Brian Maher is the mayor of Walden, New York. Shortly after he was elected, a petition came across his desk calling for “safer communities.” And, being someone who supported motherhood, apple pie and safer communities, he signed it. Little did he know, though, that the petition was actually a carefully designed trap set by Michael Bloomberg’s “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” group to get mayors to unwittingly join his anti-gun advocacy organization. And once Brian realized that his name was being touted by MAIG to pad its membership list, he found that getting off that list is as hard as trying to close your Facebook account . . .

From an article at Misfitpolitics.co:

The organization never asked for permission or asked for approval to use my name to promote their agenda. Never was any information disclosed to me about the organization being in favor of gun control or that they would use my position as Mayor to spend millions of dollars to try to take away the rights of legal gun owners. I, like several other Mayors around the country were defrauded by Bloomberg and MAIG.

Once I learned of their deceptive ways, it took several months to contact the organization as they concealed information about the people behind the group. After several attempts and requests to be removed, I did finally receive a call from a representative of the organization attempting to “buy me off” by promising political donations in return for my continued membership.

It was not until I declined this payoff, that my name was finally removed.

So, not only does MAIG use deceptive practices to add mayors to its group, but it then tries to bribe them to stay. That’s not really the way Michael Bloomberg pitches the org to the media, is it?

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

53 COMMENTS

    • Yes, indeed, they are. Our forebears possessed the correct methods to deal with really noxious members of the community. A good tar-and-feathering leaves an indelible, lifetime impression on one that prison time or monetary fines simply do not accomplish. On the high seas, keelhauling served a similar purpose. But keelhauling seems a bit over-the-top for offenses on the high seas. OH! Them barnacles!!!

      HUMILIATION in the extreme is the key. Our forebears also banished terrible citizens to the forests outside the towns and cities, to fend for themselves. The thought of the midget mayor trying to kill a squirrel or fox with the very rock he longs to outlaw is as unto balm upon my soul….

  2. It is amazing the lengths people like Bloomberg will go to work towards disarming the populace. Bribing a Mayor to stay? I am glad he had the principles to refuse the money and stick to upholding the rights of the citizens.

  3. Good on Brian Maher to refuse to be bribed into silence by Herr Bloomy. Honestly though, does this really shock anyone here? The liberals in general and gun control proponents in particular have been using these underhanded tactics for decades. Their already small membership numbers would be even smaller if they were unable to defraud and trick people as to what their true intentions as to gun control are: confiscation.

    • He’s lucky. If this had been the mayor of Chicago, they wouldn’t have bribed him. They’d have sent some friends over to his house to “have a discussion”. And then we’d have another MAIG mouthpiece…or another tragic victim of gun violence–no doubt silenced by those evil right-wing Tea-Party extremists.

  5. This makes me wonder how many more mayors are on the list unwittingly. I mean, I know Orlando’s mayor is on there because he wants to be, because Orlando has a MAIG “interface person” on their payroll. But I wonder about other places.

    • The Tallahassee mayor is there by choice as well. He was going to have a resolution to support MAIG and the Gun Registration Bill back in March. However, when he heard a bunch of us were coming to the City Commission meeting, it was quickly taken of the agenda.

    • Unfortunately, Denver’s mayor is a member and quite proud to be one.

      On the other hand, little Glendale (surrounded by Denver, and host of MagPul’s Farewell to Arms event) has a libertarian mayor who has made it his goal to repeal one law per month. One of the first ones to go was an assault weapons ban that had been on the books for years but never enforced. Next up is one that makes it illegal to throw a rock at a bush..

      I’m not kidding. . .

  6. I have no sympathy for an elected official who cannot read. If Maher is so stupid as to be conned by MAIG, he’s also too stupid to be the mayor of Walden, Dogpatch or any other place in the country.

    • Probably not, but that isn’t gonna stop Bloomberg from throwing his money around to buy influence. How else you think he ascended the throne, er, mayoral office of NY?

    • What was that Palpatine said in the horrible but politicaly true Star Wars Episode “1”

      “I will make it legal!”

    • Roll away the stone you’ve been sleeping under… their laws apply to us, not them.

  9. Why is there no easy share links on the post/website? Just my own opinion, but I would think share links to common sites to spread the word is more important than ever. I never worry about it when I’m on my iPhone because its imbedded in the OS, but on the desktop version of the site it would be a nice addition. Just my 2¢, thanks for spreading the news about devious MIAG behaviors.

  13. According to a previous post here there MAIG is approximatley 1,000 members “strong?” A quick search shows that there are 19,354 cities in the USA.

    Good job Bloomie.

    Not sure how accurate that number is but here is my source:
    http://www.chacha.com/question/how-many-cities-are-there-in-the-united-states

    My question is, why did he sign the darn thing if he didnt know what it is? Ive pi&&ed off impatient lawyers while reading doccuments in court before signing them and some might consider me simple minded.

    • Sneaky, that’s how. Most likely buried in paragraph 364 is a weak reference to “joining” the committee for safe sewers, which is an offshoot of the commission on more grass in the park, leading to another group, which is a subgroup…you get the idea.

  14. Hey Ralph and other resident lawyers, is this potentially actionable misrepresentation by MAIG?

    If there are other mayors who’s names and likenesses are being used without permission some sort of class action suit would seem appropriate.

    Perhaps damages would be small, limited to the portion of funds raised that could reasonably be assumed to be due to the undesired inclusion in the list, but the negative publicity for MAIG would be awesome.

    -bsd

    I checked, and all (two) of the MAIG associated mayors in my state are in fact MAIG supporters.

  15. I sure am glad that Bloomberg is the only billionaire being sneaky about throwing his weight around. Otherwise, I might fear for our fragile Republic.

    • Sarcasm I assume? Just in case it’s not, might want to look up Darth Soros, a full fledged Dark Lord of the Progressives (George Soros; real piece of work).

  16. Hmm, it seems the mayor of the county seat of my home county appears to be a member of MAIG. I assure you there is just no way he intends to be. I’d say he’s going to be plenty upset when I call and tell him that they list him as a member.

    Regardless of his actual beliefs being a member of MAIG would be absolute political suicide here. The gun ownership rate has got to be in excess of 80% and the entire county and city government composed of Republicans.

  17. Maher says “MAIG membership has been reduced in half as Mayors around the country realize the lies and deceit of Mayor Bloomberg.” The rest of MAIG’s membership decline is attributed to old-fashioned politics: Mayors being indicted and losing elections.

  18. You can conclude malice in those who habitually lie to you. Illegal Mayors Against Guns would probably be defending fraud charges and audits if their politics were different.

  19. Having lived in Walden in my teenage years, I don’t remember too many anti 2A folks. As usual, the NYC mentality tries to speak for everyone else in the state, even resorting to trickery to do so.

Comments are closed.