The newspaper that covers more Washington State politics than any other, The Olympian, deems SB-5197 DOA.
They get the basics wrong (ain’t that just like the MSM?), so we’re gonna do and old school type fisk on it to make corrections.
Supporters and opponents showed up by the hundreds Thursday to hear testimony on a measure designed to prevent the unregulated sale of handguns at gun shows in Washington.
Well, opponents showed up by the hundreds, but there was only a van-load of supporters there. Heck, Ceasefire Washington couldn’t even find eight people to speak during their 2-12 minutes panel sessions.
Also, the bill wasn’t just about handguns, it banned all private citizen-to-private citizen sales on all firearms.
Backers said the bill would help prevent criminals from getting firearms; those against said it would only put further restrictions on gun ownership.
Actually, by the end of the testimony, the bill supporters had given up on the claim that this bill would keep guns out of the hands of criminals, and were left with speaking the reality that this bill was all about gathering more information on gun owners.
The crowd filled at least two hearing rooms and formed lines that nearly reached out of the John A. Cherberg Building near the Capitol.
“It’s great to see this kind of crowd,” said Sen. Rodney Tom D-Medina, the bill’s primary sponsor. “I wish we could get this kind of attention at our Education Committee.”
I believe that it was Joe Waldron, President of the Washington Arms Collectors, who told Senator Tom that if the Washington State Democrats tried to sneak an anti-gun rights bill through the Education Committee the way they tried with the LCR&D Committee, he would get this kind of attendance.
The bill has failed in past sessions and doesn’t appear to have much of a shot of being passed this year. Leaders in both the House and Senate have said they don’t see enough support for it.
Because they saw a whole lot of support against it.
But that didn’t prevent partisans from turning out en masse. Members of the crowd had buttons identifying themselves as for or against the bill, but other than some heated debate and clapping and jeering during testimony, things stayed civil at the hearing in front of the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee.
Yep, gun rights supporters aren’t violent sociopaths after all. Imagine that!
Federally licensed firearms dealers – including those who operate at gun shows – must perform background checks on anyone who purchases a firearm and keep records of buyers’ names and addresses. For handgun buyers, state law also requires a five-day waiting period.
A five-day waiting period and to register the gun with the state’s database.
But people who make only occasional sales at gun shows – such as collectors – aren’t considered dealers, and can sell handguns without a background check or waiting period.
The measure would require all dealers at gun shows to be licensed and perform background checks.
First the writer correctly states that occasional sellers at gun shows aren’t considered dealers. He then goes and uses the word “dealers” to describe private citizens at gun shows. What a maroon!
Opponents say criminals do not obtain their guns at gun shows and that the bill would further restrict gun ownership rights. Supporters say the exemption is a dangerous opportunity for criminals to evade the background checks.
California and Oregon have passed similar measures.
And have seen no measurable drop in their crime rate. They, of course, blame this on Washington’s lack of a law such as the one SB-5197 would have created.
Oregon state Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, who spearheaded the initiative movement to pass the measure in her state, told the hearing that many gun owners came around to supporting the idea once they understood it.
I noticed that she didn’t bring any of those gun owners to the hearing with her. If this is oh, so important, you’d figure that some of those folks would be able to make the trip on behalf of preventing crime.
“This is all about crime prevention to me,” Burdick said. “It’s a no-brainer; it’s common sense.”
No, Senator Burdick, it is a lack of common sense.
I also noticed during her testimony that she was unable to provide any actual numbers of criminals who were denied their purchase at gun shows in Oregon. Those are numbers that both Seattle Police Chief, Gil Kerlikowske, and Senator Rodney Tom said that would be available rather quickly after SB-5197 was passed.
So what gives, Senator Burdick?
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske also testified in favor of the bill. He said background checks required by licensed firearms dealers have prevented many criminals from obtaining guns. It’s only fair to extend that requirement to unlicensed dealers at gun shows, he said.
“It just makes sense to level the playing field,” Kerlikowske said.
A: There is no such thing as an “unlicensed dealer”.
B: The Chief, known at RNS as “Numbnuts”, failed to tell anyone just how many of those criminals who were stopped from buying a handgun by the background check system were arrested.
Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn – who is not a member of the committee but was allowed to ask questions – said the only big gun shows in the Seattle area are sponsored by the Washington Arms Collectors organization. To buy a gun at one of those shows, she said, you have to undergo a background check.
Someone in Conference Room #1, where Mr. C and I were seated after the first two hearing rooms filled up said it, and I’ll second the motion:
Pam for Governor!
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On a side note, one of the men who testified on the second pro-Bill of Rights panel, Mike Brown of the group Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws, wrote a very good piece in the Seattle PI a couple weeks back I though you all might like to read.
