VT:Burlington Council Members "Keep the Crowd Down"

Members of the Burlington City Council have worked out a strategy to attack second amendment rights in Vermont, where there is a strong preemption law that prevents local governments from enacting separate firearms laws.  David Codrea noted it months ago.

The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs wanted to find out how and why the City was attempting to attack second amendment rights.  A public records request was filed in September of 2013.   The Acting President of the Federation is Chris Bradley.   From the burlingtonfreepress:

Bradley said the federation launched its Vermont public-records request to try to understand how and why the committee was moving forward to curtail firearms.

While the City blocked access to or redacted 619 documents.  Documents slowly trickled in, with a number being received over six months later.  Sifting through the documents, an email exchange was found where the timing of the public meetings is discussed.  It appears that  the meetings were held in mid-day, in the middle of the week, to keep down attendance.  Here are the emails:

Hi Joan,
I’m having a heck of a time trying to find a time that Paul, bram and I can all meet. What’s the protocol if someone’s not able to come to the chosen time? Two of us make a quorum right?
Also Linda was asking about what room we want wrt size. Do you have any guess if the public shows up to charter change committee meetings? The gun issue could pull in a few people. We’re trying for a midday midweek time. Maybe that will keep the crowd down. I feel like I’m guessing and any experience you have would be greatly appreciated.
Best Rachel 

 Hi Rachel,
Yes, 2 of you can meet if 3 of you can’t. No one shows up to Charter Change meetings ... unless your talking guns....then a lot of people show up, I assume. Midday/Midweek might keep the crowd down, but there seem to be plenty of people who are employed during the day by the gun industry.
Joan

 In an interview at wptz.com, Bradley said meetings about the gun issues were held during the day:

“The record clearly shows that there was intent to schedule meetings to keep the crowds low,” Bradley said. “Scheduling shows that any gun issue was held during the day.”

Bradley said one meeting was scheduled for 11 a.m., eight were for 11:30 a.m., three were for noon, one was for 3 p.m. and one was for 4 p.m.

At the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Club's web site, they say that City Council President  Joan Shannon is wrong about the allegation of people
"employed by the gun lobby":

She is wrong. There were no "employed lobbyist" of the "gun industry" at the January 7th meeting or any other Burlington City Council public hearing. Nor at the Charter Change Committee meetings. So, there certainly weren't "a lot of people by employed by the gun lobby" there.

“There are a lot of people who are employed by the gun lobby who show up during the day,” she said. “It was merely an estimate of how many people would show up. Usually nobody shows up for Charter Change Committee meetings, and I noted that in a meeting about guns, you can draw a crowd.”

She parrots the mantra of the gun control advocates that anybody who opposes their agenda is from the "gun industry"or gun "lobby" She just can not grasp that all of those people who show are Vermonters who are protecting their rights.

The issues have been narrowed down to three that directly affect second amendment rights, and will be voted on today in Burlington.  If the city charter changes are approved, then they will have to be approved by the state legislature.   That would open up the issue for other cities in the state to make their own changes.  The three issues are, from the burlingtonfreepress:

-- Give Burlington police authority to seize guns and others weapons of suspected domestic abusers. That charter change has come under additional fire after the Burlington Free Press determined the item's official wording references an incorrect section of Vermont law. The error was discovered after the deadline for any changes to the ballot.

-- Ban guns from bars and other establishments with state liquor licenses. The measure would include special exemptions for law enforcement, the owner or the operator of the establishment.

-- Require all guns in Burlington to be stored in locked facilities or with locks.

The first and last items seem to be in direct contradiction of Supreme Court Rulings.

Supporters are following the incremental approach.  Enact what you can and pave the way for more restrictions later.

City Councilor Rachel Siegel is also up for election today.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch