Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL)

Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
PO. Box 513, Newington, VA 22122 • 804-639-0600 • 703-372-3285 • 757-271-3705 • 540-446-5783

01/24/07 - Bloomberg flees/Legislative Update!

Mr. Bloomberg: you can run, but you can't hide VCDL, Gun Owners of America, and the Liberty Coalition had a successful press conference today in the New York Room of the Capital Hilton in DC. We also had 30 members show up to picket the outside of that hotel because Bloomberg and the other anti-gun Mayors are staying there. Looks like VCDL scared Bloomberg away. Bloomberg at the last moment moved his press conference and reception from the Hilton to a Congressional building across town! Perhaps he learned what happened to Senator Devolites Davis' press conference on VCDL Lobby Day last week, where the press had more interest in talking to us than Senator DD ;-) We learned of Bloomberg's sudden actions just before his press conference, but decided to stay and picket the Hilton because the mayors were still coming in and out and would see our signs. It was also logistically much better. Indeed several mayors came out to talk to us - giving us a chance to explain what Bloomberg is really up to. We expect the major New York papers to cover our protest and the "Bloomberg Gun GiveAway" drawing in support of the gun dealers that Bloomberg is attacking. A police officer showed up and chatted with me for a few minutes. It was a pleasant conversation and when he saw that we were not going to cause any trouble, he left. We got lot's of honks to our signs that said, "Honk if you SUPPORT gun owners" and "Honk if you OPPOSE NYC gun control." People walking by were generally supportive. Only two (males in suits) were rude and verbally took it out on female EM Sandy Ferris and mysteriously not on Board member Dennis O'Connor who was standing nearby. That says it all about the other side. Afterwards about 20 of us went to a local restaurant and dined before returning to Virginia and freedom. We have video and pictures of the press conference and of the protest, which we will post to the VCDL web site for you to view. I will advise when everything is in place. Many thanks to Mike Stollenwerk, Jim Snyder, Dennis O'Connor and others who worked hard to make the rally and press conference a success. -- LEGISLATIVE UPDATE First the GOOD news: I warned Newport News that their library gun ban was a waste of legislative effort, but they ignored that warning. Oh, well. Senator Locke's SB 767 died in the Senate Local Government committee with a vote of 5 to 8! [to kill the bill - PVC] Both library ban bills are now dead, neither getting out of committee (I told Newport News that they wouldn't). I was at the rally and couldn't attend the committee meeting, but Board member Jim Kadison and gun rights activist Roy B. Scherer did attend and spoke against the bill. Here is Roy's report: -- Senator Locke's library-gun bill, SB767, just died in Senate Local Government. Vote was 8 to 5. Jim Kadison spoke, and so did I -- and so did someone whom I don't know, just "father of three" from Norfolk who didn't want to abandon his duty to protect his kids. Senator Martin spoke well, and asked about any data or incidents to justify the bill. A Newport News spokesman admitted that there had been no incident, except for questions and objections about them posting a no-gun sign! Roy -- Now the bad news: as I predicted the Republicans appear to be ducking the more powerful pro-gun bills. Delegate Coles' HB 2300, the state agency preemption bill that would fix carry on universities and colleges and allow open carry in State Parks has been assigned to the 'Death star' subcommittee (House Militia, Police and Public Safety subcommittee #3). Delegate Athey's Alaska carry (HB 2405) and car carry of a loaded handgun in a locked box or compartment without a CHP (HB 2406) also ended up in that committee. Boy, the surprises never end. I need to be at the subcommittee at 7:30 AM tomorrow (Wednesday) - ugh! I plan to fight for HB 2300 side-by-side with Delegate Cole to get that bill out of subcommittee and on to the full committee for a vote. I plan to also speak on Delegate Athey's two bills. However, HB 2406 needs to get rid of the 'locked' wording before VCDL will support that bill. For those of you in Delegate Paula Miller's district, she is going to play a key roll in getting any of these bills out of that subcommittee, where they can be voted on by more than just five people. If you can call or email her NOW, please do so in support of HB 2300, HB 2405 and HB 2406 if the word 'locked' is removed. Here is Delegate Miller's email: DelPMiller*house.state.va.us and her phone number: 804-698-1087. -- First coverage of VCDL rally arrives. Bloomberg thinks we are sick. That's rich. I think sick is trying to bankrupt innocent gun dealers and their families in a grab for political power. I love the last line in this article: http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=3&aid=66136 Mayors Gather In Washington For National Summit On Illegal Guns NY! News January 23, 2007 ....As the mayor was touting these proposals, he was being criticized by a gun rights group that says Bloomberg is the one breaking the law. Gun Owners of America claims Bloomberg violated federal laws with his successful undercover sting operations against gun dealers. The group says the mayor sent private investigators to other states to buy guns using fake identification. The mayor's office called that claim untrue. In another effort to mock the mayor's politics, several gun shops in Virginia held the Bloomberg Gun Giveaway. For every $100 spent at these shops, customers got a raffle ticket to win a free gun. Bloomberg was not amused. "These are sick people," said the mayor. "Guns kill people. And if they think this is funny, I don't think the parents, or the spouses, or the children of those that killed by illegal guns would find that very entertaining." But the reality is that Bloomberg is going up against a very powerful force in the nation's capital. And the harder he pushes, the harder the gun lobby will push back. [Yes, that we will! - PVC] ***************************************************************************