NRA to Montana: Obama a threat to gun owners

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The National Rifle Association said Wednesday that Barack Obama's campaign is trying to mislead voters about his past support of gun control, calling the Democratic candidate "a poster child of the extremist, elitist gun control movement."

The group was responding to recent remarks by Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat who supports gun rights and told reporters this week that Obama "ain't ever going to take your gun away." Schweitzer, who has the NRA's support in his re-election bid, added that there is little difference between the Democrat and Republican John McCain.

The NRA said Schweitzer was misrepresenting the candidates' positions.

"To somehow suggest (Obama) is supportive of gun owners because he says so when he is in Montana running for president is absurd," the NRA's Chris W. Cox said in a telephone interview from Virginia. "We are going to make sure that anybody that tells Montana gun owners that Barack Obama is not a threat to gun owners is exposed as someone who is not shooting straight."

Schweitzer said Wednesday he stands by his comments.

The Obama campaign said Schweitzer was right on the mark, noting the governor had said Obama is more outspoken than McCain on protecting hunting access to public lands.

The Obama campaign has stressed to Western voters that the candidate's support of "sensible" gun control won't get in the way of their traditions. But it has not released specifics on what type of gun measures Obama would deem sensible.

"The NRA is wrong to suggest we are misleading anybody," said Obama spokesman Caleb Weaver, adding: "Gun owners have nothing to fear from Barack Obama."

Obama has hired a staff and is running campaign ads in his quest for Montana's three electoral votes, hoping to be only the third Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state since 1948.

The NRA plans to spend $40 million nationally this campaign season, and has yet to determine how much will be spent in individual states.

By: Matt Gouras, Associated Press

Concealed Carry Debate Expanding in Stateline

The controversial debate over carrying concealed firearms is taking hold across the Stateline. Winnebago County is leading the movement to issue permits county-by-county, in conflict with state law. Now Boone and possibly Stephenson Counties are considering joining in.

The concealed carry debate is expanding. In a 10-2 vote, the Boone County board signs on to a resolution Wednesday night asking state lawmakers not to restrict gun owners' rights. The symbolic resolution throws support behind an Illinois House bill that would authorize concealed carry statewide.

"Illinois and Wisconsin are the only two states in the country that don't allow the concealed carry and we want to try to change that," says Boone County Board Member Dana LaPier.

Boone County is following the lead of the Winnebago County Board. Both counties are now considering placing a referendum on the November ballot where voters would weigh in on whether the sheriff should start issuing gun permits to citizens. They would first have to pass a background check and complete gun safety training.

"I believe if you put more guns in the hands of good people, less crime will happen and I think the majority of people in this county believe that," says LaPier.

But not everyone on the Boone County board is sold.

Board Member Patrick Mattison says, "I don't know who or what has got a weapon. You talk about road rage, take one of those people and what's the next thing that's going to happen are they going to bring out the gun and start firing?"

And that fundamental divide isn't the only hurdle in the way. Winnebago County's State's Attorney does not believe counties can legally issue gun permits, if the state outlaws the practice. The sheriffs of both Winnebago and Boone Counties have said they don't want to go through with this system and proponents admit it will likely end up in court.

Boone County supporters said Wednesday night they believe the more county governments that sign on, the stronger the message will be to Springfield to take action. Everyone agrees Statewide legislation would be preferable to avoid lawsuits and the difficulties of coordinating 102 separate county ordinances.

Stephenson County leaders said Wednesday night they'll also consider the question of issuing concealed carry permits. They're expected to take up the debate during a committee meeting September 2nd.

By: Alice Barr, WIFR-Rockford, IL

DC’s New Gun Law Fiddles Court Ruling

The District of Columbia Council approved new temporary firearms legislation on July 15 that is intended to allow residents to begin applying for home handgun licenses, and set the stage for more permanent regulations to be enacted as early as September.

The council’s unanimous vote came as Washington officials made an attempt to appear to be complying with the Supreme Court ruling that struck down the city’s 32-year-old ban on handguns.

The emergency legislation will allow handguns to be kept in the home if they are used only for self-defense and carry fewer than 12 rounds of ammunition. However, the new law still requires that handguns, as well as other legal firearms such as rifles and shotguns, must be kept unloaded and disassembled, or equipped with trigger locks—unless there is a “reasonably perceived threat of immediate harm” in the home.

Gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), said at least some of the new regulations will likely be challenged, according to Associated Press. The temporary bill maintains the city’s bizarre ban of machineguns, defined as firearms that shoot at least 12 rounds without reloading or which load from a magazine in the grip, which applies to most semi-automatic handguns. Thus, most semi-automatic pistols would be prohibited because the city classifies them as machineguns.

Though residents could begin applying for licenses to keep handguns in their homes and registering previously unregistered handguns under a 180-day amnesty, city officials have said the entire process could take weeks or months.

The process involves a written exam of some 20 questions, proof of residency, good vision and health, as well as a ballistics test for the individual revolver or single-shot pistol. Successful applicants must pay a registration fee and agree to fingerprinting and a criminal background check before obtaining a handgun.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle prospective gunowners face is the fact that the District has no licensed retail gun stores, and may never have them unless it approves them under zoning laws. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives currently lists only 10 federal firearms licensees, non-retail businesses and an individual in Washington, DC.

Seven of these licenses are for manufacturing, importing and consulting security firms. Two are for theatrical companies located in the District, and the one individual license is in the name of Josh Sugarmann, who is the executive director of the anti-gun Violence Policy Center. So far, neither Sugarmann nor the VPC have given any indication that they would act as transfer agents for individual Washington residents.

Washingtonians who wish to purchase handguns could travel to shops elsewhere or shop the Internet. They would have to present the shop with a certified police form authorizing the dealer to ship the weapon to a federally licensed gun dealer in Washington, where the buyer would pick it up. But until there is such a shop, no new guns would be coming into the city.

At least one individual has been reported by some Washington media to be seeking city approval so that he can reinstate his dorment federal firearms license for a retail outlet or as a legal transfer agent.

Assistant Police Chief Peter J. Newsham announced that if anyone shows up to register a semi-automatic pistol that fits the city’s definition of a machinegun, police will confiscate the gun but will not immediately arrest the owner. However, he said police reserve the right to investigate and eventually file charges.

By Joseph P. Tartaro, Hawaii Reporter