‘Ammo control’ picks up steam among Democrats aiming to limit gun access

‘Ammo control’ picks up steam among Democrats aiming to limit gun access

Dimitry Lazar fires his 9mm pistol at targets at the Firing-Line indoor range and gun shop, Thursday, July 26, 2012, in Aurora, Colo. The massacre inside a crowded Colorado movie theater has prompted a sudden increase in gun sales and ... more >

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Thursday, October 15, 2015

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/15/background-checks-ammunition-buys-moving-toward-ba/

With 300 million firearms in circulation and calls for more restrictions hitting a wall, Democrats and gun control advocates from California to Virginia are increasingly turning to other proposals such as restricting ammunition and magazine rounds and narrowing the ability to wield weapons.

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2018, released a statewide ballot campaign Thursday to require background checks for ammunition purchases.

“Why is it that we have background checks for guns but not background checks for ammunition? It makes no sense,” Mr. Newsom said at his press conference in San Francisco.

“California can set the tone for the rest of the nation with these common-sense public safety provisions,” he said. “We will lead the nation. We’ll be the only state in America that has background checks on point-of-sale purchases of ammunition.”

The proposed 2016 initiative would require instant background checks at the point of sale and ban the possession of ammunition magazines with over 10 rounds. Given that California already bans the sale and manufacture of magazines over 10 rounds, the proposal would give California the toughest ammo restrictions in the nation.

New York also requires instant ammunition background checks as part of its 2013 SAFE Act, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, suspended the provision in July, citing an inadequate state database.

“New York tried. California will be the first to do it,” said Mr. Newsom. “California will step up and step into this debate in a meaningful way. And I’ll say this to the NRA with all due respect that you can intimidate politicians — we’ve seen them. But you can’t intimidate the public. That’s why we’re bringing this directly to the public.”

Efforts to restrict ammunition may sound less alarming to the average voter than attempts to ban guns, but they’re no more acceptable to gun rights advocates, who vowed to fight the proposed California initiative.

“If Gavin Newsom wants to declare war on law-abiding gun owners and Second Amendment rights, we’re certainly going to bring the fight to him,” Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs said in a statement.

The Newsom measure also would require owners to report lost or stolen guns to law enforcement, and would set up a process to confiscate firearms from illegal owners such as felons.

Amy Hunter, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, said the effort to restrict ammunition sales represents another step in the march to erode the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

“California illustrates the true gun-control agenda, which is the ultimate confiscation and banning of firearms. If Gavin Newsom gets his way, the state will be the next Australia,” Ms. Hunter said in a statement.

“His ballot initiative proposal does nothing but prohibit access to the most effective methods for self-defense, with no measurable positive effect on stopping crime or improving public safety,” she said. “They can’t repeal the Second Amendment, so they’re trying to chip away our rights until there is nothing left.”

Also on Thursday, gun control advocates got a victory on the other side of the country as Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, signed an executive order that bans the carrying of firearms in some state government buildings.

The order also sets up a joint task force to prosecute gun crimes, requires the tracing of every gun used in a crime and gives the attorney general power for more robust prosecution of gun crimes.

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Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception, and is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank).

Note: George Soros was married in 2013, the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, William D. Zabel was his divorce lawyer, and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Sundance Institute, the Harlem Children's Zone, and Human Rights First.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the American Constitution Society, and Human Rights First.  

George Wallerstein is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and an advisory board member for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank).

Eric H. Holder Jr. was an intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, a board member for the American Constitution Society, and the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Raben Group is the lobby firm for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and the Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

Robert Raben is the president for the Raben Group, an assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, and a director at the American Constitution Society.

Mario M. Cuomo was a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society, and Andrew M. Cuomo & Maria Cuomo Cole’s father.  

Andrew M. Cuomo is Mario M. Cuomo’s son, and the New York state government governor.

Maria Cuomo Cole is Mario M. Cuomo’s daughter, married to Kenneth D. Cole, and a trustee at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Kenneth D. Cole is married to Maria Cuomo Cole, and a trustee at the Sundance Institute.

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

Everytown for Gun Safety is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

Americans for Responsible Solutions is a “Gun Safety” PAC for guns.

Michael R. Bloomberg is a co-chair for the Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the founder for Everytown for Gun Safety, was a contributor for Americans for Responsible Solutions, the New York (NY) mayor, and a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone.

Raben Group is the lobby firm for the Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

George Wallerstein is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and an advisory board member for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank).

Gavin Newsom is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank), the lieutenant governor for the California state government, and was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.

Jerry Brown is the California state government governor, and Kathleen L. Brown’s brother.

Kathleen L. Brown was the California state government treasurer, is Jerry Brown’s sister, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.  

Valerie B. Jarrett is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and was a director at the Joyce Foundation.

Joyce Foundation was a funder for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.                    

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Mark A. Angelson was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, and a director at Human Rights First.

James D. Zirin is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and was a director at Human Rights First.

William D. Zabel is the chair for Human Rights First, was a trustee at the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and George Soros’s divorce lawyer.

Kenneth R. Feinberg is a director at the Human Rights First, and was the administrator of victim payments for the 2012 Aurora (CO) theater shootings.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Human Rights First, the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Sundance Institute, and the Harlem Children's Zone.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, William D. Zabel was his divorce lawyer, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, married in 2013, and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for Human Rights First, and the American Constitution Society.

Mario M. Cuomo was a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society, and Andrew M. Cuomo & Maria Cuomo Cole’s father.  

Andrew M. Cuomo is Mario M. Cuomo’s son, and the New York state government governor.

Maria Cuomo Cole is Mario M. Cuomo’s daughter, married to Kenneth D. Cole, and a trustee at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

Eric H. Holder Jr. was a board member for the American Constitution Society, an intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice.

George Wallerstein is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and an advisory board member for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank).

Gavin Newsom is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank), the lieutenant governor for the California state government, and was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.