United States
American Reporters 'Spook Readers' with Gun Sale Exaggerations
Slate (USA)
13 Nov 2008
Firearms scare almost everybody. But no demographic gets more wiggy about handguns, shotguns, and rifles than journalists. Ever since the Washington Post ("Gun Sales Thriving in Uncertain Times," Oct. 27) put the idea into circulation that the election and economic turmoil were spurring an increase in gun and ammo sales, a score of other news outlets have published their takes on the topic. The Salt Lake Tribune got there on Nov. 6 ("Election Triggers Upsurge in Military-Like Firearms Sales"), the New York Times on Nov. 7 ("On Concerns Over Gun Control, Gun Sales Are Up"), the Associated Press ("Fears of Democrat Crackdown Lead to Gun Sales Boom") and Reuters... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Gun Sales Hit Highest Level Since LA Riots - Justice Dept
Press-Enterprise (California) / Scripps-Howard News Service
13 Nov 2008
Gun dealers in California say business is booming out of fear for the future of gun ownership since voters elected Barack Obama president and gave Democrats a solid majority in Congress. "We probably sold more guns last week than the entire month of October," said Jerry Wehunt of JW Guns & Accessories in Riverside, Calif. California Department of Justice employees in Sacramento are working overtime and weekends to handle the influx of requests for state-required background checks on gun purchasers. Steven Buford, program manager for the department's Bureau of Firearms, said about 1,000 guns normally are sold in California each day. Two thousand... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Fear of Election Violence Prompts Peace Plea, Polling Gun Ban in Ghana
Joy Online / Daily Graphic (Ghana)
13 Nov 2008
A security and small arms expert, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey, has cautioned that reports that some people, particularly the youth, are being armed to foment trouble during the December 7 elections pose a serious threat to the peace and security in the country. He has, therefore, called on the police and the other security agencies to act decisively to deal with the situation, while calling on the general public to report any person involved in illegal arms dealing. "In this election year, the availability of small arms has the potential of heightening tension, undermining peace initiatives and prolonging conflicts," he cautioned. Allegations are rife... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Feds Arrest Licensed Indiana Gun Dealer on Drug, Firearm Charges
WEHT-TV News (Indiana)
13 Nov 2008
EVANSVILLE -- The Feds search an Evansville eastside pawn shop and NEWS 25 is there as they take away drugs, guns, and the owner. We broke the story and we have new information on why agents were there. Wednesday night, the owner of Pawn Unlimited near Weinbach and Covert, sits in the Vanderburgh County Jail charged with meth and marijuana possession. It's his second run-in with the law in a month and we found, more charges could be coming. Pawn Unlimited is the center of attention Wednesday afternoon, as Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents lead a search surrounding owner, Patrick Tanaka. "A search warrant was executed.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
NRA Tells Judge that Philadelphia Isn't Allowed to Set Its Own Gun Laws
Philadelphia Inquirer / AP
13 Nov 2008
A lawyer for the National Rifle Association told a state appeals court yesterday that Philadelphia has no authority to implement an assault-weapons ban because such a measure deals with constitutional rights. The NRA is challenging a series of gun-control measures that City Council passed in an effort to combat gun violence. Mayor Nutter signed the bills even though the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has previously upheld the state's exclusive right to enact gun laws. Lawyer C. Scott Shields, who represents the NRA, said the city simply isn't allowed to regulate firearms. "When you deal with firearms rights, you deal with constitutional rights which... ( gunpolicy.org )
Samoa, American Samoa
Samoan Police Boss Received Guns Smuggled from American Samoa
Samoa News (Pago Pago)
13 Nov 2008
Police investigator John Cendroswki testified yesterday in Apia before the Samoa government's Commission of Inquiry into the alleged smuggling of firearms from American Samoa to Samoa. What the five-member Commission decides over the next several days will determine if the Commissioner of Police, Papali'I Lorenese Neru, is guilty or not guilty of anything illegal in the way the guns were brought into the country, reports Samoalive. The legality or illegality of guns imported to Samoa on board the police patrol boat MV Nafanua, is what the Commission of Inquiry is trying to sort out this week at the Oloamanu Conference Center at the Le Papaigalagala Campus.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Lobby Stalwart Accuses NRA of 'Lining Pockets with Your Money'
Great Falls Tribune (Montana), Opinion
13 Nov 2008
During my nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, I had a 100 percent voting record with the National Rifle Association. Not once did I vote for gun control; not for the Brady Bill, nor ammunition registration, not for the assault weapons ban, nor any of the other futile attempts to fight crime by simply putting people's name on a list. The NRA endorsed me in each of my election campaigns. For a time following my first election, I was a bit of an NRA poster boy and adorned the cover of one of their magazines. The honor was not because of my anti-gun-control voting record, but because of my legislative efforts to improve game animal habitat here... ( gunpolicy.org )
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