Somebody please tell me we're not totally screwed in MD

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forgot to mention

Quinter is gone from the house, but a new guy named Saqib Ali from Garagiola's district just made it in.

Saqib Ali: Assault Weapons

Crime

* Assault Weapons Ban

Assault-type weapons are appearing in greater numbers in many Montgomery County communities. Well-armed criminals and gangs threaten the safety of all voters and their families, as well as the safety of our law enforcement personnel, who increasing find themselves facing military-grade firearms. We must ban the sale, ownership and use of the types of assault-type weapons used in the commission of crimes. I strongly support HB 1367 - The Maryland Assault Weapons Ban of 2006, sponsored by Delegate Neil Quinter (D-13), which is now before the legislature. With the lapse of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 2004, Maryland's citizns and law enforcement agencies need protection.
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(typo from website)

And in the senate, we have three new folks who ran on anti-gun-owner platforms, all supported by the Brady Campaign and CeasefireMD:

1) Jim Rosapepe (defeated John Giannetti)
2) Jamie Raskin (thinks the MD handgun law should be extended to bolt action rifles and o/u shotguns: state police registration and five-day waiting period)
3) Mike Lennett (Brady Camp's favorite for some reason, so can't be good for us)

Expect these four to join with Garagiola, AG Gansler (a Ceasefire MD board member), and even the Comptroller to declare war on MD firearms owners this spring.

Whether or not they will succeed is an open question . . .
 
Guys,
All I deal with are DOD civilians, rarely any other agencies. They aren't all liberal. However, in my experience, especially in MD, they lean hard to the left.

The ex-military guys might not, but the locals who got a government job haven't changed their party just because they got hired. Remember, that the junior GS and WG guys are union members.

It's not a solid voting block, but it's not going to help MD if more of them move into the state.
 
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Nationally I feel OK (not great, but not too bad). One party will never maintain a monopoly (nor should they). While I don't like Pelosi and similiar being in leadership positions, I am heartened by the number of moderate and even conservative Democrats who won nationally. Eventually the Dems were going to win, it is good that they weren't the worst of them- and maybe with decent numbers the moderates might bring some needed reforms to the party.

Now, here in MD:banghead:

We got the worst of the worst. Ultra-lib, extremely anti-gun O'Malley for governor (his father in law is Joe Curran:what: ). Anti-gun AG, anti-gun Comptroller (I wonder how he could use the power of the purse to further his anti-gun agenda :( ) and many, many moderates and conservatives lost state and country offices (not that there were that many here to lose). Heck, even if O'Malley wasn't anti-gun I'd be strongly against him- who wants to see him do to MD what he did "for" Baltimore?:eek:

Anyway, I'm stuck here for another 2-3 years. I have a job that will pay for grad school, I'm currently teaching on a "Conditional" teaching permit (i.e. I don't have a degree in education), so it would be really hard for me to move (residence or job) until I finish grad school and become fully certified to teach. However, unless something big changes for the better in the next couple years I think this was what I needed to push me over the edge. I will be moving out of MD (PA or VA here I come) as soon as I have full certification! No more fighting the good fight- we just lost!:mad:
 
Someone made a good observation on AR15.com which I will repeat. Besides buying a stripped lower, you may want to purchase a new handgun as well. It is possible that the O'Malley administration will no longer honor Omega locks as legitimate internal handgun locks. This change could be done administratively and without any legislation. Some brands of handguns would then be no longer for sale in Maryland.
 
Buy 2 AK's and bury them. If you buy a handgun, buy Beretta. Made in Accokeek, MD.

PG (formerly) representing!
 
Dont forget any CCW-able handguns, he might try to get the approved handgun list scrubbed of any small-frame pistol.

Good thing my dealer called Monday and said the two pistols and two AR lowers I'd ordered had arrived and he was faxing the paperwork. :uhoh:

Kharn
 
About the Omega locks, I dont' think that is going to change. The pressure to allow them came from several police agencies like MOCO that are restricted to what pistol they can carry while on off duty jobs. It seems that no berettas have the required locking device and grandfathered pistols could not be found at any price.

We can kiss any chance of CCW goodbye.

My wife and I were talking last night and it seems like the Democrats in MD are in a race to see who can be more left. Compared to OMally past Govs. Mandel, Hughes, Schaffer were far more center and Glenspending while quite liberal was more corupt than anything.

We figured we would be ready to move out of our current house in 5-8 years and move to VA but now we're looking at 3-6 years and we're ready to store our guns out of state.
 
update to JPR

First the bad news:

According to the Sun, Lisa Gladden (D-NW Balt City) is to take over Leo Green's co-chair spot on JPR. The result is swapping one anti-gun-owner for another. What remains to be seen is how hard core she will be.

Gladden is slated take the place of Sen. Leo E. Green, a Prince George's County Democrat who did not seek re-election.

She said that as a public defender and as the first African-American to hold a leadership post in the Judicial Proceedings Committee, she will bring a unique perspective to the post.

"I'm glad I got picked," she said.

Sen. Brian E. Frosh, the Montgomery County Democrat who chairs the Judicial Proceedings Committee, said he has worked with Gladden before and is eager to have her on his committee. As a public defender, she brings important expertise to the committee, Frosh said.

"She is a star and is going to be in the leadership of the General Assembly for a long time, I hope," Frosh said. "She's just going to be terrific."
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The fact that Frosh likes her is not good news for the future. However, since she is a defense lawyer (like Vallario in the house), she may be opposed to stupid criminal laws that come up, including ones regarding firearms ownership.

What really stinks for immediate purposes is that she co-sponsored the AWB in 2004 and the stealth AWB in 2005. As you all may remember, there was no Senate bill in 2006 because it was DOA at JPR.


Now the good news:

According to the Hometown forum on AR15.com, Brochin is back on JPR!!!!!
(but I can't link to the post from work)

That means we are 1-1 out of the four open slots!

Two more seats to be seen. It is down to the wire.


For strategic interest, Mike Miller is retiring from the state senate after this session. While not the best pro-gun-owner vote, Miller ruled with an iron fist and refused to allow the AWB to get our of committee through procedural gamesmanship (like how the Chris Van Hollen handgun law got passed in 2001). Miller also refused to entertain the idea of gun owner licensing. We should see who will take Miller's place in the future.
 
The other bright spot right now is that Don Dwyer is leading Joan Cadden by 7 votes as the paper ballots come in as does Ron George.

The good news is that Dwyer is on the House Judicial Committee.

I guess this dispels the notion that one vote doesn't count.
 
more updates

When I got home, the Gazette was sitting in my driveway.

According to this article, the committee memberships are still to be announced. One weakness in my analysis is that I assumed that the previous members would be coming back if they were re-elected. That may not be the case!

However, on the bright side, the article has Garagiola saying that he will probably be moved off JPR to the Finance committee!!! Frosh, though, opined that either Mike Lenett or Jamie Raskin (as mentioned, both hardest of the hard core anti-gun-owners), could be replacements for Garagiola (what a surprise).

Lenett and Raskin would be more vigorous about pushing gun control than Garagiola, who was really seemed to be a one trick pony with his AWB.

As noted, Lenett was a Senate counsel who helped draft the Fed AWB. Raskin is a law professor who understands the MD regulated firearm law and wants to expand it to all guns.
 
I noticed a couple things about the "stealth AWB" as described in that link. As I understand it, the bill seems to cover M1A variants, but not HBAR AR15s. This gave me two thoughts: If an AWB were proposed with this wording, it would seem to allow the sale of HBAR AR15s in the state (more of an "it could be worse" thought than anything as I want an AR).
Also, a standard M1A doesn't look all that different than a lot of hunting rifles, and I'd challenge any gun grabber to explain how an M1A is an evil assault weapon while a BAR or Benelli R1 in .308 (or even .300WM) is just a hunting rifle.
I don't have a lot of faith, but I'm still holding out some hope that the NRA would help us if there was a real push for an AWB, and that kind of detail could be useful on the PR side of the fight to get more hunters who aren't shooters up at arms.
All that being said, the bill also seems to effect just about all handguns ("capable to accept a detachable magazine and threaded barrel"), since almost all modern semi-autos have barrels that are easily removable.

I don't know what to make of this state. I've lived here all my life, so it feels like home, but when I'm done with school and buying a house in 3-5 years, gun laws are going to have a significant effect on where I decide to live. My girlfriend is from Morgantown, and WV is looking awfully nice right now.

btw, of course there's no hard feelings Spot. I can completely understand where you're coming from. All gun owners in this state are indebted to you (and others, like Norton and Helmetcase) for the work you've done with MSI.
 
Hi Norton,

Just had a look at the voting results at the board of elections website and it appears that Don Dwyer has 17,527 vs. 17,515 for Joan Cadden.

At the top of the page it says that the results are unofficial. I wonder how long before the winners are declared!

BTW, I agree 100% about one vote making a difference!
 
I think the results have to be certified today, yes?

I'm sure Del Cadden will want a recount (as anybody in a race this close should.)

The conundrum here is that Del Cadden always voted in our favor and it's a shame that we have to pick Del Dwyer over her. If Dwyer had the most votes and it was this close between one of the other Republicans that won and Del Cadden I wouldn't care which way it went.

D-31 is still 100% pro gun in the legislature. So take :neener: !!!

Oh...and with Delegate Leopold (former D-31 Delegate, pro gun) winning Anne Arundel County Executive, we should start talking about how we're going to get a new rifle range in the county. The County Council should all lean in our favor on this.
 
"stealth AWB" maybe DID get HBARS

If you take a look at the "copycat weapon" definition, an AR-15 HBAR would meet the "one evil feature" test.

I could see a good argument that the copycat def. and the "assault rifle" list are in conflict, meaning that the legislative intent was to exempt the HBARS. I could see the current Md Ct of Appeals agreeing with this (like how they agreed that temporary loans of handguns were not "transfers" under the handgun law).

But I would NOT trust O'Malley's upcoming judicial selections for the Ct of Appeals to see things the same way!:eek:

For more fuel for the fire, my FFL/gunsmith told me that the MD gunsmith rumor mill is buzzing over the idea that stripped lowers will not qualify for grandfathering because they don't have any of the requisite "evil features" to count as an "assault weapon." Keep this in mind during any stockpiling.

I would think that an installed lower parts kit, with an attached pistol grip, would get you over that hump per the "copycat weapon" definition. I saw that the "assault weapons" lists of the last few proposed bans all specify the AR-15 by name. I would think that merely being on the list would be enough to get a lower grandfathered, but what do I know about these crazy MD laws? I'm just a Virginia lawyer!:evil:
 
If you do have a stripped lower with the lower parts kit & grip, does it need a collapsible stock too?

I was thinking that if it did have this type stock instead of a fixed type there wouldn't be any way for the lower to NOT be considered "grandfathered". Plus its another "evil" feature!

IIRC, a long time ago just having all of the parts without them being assembled constituted an assault weapon. Seems to me I read this on ar15.com before the repeal of the last unconstitutional AWB!
 
I remember hearing the same thing. If I can't convince my parents that a RRA CAR would be a good Christmas present, I was planning on getting the collapsible stock with the lower anyway. I'm only 5'1", so the collapsible stock is a really nice feature for me, and it's worth the $25 now, considering that it'd probably be a lot more difficult to get one in the state after an AWB is passed.
 
My humble opinion is to buy what you >want< and be prepared to go to Annapolis in February and March to the hearings to fight to keep them. ;)

Funny, I got a collapsible stock and I'm 6'7". I really do need to put the buttpad on it to pick up another inch.
 
anyone from Frederick Co.?

Reading over this and the potential for the "gun list".....I'm wondering if it doesn't exist already? I received a flyer from local guys running for office, and its single purpose was to show me that they were pro-gun. Obviously they were lobbying for my vote by appealing to my RBA tendancies. My GF (who lives with me) did not get one (she doesn't own a gun).

I'm wondering if they sent these to everyone (seems risky, even though we're still a "Good ol' Boy" county in most respects), or if they had a list of who to send to? Anybody else get something in the mail like this?
 
Hey guys,


[size=+3]DON WON by 28 votes[/size]


I don't know if its been announced on the news yet but according to the Maryland State Board of Elections its now official!!

The final votes are as follows....


[size=+1]Don DWYER -Rep. 17,557 [/size]
[size=+1]Nicholas KIPKE -Rep. 18,147 [/size]
[size=+1]Steve SCHUH -Rep. 19,048 [/size]
[size=+1]Joan CADDEN -Dem. 17,529 [/size]
[size=+1]Thomas FLECKENSTEIN -Dem. 16,651 [/size]
[size=+1]Craig REYNOLDS -Dem. 14,452 [/size]

With John Leopold as County Executive and Don Dwyer I think good things can happen but we can't let our guard down!
 
Just goes to show you that getting out there and actively working for a candidate DOES make a difference. Kind of restores a modicum of faith in the electoral process.

Had it not been for the gun community out there countering the baseless attacks on Dwyer he would not have won this election.

Good job guys.
 
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/lo...8nov18,0,6460777.story?coll=bal-local-arundel
From the Baltimore Sun

Anne Arundel's ballot count completed

GOP's Dwyer, George win by thin margins



By Anica Butler
Sun Reporter

November 18, 2006





The final of tally of ballots in Anne Arundel County shows two Republican legislative candidates edging out their Democratic opponents by narrow margins yesterday.

Del. Donald H. Dwyer Jr. beat Del. Joan Cadden by 28 votes for the third seat in House District 31, the county Board of Elections reported after counting absentee ballots from overseas. And two-term county Councilwoman Barbara D. Samorajczyk lost to Annapolis jewelery storeowner Ronald A. George by 53 votes for the third spot in District 30.

"I'm excited it was close because everyone made a difference," George said.

Though Dwyer and George declared victory yesterday, the Democratic candidates said they would not yet concede, leaving open the possibility of a recount. The Democrats also are questioning the rejection of more than 200 provisional ballots - some by people who claimed to have registered at the Motor Vehicle Administration. Cadden, a three-term legislator, said that a decision on how to proceed will be made next week, and that party attorneys are considering other issues as well, but she would not elaborate.

Barbara L. Fisher, the county's elections director, said that her office had not received any complaints or questions about the rejected provisional ballots. According to Fisher, the candidates will have three days from Dec. 8 - when the votes are certified - to ask the state Board of Elections for a recount.

The candidates waited for more than a week after Election Day to learn the outcome of the races. The Democratic candidates had been leading after Election Day, but absentee ballots boosted the Republicans by midweek, pushing them ahead.

Dwyer's win in District 31, which includes Pasadena and part of Glen Burnie, means that the district was swept by Republicans, who won all three House seats and the vacant Senate seat.

Meanwhile, in a tight legislative race in the Perry Hall area, the unofficial results after absentee and provisional ballots were counted gave Democrat Todd Schuler an apparent victory yesterday.

Schuler, an attorney from Overlea, received 95 more votes than Parkville community activist Ruth Baisden in the race for the third House seat in the 8th District.

"We're celebrating," Schuler, an attorney from Overlea, said last night, when reached by phone. Attempts to reach Baisden, a Democrat, were unsuccessful.

Del. Eric M. Bromwell, a Democrat, and Del. Joseph C. Boteler III, a Republican, were both re-elected in the district.




Sun reporter Laura Barnhardt contributed to this article.
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resurrection time for this thread

Another listserve reports that the MD Senate JPR roster has been finalized.

It looks like we will have a six-five pro-gun-owner majority!

Here is the reported breakdown for pro-gun-owners (as reported on the listserve)
(Red= Anti):

JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS COMMITTEE; 2007 MEMBERS

SENATOR COUNTY DISTRICT

FROSH, Brian E (D); Montgomery 16
Chairman

GLADDEN, Lisa (D); Baltimore City 41
Vice Chairman

BROCHIN, James (D); Baltimore Cty 42

FOREHAND, Jennie (D); Montgomery 17

HAINES, Larry E.(R); Carroll & Baltimore 5

JACOBS, Nancy (R); Harford & Cecil 34

MOONEY, Alex X.(R); Frederick & Wash. 3

MUSE, C. Anthony (D); Prince George’s 26

RASKIN, Jamie (D); Montgomery 20

SIMONAIRE, Bryan W (R); Anne Arundel 31

STONE, Norman R., Jr. (D); Baltimore 6
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Note that Gladden is a new co-chair, but as a defense lawyer she may be hostile to stupid laws (though she has sponsored past AWBs).

Also note that law professor Raskin has publicy stated during his campaign that he wants to put pump-action shotguns and bolt-action rifles on the same level as handguns in MD, meaning they get the "ballistic fingerprinting," 7-day wait, and state police registration. His statements seem to indicate support for a DC-style unloaded-and-locked storage requirement.

Raskin was a legal advisor for "Citizens Against Handguns," the pusher of the 1999 Takoma Park handgun ownership ban.

I don't know anything about Muse. Muse may not be an anti, but being from PG County is not a good start, so I put him down as "suspect." Muse's campaign site says nothing about gun control, and everything about social issues contributing to crime (he appears to be a minister). He was a former state delegate and his list of sponsored bills does NOT include any gun laws.

Brochin (D) is the one survivor of the recent election who took as much heat as Giannetti (from Republicans, too) over his vote against the AWB.

While this is "better" news, the reality is that no vote can be taken for granted. There will be a lot of pressure from the Governor's Mansion FOR more gun control, and the Democrats on JPR will be facing some withering heat from the Senate Whips to "go along with the crowd."
 
Post Raskin's info here in case the Gazette removes it:

State Senate, District 20
Candidate name: Jamie Raskin
Party affiliation: Democrat
Place of residence: Takoma Park, MarylandÊ
Date of birth: December 13, 1962
Place of birth: Washington, D.C.
Current occupation: Professor of Law, director of Law & Government Program, director of Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, American University, Washington College of Law
Education: B.A. , Harvard College; J.D. Harvard Law School
Community associations:Chair, Maryland State Higher Education Labor Relations Board, Montgomery County Hate Crimes Commission,Takoma Park Election Redistricting Task Force, Takoma Park Gun Violence Task Force, Takoma Park Neighborhood Youth Soccer Association Coach and Division Coordinator, Temple Sinai
Professional associations: Board member, FairVote Board member, Public Justice Center Member, ACLU U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division— Transition Team (President Bill Clinton) American Civil Liberties Union
Family:Wife - Sarah Bloom Raskin Children – Hannah (14), Tommy (11), Tabitha (9)
Campaign office address: 10125 Colesville Road, #121, Silver Spring, MD 20901
Campaign telephone: (240) 398-3635
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anyone from Frederick Co.?

...I received a flyer from local guys running for office, and its single purpose was to show me that they were pro-gun. Obviously they were lobbying for my vote by appealing to my RBA tendancies. My GF (who lives with me) did not get one (she doesn't own a gun).

I'm wondering if they sent these to everyone (seems risky, even though we're still a "Good ol' Boy" county in most respects), or if they had a list of who to send to? Anybody else get something in the mail like this?
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I didn't get that type of flyer, although the only gun I've purchased in the past year or so was not purchased IN Frederick County. Not sure why that would make any difference, just adding for FYI.

Michael
 
what Raskin told the Gazette

From the linked article on Campaign 2006:

Do you believe Maryland’s gun control laws are too strict, not strict enough or just right?

Not strict enough. :eek: Just this June, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence highlighted a Baltimore gun dealer who had committed 900 violations of gun laws. Guns sold from that vendor have been linked to 11 homicides, 41 assaults, 49 drug crimes, and numerous other crimes. In my district of Silver Spring and Takoma Park, violent crime and gang violence continue to be serious issues affecting the quality of our neighborhoods and especially the lives of our youngest and most vulnerable residents.

In Maryland we’ve made a good start at regulating handgun sales, but currently shotguns and rifles are exempt from requirements that they be sold with child safety locks. Moreover, there is no requirement that owners actually use these locks. Shotgun and rifle owners are not required to undergo state criminal background checks and these guns are not subject to the crime-solving ballistic fingerprinting requirements that are required for handguns. We need to extend Maryland’s handgun regulations to rifles and shotguns to prevent gun violence in our communities. The devastating sniper shootings we witnessed not too long ago provide proof of the danger of these weapons.
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