I guess it's time to bump this one back up. They had some testimony yesterday including from the dip$hit Milwaukee chief of police. It sounds like he was put down well enough and to summarize his testimony...assault weapons are weapons are bad even though they aren't used in a lot of crimes and they don't go after people who lie on gun purchase applications to illegally get a gun. Oh yeah, he said they need to ban these guns that were designed for war. I'd like an explanation how a Ruger 10/22 was designed for war..or a semi AR-15 for that matter.
None of this testimony will change a thing. The minds on both sides are made up. it's a dog and pony show for the public.
WASHINGTON – Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who once threatened to take out those she perceived as threats with her own gun, today told a congressional hearing, “We cannot allow the carnage … to continue.”
She was speaking on behalf of her own Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
She invited several witnesses to testify in support of her proposed gun ban.
Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn testified against allowing citizens to own firearms, saying that “assault weapons are not built for sportsmen.”
He said those are “designed for combat” and must be “restricted.”
Flynn admitted that “numerous innocent Milwaukee citizens [have been] injured or killed by assault weapons and high capacity firearms” that have been in the hands of “career criminals” and “drug dealers.”
But he still believes “a ban on future civilian sales of assault weapons” would help.
When pressed by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on the usage of the AR-15 in shootings, Flynn admitted he could not state with certainty that it is in common usage in shootings, yet he still described it as “dangerous” and supports a “reasonable restriction on the Second Amendment.”
Flynn’s own department is facing a number of scandals, including claims reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his officers illegally conducted rectal searches of victims during traffic stops and the in-custody death of another person.
Under questioning from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Flynn admitted the number of homicides committed using rifles is “a small percentage,” leaving Graham baffled as to why the government is focusing on banning weapons.
Graham also questioned why Flynn has “failed” to properly pursue convictions when people who failed background checks still acquired firearms. Graham suggested that’s a more central issue than prohibition.
“I own an AR-15 and I passed a background check,” Graham said, questioning, “Isn’t it more about the person rather than the weapon?”
When questioned by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, if the Feinstein “assault weapons” ban would have prevented any of the major shootings, John Walsh, the U.S. Attorney for Colorado, said, “I can’t tell you they would have been averted … but the casualty levels would have been lowered.”
Grassley noted, “The earlier assault weapons ban did not prevent the shooting at Columbine.”
Feinstein claimed, “The bill grandfathers weapons in legal possession.”
But she also said it aims at the size of magazines, “These high capacity magazines and drums make a gun especially dangerous.”
“It is only when the shooter has to change magazines that the police have the chance to stop e shooter,” she claimed.
Grassley said while Feinstein wants “dangerous and unusual” weapons banned, the standards in the bill are ambiguous and they open up many constitutional questions.
Walsh said the “assault weapons” in question should be reserved for the military and “for law enforcement.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, suggested it was a silly plan.
“We do not need to target … restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens,” he said. He cited numerous government reports demonstrating how the original “assault weapons” ban was not effective in curbing gun violence.
He said Congress should target criminals rather than the Second Amendment.
