Maryland General Assembly closes legislative session with minimal damange to liberty
(Evening of 2008-04-07) As the minutes count down to "sine die" (adjournment without more time) in the General Assembly, it is clear that gun owners in Maryland will suffer little new infringements this year - at least from legislation. No other legislation from our earlier report became active, and we managed to keep the so-called "AGC Act" (also described in an earlier reports) clean as it passed. (Stopping it was not in the cards, but at least it didn't wreak more damage, as it very well might have.) Detailed reports forthcoming!
Maryland State Police proposes new regulatory overreach
(2008-03-29) MSP has proposed modifications to its regulations on "ballistic fingerprinting" that would expand what data is retained for each record, expand the purposes for which the records can be used and enable transmission of all this information to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - apparently to be used for any sort of operation BATFE wants. Public comment period is through April 28. As with the mental health record overreach, no public hearing is scheduled. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Good appellate ruling on return of property
(2008-03-27) A good opinion for gunowners recently issued from Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals in Ballard v. State of MD. To refresh from our reporting of the case when it was argued last year: In 2001, Laurence Ballard, a retired Montgomery County police officer, became entangled in a convoluted criminal complaint which was resolved by plea bargain. In 2002, a judge ordered probation before judgment, and put in the record that police must arrange to store Ballard’s many firearms at a gun dealer’s shop, so they could be returned after he completed terms of the PBJ. When Ballard did, the county still refused to allow return of his property, and the judge who heard Ballard’s motion went along with what government wanted. He agreed that Ballard could buy the same guns today, yet refused to honor the 2002 deal. (Cops don’t even return guns to cops.) The Appellate Court ruled that, although the judge was “exercising an abundance of caution”, Ballard was “no longer subject to sanction by the court” and therefore the Court was “constrained to reverse the circuit court’s denial of Ballard’s motion seeking the return of his firearms.”
"AGC Act" in Annapolis threatens all handguns in state
(2008-02-19) The Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, or AGC, inexplicably begged leadership in Annapolis to open the section of Maryland code dealing with Handguns, in a political environment that is anything but friendly to gun ownership. Resources that might have been invested on productive efforts must now be redirected to prevent disaster - if we can stop it at all. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Tripwire legislative report
(2008-02-17) Most bills are in (not all!) and hearings are upon us. MDRKBA alerts will go out for the domestic matters bills to be heard later this week. Do it!
- Bill status as of 2008-2-17
- Position analysis: Where we stand today
- Position analysis: Penalties bills
"Parkville gun dealer gets 5 years in prison"
(2008-1-14) As we reported last fall would be in the cards, Sandy Abrams today pled guilty to a charge of unlawfully selling a restricted firearm, and was sentenced to five years (sentence suspended) with a year of probation. See the Sun Article for breaking coverage.
Bush administration aids gun-grabbers in DC gun law case
(2008-1-12) On Friday the Bush administration filed an amicus asking the Supreme Court to remand the
Parker case (“DC gun law case”) back to the District of Columbia to come up with a ‘softer standard of
review’ on what constitutes reasonable gun regulations. In doing so, Bush strikes a major blow against
all Americans in the on-going struggle over the scope of individual rights.
CLICK FOR FULL REPORT
Updated coverage: See WorldNetDaily article and
the John Lott essay.
Appellate court affirms for gun manufacturer in District of Columbia v. Beretta Corporation
(2008-1-10) The District of Columbia's litigation against Beretta Corporation for its ostensible role in "gun violence" in the city too yet another blow, as the court hearing DC's appeal (of a lower court's ruling) today issued its affirmation of the earlier judgement in favor of the firearm manufacturer. Moreover, today's ruling upholds the role of the Protection of Lawful Commerce Act, which was enacted federally to protect the firearms industry from predatory litigation.
Tripwire endorsements for 2008 congressional primary
(2007-12-28) While there is no pro-gun opportunity in most of Maryland's congressional districts, that doesn't mean there are no action items for gun owners. In District 6 (western Maryland) be sure to support incumbent Roscoe Bartlett - not threatened in this race, but nevertheless worthy of our maximum effort. (Why take chances?) In District 1 (chiefly eastern shore) we endorse Senator EJ Pipkin, challenger in this contested GOP primary, to move up. Pipkin deserves your maximum effort too! CLICK FOR DETAILS
Tasers: From defensive tool to compliance mechanism
(2007-12-28) Police in Maryland increasingly rely on Tasers to shock subjects into compliance. Some victims die. Honest gun owners have no business giving coercion tools to agents of the state who are increasingly tasked with using them on us. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Report on Maryland's 2007 Special Legislative Session
(2007-12-28) It was a revenue grab of unprecedented proportions. What does it mean for gunowners as we go into the regular legislative session starting January 2007? CLICK FOR DETAILS
Maryland General Assembly overrides gubernatorial veto of gun bill
(2007-11-13) Earlier today the Maryland House of Delegates voted 135 to 4 to join the Senate in overriding Gov. Martin O'Malley's veto of SB 497, titled "Disposal of Handguns Owned by a Law Enforcement Agency". This bill repeals a small part of Parris Glendening's "Gun Safety Act of 2000", and allows police departments to sell firearms back to manufacturers. At issue is the equity that was lost when police were required to destroy used guns (such as became surplus when they upgraded officers' duty sidearms.) Gov. O'Malley's veto tied up nearly $400,000 worth of State Police property alone. With the override, police are now free to transfer used property (and also confiscated firearms) to firearms manufacturers.
Spokesman for state gun dealers pleading guilty to charge of illegal gun transfer
(2007-10-27) Sandy Abrams, spokesman for the Maryland Licensed Firearms Dealers Association and one-time NRA Board member, is apparently pleading guilty to one charge of illegal transfer of a regulated firearm. (See previous reporting on Abrams for background.) A hearing in January will finalize details of any agreement with prosecutors. (2007-12-28) UPDATED: Sandy Abrams, long-time spokesman for Maryland Licensed Firearms Dealers Association, will enter into a plea deal with prosecutors in order to avoid the full weight of charges brought against him after a rifle he sold turned up in the hands of a man who shot it out with police. The gun was sold after Abrams lost his dealers license, and in the course of investigation police found Abrams to be in possession of an unregistered machine gun as well. His plea hearing, scheduled for January 14th, is where we could learn if jail is in his future, but the crime to which he has reportedly admitted is disabling. No more firearms or ammunition for Abrams. (Inexplicably, he has continued to run a table at area gun shows, skirting the edge of the law and exposing the shows to what at best could be bad PR for both the show and gunowners.)
Updates ...
(2007-10-26) Select status reports from the most recent issue of Tripwire newsletter:
- STORY ON NEW HANDGUN RESTRICTIONS EVOLVING. Officials want more than check of just mental health records.
- LATEST LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MARYLAND GUN LAW. Gunowners have hard row to hoe in all three branches of government.
- THE INSANITY IN BALTIMORE CONTINUES. Update on recent primary election and the rising crime.
MPFO announces winner in Summer Rifle Raffle
(2007-10-15) Congratulations to Dr. Michael Emmer, whose winning ticket brought him the prize package in MPFO's summer fund raiser which concluded at the end of September. His prize: A Fulton Armory "tactical titan" .308 rifle with Eotech sighting system. CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS
Mental health checks now in place for Maryland gun purchases
(2007-8-6) Without legislation, regulation or any opportunity for public comment, Maryland state police now administratively deny any application for purchase (or transfer) of a regulated firearm (handgun or select long gun) which does not include a release of mental health records. CLICK TO LEARN WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU.
Lampooning Baltimore gets easier all the time ...
(2007-8-6) What goes up faster, the murder rate or the count of silly social experiments that city officials will propose to do anything except improve public safety? CLICK TO FIND OUT!.
GAME ON
(2007-7-16) This morning AP reports Washington DC Mayor Fenty will will petition the Supreme Court to hear its appeal of the federal circuit court's decision to overturn the city's 30-year-old handgun ban. 7-30-2007 UPDATE: And what is the political backdrop for considering the so-called "Parker Case"? Check out the National Review article assessing, which reports Congress is not nearly so totally left wing on guns as some might have you think.
Maryland State Police to implement new checks - and restrictions - on handgun purchases
(2007-7-1) Hard on the heels of a new superintendent taking over at MSP the agency has quietly announced it will administratively deny applications for purchasing a regulated firearm (handgun or selected long guns) which do not contain a release for police to inspect medical records. The agency does this without lawful authority. Rather than use the bright line standard defined in law for determining a gun disability, they show every appearance of intending to exercise new discretion over who may possess a firearm. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Maryland's Senator Mikulski leads the attack against gunowners
(2007-7-1) The battle over public release of gunowner background check information (as championed by gun-grabbing officials intent on harassing honest citizens) heated up, with Barbara Mikulski leading the attack. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Chief High lives up to his name
(2007-6-27) On June 26th Prince George’s County Police Chief Melvin High marked the first anniversary of Project Exile – a partnership between the Department and the US Attorney’s Office of Maryland that targets guns – by holding a press conference where he proclaimed “The project Exile partnership effort contributes to our success.”
Chief High’s comments stand in stark and surreal contrast to the county’s explosive murder rate, which runs about fifty percent higher than last year at this time. If this is success, then there’s only so much we can handle. (Of course, one county official later stated: “We have an Exile program in Prince George’s? Huh. Who knew?”)
Congressional mid-term report for Maryland
(2007-6-25) How is Maryland's congressional delegation doing? UPDATED 8-2007: CLICK FOR MID-TERM REPORT
Changes at Maryland State Police impact gun owners
(2007-6-22) Terrence Sheridan, until recently top cop in Baltimore County PD, recently assumed command of the Maryland State Police as an appointee of Governor Martin O'Malley. Given his history of bashing gun owners, it is no surprise that new gun control started rolling out of the organization, a short flash-to-bang time clearly intended to telegraph what a rocky road honest citizens have before us in the rest of this term. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Dealers Association spokesman up on gun charges
(2007-6-1) Arraignment scheduled for 4 June in the case of Sandy Abrams, who was arrested and charged with a number of gun violations stemming from his alleged sale of a regulated firearm to a man who later used that rifle in a shootout with police. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Baltimore ... the beat goes on ...
(2007-5-29) Crime goes through the roof while officials jockey for position in the September mayoral primary. Doesn't look good for the natives. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Session Retrospective - the rest of the story
(2007-5-27) Now that we've seen which bills are signed and which vetoed, we know the rest of the story for the 2007 legislative session. CLICK FOR REPORT
Session Retrospective
(2007-3-20) It ain't over till its over, but the first analysis of this session and its impact on our community (and our community on the session!) is up at the Analysis page - CLICK FOR ANALYSIS