Aborn Warns U.S. Senate Amendment Could Overturn State Limits on Carrying Concealed, Loaded Weapons
NEW YORK —Manhattan DA candidate Richard Aborn today sharply condemned a potential amendment to the Defense authorization bill that would enable residents of states with lax gun laws to carry loaded, concealed weapons in states that ban such possession. Aborn said the federal legislation—sponsored by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and 22 co-sponsors—would effectively allow the weaker concealed carry laws of one state to nullify the restrictions of others, permitting loaded, hidden handguns to be carried nearly anywhere, by anyone, regardless of the law in the state they are currently in.
“Dumbing down gun safety laws written for urban areas to match ‘Wild West’ standards from another century is beyond stupid—it’s dangerous,” Aborn, a national gun control leader, said today. “It’s time for New Yorkers to declare war on the N.R.A. before their lobbying leads to one more gun death in our city.”
According to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the amendment being discussed, S. 845, would allow the carrying of loaded, concealed firearms outside a person’s home state, even by persons legally barred from possessing guns in the state where the carrying occurs. It would apply in the 48 states that allow concealed carrying of firearms and would effectively allow the weaker concealed carry laws of one state to nullify the restrictions on gun carrying of other states.
Under the potential amendment, in order to carry concealed weapons people would only need to meet the minimum requirements of federal law to possess a gun, be permitted in their home state to carry a concealed weapon, and abide by a state’s concealed carry location restrictions. For example, Alaska allows adult residents to carry a concealed weapon without a license, background check, or training as long as they are allowed to possess a gun under weak Alaska gun laws - even if they have committed repeated violent misdemeanors or have committed misdemeanor sex offenses against minors. This legislation would force the other 47 states that allow concealed carrying to allow many Alaskan violent misdemeanants to carry concealed guns in their state, even if a state completely bans gun possession by such persons.
Numerous examples of crimes and dangerous acts committed by concealed carry licensees may be found athttp://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/pdf/facts/ccw-crimes-misdeeds.pdf.
Richard Aborn, who began his long career in criminal justice by prosecuting violent felonies, is a nationally prominent gun control leader, who has stood up to the NRA and beaten them time and again. As the national president of Handgun Control, Inc. (now the Brady Campaign) for five years, Richard was the principal strategist behind the successful passage of the Brady Bill, the national assault weapons ban and the ban on large volume clips.
To learn more about his campaign, please visit www.abornforda.com.
