Feinstein Holds Hearings on Gun and Magazine Ban

[IN50]

On Wednesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who has beenadvocating banning one sort of gun or another for over 30 years, held SenateJudiciary Committee hearings on her new gun and magazine ban legislation, S.150, the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2013."

Among those testifying in support of the bill were John Walsh, the U.S.Attorney for Colorado, representing the Obama Department of Justice, Milwaukeepolice chief Edward Flynn, and Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter. Testifyingagainst the bill were former U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.), Fordham Universitylaw professor and longtime Second Amendment scholar Nicholas Johnson, andattorney and constitutional scholar David Hardy.

Feinstein insisted on holding her own hearings because hearings held a month agoby Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) didn't produceenough support for her bill. In the earlier hearings, NRA ExecutiveVice-President Wayne LaPierre, University of Denver law professor David Kopel,and attorney Gayle Trotter spoke against banning "assault weapons"and magazines that hold 11 or more rounds, and also against criminalizingprivate sales, gifts and trades of firearms. Sen. Feinstein and most of hersupporters at this hearing demonstrated ignorance, hypocrisy, and bad behaviorfrom start to finish, and never offered evidence to support the restrictionsthey advocated.

 

[CSK22]

https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

Let her know how you feel, I will as well

 

[MarlinMan68]

Never offered evidence to support the restrictions they advocated---Unfortunatly the more a Dem. says something the more the general public believes it.Look at BHO he has been doing it for over 4 years now and look where it got him.

 

[KLB]

https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

Let her know how you feel, I will as well

Not worth the effort.

Donnelly is the one to tell.

 

[Redtbird]

For all the good it will do, I did send a lengthy letter to her. If I receive a response, I will let everyone here know.

 

[Caleb]

I doubt you guys will get heard

 

[cobber]

My letter, FWIW:

Dear Senator Feinstein,

To be brief and to the point, I respectfully request that you re-orient your years-long campaign against law-abiding American gun owners, to address the *root causes* underlying violence in American society.

Years ago America did not suffer the same levels of violence, although guns were as available as they are today.

And frankly, while any of these shootings is a tragedy, these acts were perpetrated by persons with severe mental health issues, or simply by criminals.

Chicago is immediately adjacent to Indiana, and has a higher murder rate than it did during Prohibition. Chicago has very strict gun control.

The State of Indiana, despite the availability of long- and handguns, and constitutional carry of handguns, has a lower murder rate. While our big cities are no stranger to street violence, there simply is nothing approaching the rate seen in Chicago. Clearly something else is at work there.

If there is a cancer of violence in America, we make a serious mistake by addressing instrumentalities or symptoms, while ignoring the causes.

Frankly we don't need one more law on guns. We have plenty on the books. They simply need to be enforced. And if the present laws don't work, there is no reason to believe that a new law will make the difference.

Except for the law of unintended consequences. I can only assume that you have considered what happens when law-abiding citizens are disarmed, yet the criminals remain armed. I recall you had an epiphany on this once, when you were concerned about your safety and acquired a handgun for your own protection.

Millions of Americans have the same concerns.

While I am not your constituent, any law the US Senate passes will have an effect on my personal liberties.

Sincerely,

 

[cobber]

And her answer:

Thank you for sending me your electronic mail message. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me.

Because of the volume of e-mail that is received by my office, we can only respond to email that includes a California postal address. Please resend the text of your e-mail message, including your postal address, and I will respond to you as soon as possible.

Should you need additional information about the Congress, or my offices in Washington and California, please visit my homepage on the World Wide Web. The address is United States Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Thank you again for contacting me, and I hope you will continue to do so in the future.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator