of firearms.
Notwithstanding any section of this chapter to the contrary, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow any government or law enforcement agency or any agent thereof to create, maintain or operate any registry of firearm ownership within this Commonwealth. For the purposes of this section only, the term "firearm" shall include any weapon that is designed to or may readily be converted to expel any projectile by the action of an explosive or the frame or receiver of any such weapon.

§ 6119. Violation penalty.
Except as otherwise specifically provided, an offense under this subchapter constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree.

PA law IIRC says this level misdemeanor is worth 3 years in jail.

[Infantry Doc]

You guys need to know that the bills are currently "in commitee" - specifically the Commitee on Public Safety.

Actually, the bills were passed by Council despitte what the website says.

You are right that any incursion on state preemption anywhere in PA will affect the rest of the Commonwealth.

This cannot stand.

[OneLungMcClung]

Actually, the bills were passed by Council despitte what the website says.

WOW. That's scary. I'm not doubting you, but I'm so in shock that they would do this then lie about it that I need proof - can someone gimme a link to see that these laws are actually in force? If they are, I may just go to the State AG office on Monday and press for charges.

Seriously - let me know how you guys know that these laws are now in force.

[Infantry Doc]

WOW. That's scary. I'm not doubting you, but I'm so in shock that they would do this then lie about it that I need proof - can someone gimme a link to see that these laws are actually in force? If they are, I may just go to the State AG office on Monday and press for charges.

Seriously - let me know how you guys know that these laws are now in force.

They aren't in force yet, since the Mayor hasn't signed them (at least, as far as I know). But they have been voted on and passed by City Council. The City knows they can't enforce them until they successfully sue the Commonwealth, or so the papers would have you believe.

We fully expect John Street to sign these patently unconstitutional and illegal ordinances into (bad, unenforceable) law.



http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local...trol_laws.html

[Pappy John]

It sounds to me like a major project for the Army Corps of Engineers would resolve this issue. Divert the Delaware River to run on the west side of the Philthy city limits and give it to New Jerzy. The City Council gets all the restrictive gun laws they could ever want and the rest of our commonwealth doesn't have to shovel our tax money down that particular rathole anymore. It's a win-win situation.

[OneLungMcClung]

It sounds to me like a major project for the Army Corps of Engineers would resolve this issue. Divert the Delaware River to run on the west side of the Philthy city limits and give it to New Jerzy. The City Council gets all the restrictive gun laws they could ever want and the rest of our commonwealth doesn't have to shovel our tax money down that particular rathole anymore. It's a win-win situation.

Ha! Taxpayer $$$ well spent! Man this is about the fourth time I've heard this argument by PAers to take out the trash.

Can't it wait till I'm done with school?? I don't want to live in the DPRNJ!

Then again... I could always commute.

[Infantry Doc]

Well, no surprise. The Mayor of Philadelphia signed all 8 gun control bills.
From today's Phila. Daily News-
"Meanwhile, Mayor Street signed a package of eight gun-control bills sponsored by Clarke and Councilwoman Donna Miller that attempt to control straw purchases, and related gun-control measures. The bills require state enabling legislation, which so far has not been forthcoming.

Clarke said he filed notice to state legislative leaders that he intends to sue them to wrest authority to legislate in the area of gun control from the commonwealth."


http://www.philly.com/dailynews/loca..._Foxwoods.html

[PhillyGunOwner]

I want to thank all the PAFOA members for your support of us here in Philadelphia. I have never felt so betrayed by our elected officials here. I'm just trying to keep my family safe from the constant assault of criminals. They’re trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals with their new gun restrictions. For those of you who don’t know, the police don’t always come to your rescue here when bad things happen. Please don’t turn your back on us; we need all of you in PA and the rest of the country that support the rights of gun owners. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that I might have to move out of Philadelphia if the state doesn’t over turn these laws or Philly gets the right to make its own gun laws.