Connecticut’s Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont doesn’t have the celebrity status of some of his gun control governor colleagues like New York’s Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy or California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. His recent gun control proposal arguably outdoes them all, though.
Connecticut’s governor ripped a page from the Biden administration playbook and attempted to divert attention from failures to address rising crime by calling for increased gun control. Gov. Lamont said in a press conference announcement, “You’re not tough on crime if you’re weak on guns. We’re going to continue to stay tough on guns.”
That’s obfuscation. Gov. Lamont is miring two unrelated issues to confuse voters in a re-election year. He’s running again to keep his job and instead of admitting he’s done nothing to address criminal activity in the state, he’s proposing policy changes that would crush firearm retailers and individual gun rights of law-abiding citizens.
Read that again. Gov. Lamont isn’t proposing to target criminals, but those who abide by the law.
Layered Bureaucracy
Gov. Lamont explained he was proud that Connecticut already had among the nation’s strictest gun laws. “But that’s not good enough. I’ve just been shocked by what I’ve seen over the past couple of years,” he added.
What he saw in his state are sky high legal firearm sales, the most in five years. That’s occurring in the middle of “defund the police” schemes embraced by Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport, and rising crime in those cities. Gov. Lamont’s proposals would do little to hold criminals to account.
Chief among Gov. Lamont’s gun control wish list is the creation of a state-level firearm licensing agency to track and enforce Connecticut’s strict laws.
“The lack of state licensing for gun dealers makes it difficult for the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to enforce the laws,” the governor said.
The governor is ignoring, of course, that every firearm retailer in Connecticut is already required to be licensed and regulated by the federal government through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Another state-level licensing agency is more than just layered bureaucracy. It’s a tool to grind local gun shops into oblivion.
Gov. Lamont’s administration has a track record of dismissing and outright ignoring gun owner and firearm retailer rights and concerns. Just last year officials from the Lamont administration ignored retailer requests for robust guidance and assistance during his poorly-managed transition of the state’s background check system. Now, Gov. Lamont’s office wants to expand their grip on power and licensing authority with little to no desire to dedicate resources to support the proposals.
That won’t stop criminals from illegally-selling guns on the black market or stealing them. The only people impacted by this legislation will be those trying to follow the laws in the first place. Gov. Lamont’s goal is to use the new laws as a bludgeon against the lawful industry ensuring law-abiding Connecticut residents can exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Blue State Red Tape
Gov. Lamont’s proposals include mandatory registration of so-called “ghost guns” manufactured prior to the state’s already existing 2019 ban, expanding a ban on so-called “assault weapons” purchased prior to a 1993 state law to requiring registration, expanding firearm storage laws even though Connecticut already has mandatory storage laws and enactment of a “stop and frisk” policy for police to check carry permits for those who are openly carrying firearms.
Second Amendment supporters are howling. Connecticut’s highest-ranking Republicans on the state’s House Judiciary and Public Safety Committee criticized the governor.
“While lawful Connecticut citizens are, on an almost daily basis, being victimized by brazen criminals with little fear of punishment, the governor has chosen an aged election-year tactic of attacking law-abiding gun owners in an effort to distract from his administration’s utter failure to address criminal justice policies,” Reps. Craig Fishbein and Greg Howard said.
Other Second Amendment and Constitutional rights groups, including the non-partisan Connecticut Citizens Defense League, (CCDL) denounced the proposals. CCDL stated parts of Gov. Lamont’s gun control package, “is out of touch with the people of Connecticut as thousands of residents have become new permit holders within the last year.”
Connecticut is witnessing the same bait-and-switch that President Joe Biden attempted in New York City. He traveled there to address crime, only to pitch a series of gun control proposals. The president didn’t offer any plan to get serious about tacking crime. The same thing is coming out of Hartford. Unfortunately for Connecticut, the governor is just as unserious about locking up criminals as he is serious about locking down gun stores.
Larry Keane is SVP for Government and Public Affairs, Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
The crime and violence wave is endemic to the ongoing Soros campaign to neuter and pervert the nation’s criminal justice system in a Marxist attempt to weaken it beyond all redemption. Any other analysis, that does not recognize this is pure misdirection…
RE: “Second Amendment supporters are howling. Connecticut’s highest-ranking Republicans on the state’s House Judiciary and Public Safety Committee criticized the governor.”
Yada, yada, yada…Unfortunately it will be business as usual among the howlers or criticizers and not one word from them will be about the governor’s Gun Control rot being rooted in racism and genocide.
Another opportunity missed to expose Gun Control zealots for what they are. After all the same howlers and criticizers did not have the balls to hang Gun Free Zone Signs around the necks of two-bit bureaucrats and politicians following Sandy Hook. Signs that led gullible parents into believing their kids were all safe and comfy while they were at work whistling Dixie.
Until those claiming to support rights get off their behinds and correctly define Gun Control by it’s history expect The Second Amendment to continue sitting at the back of the bus while Gun Control does the driving.
1) The Second Amendment is one thing.
2) The criminal misuse of firearms, bricks, bats, knives, vehicles, etc. is another thing.
3) History Confirms Gun Control in any shape, matter or form is a racist and nazi based Thing.
This, This comment gets the cake. Why am i the only one i feel like. Well obviously I’m not. But it seems like so many don’t realize that gun control is rooted in racism. Never has been about helping anyone. Only control and abuse. And the fact that people don’t understand more are killed with blunt objects etc then the supposed “assault weapons” they are clamoring to ban all the time. Its true that more people need to start fighting fire with fire. They claim the 2nd amendment is rooted in racism. yea right. people need to push back and tell the actual truth.
FFL in NYS here – what a pain in the ass to go through their process. My separate legal entity needs to get its pistol permit despite the fact that I also personally possess a pistol permit.
Gee! That sounds really stupid! I am shocked.
Apparently he doesn’t realize that even the dumbest voters are starting to reject this bullsh!t!! Like the man said….”they’re not stupid, they just think you are”!
CT already can’t keep up with permits and registration so I’m the state will be able to keep up with a redundant licensing scheme.
I’m sure once all the CT gun shops close all the diversity in Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven will stop killing each other.
You can pass all the laws you want and not one criminal gives a damn because they are Law Breakers.
We have obtained a thought reader/processor from an MK-Ultra defector and have aimed it at Governor LaMont. The following transcript was generated:
“Gee, I don’t know what to do about rising crime. If I don’t do something, people will think I am ineffective. I need to unite our citizens against a common enemy. I know!!! Guns!! We’ll launch another anti-gun campaign. It will not stop crime but will blame rising crime on the rising rates of gun ownership. Then, we can blame gun-owners, gun-sellers, and gun-makers for creating and enabling the criminal class.”
Now, to be fair, the thought processor did pick up a nagging doubt buried deep in the Governors sub-conscious:
“Hmmm….if I blame gun-owners, will I be blaming the people whom I need to vote for me and my political party?”
But that doubt showed a trace of rational thought, so it was buried:
“No, no, no!! Blame is the solution….blame is the solution…blame is not a problem….blame is a solution….”
In other news, Washington state senate passed a ban on the SALE of “High capacity” magazines. They are attempting to limit mags to 10 rounds. This is supported by Wa Attorney General Bob Ferguson who is a flaming liberal moron. Wow Bobby, what a way to bring crime to an urgent halt! What an idiot. I guess every time I go to Idaho, I will stock up on mags there. No crime as the sale did not occur in Washington.
My daughter is in a serious relationship with a guy from a Seattle suburb My wife and I keep feeding her news about how the communists control the state, especially on the western side. I am hoping we can discourage her from settling there.
The guy she is dating has a good career, is on a sound financial footing, and is a good person. He considers himself a-political and shows no interest in current events. He does has some real-estate investments in the area. That is not good news because odds are she and he may marry in the next two years and then she will move to the far-left-west.
Drat!!!
Our CA Penal Code defines the “importation” of 10+ round mags into the state as illegal. Doesn’t stop people from driving into neighboring AZ or NV to buy them, though. One of my coworkers just told me earlier this week he’s going on a trip to buy mags.
Wanna stop crime? Focus on the source…the deliberate removal of faith (in God) and personal accountability (to fellow Man). Funny how so much “crime” would evaporate if people returned to the traditional belief that they are made in the image of a Creator who will hold them accountable one day.
Haz,
The sound of two hands clapping.
I really, really wish there was some sort of policy or playbook available so we could know what qualifies to force our benign comments into “awaiting moderation”. For the life of me, I simply cannot figure it out.
(eye roll)
Haz,
As nearly as I can figure, TTAG’s “moderation policies” are approximately as rational as dacian the stupid’s comments, and approximately as internally consistent. I just type what I want, redact a few letters from curse words, and ignore the moderation bulls***. USUALLY, the comments EVENTUALLY emerge from moderation . . . or not. I’ve given up trying to make sense out of it. TTAG clearly does not WANT a rational moderation policy that is clearly understood by its, ya know, ACTUAL USERS.
I can’t be bothered to try to teach myself to read their minds.
@Wally1
You better re-read the proposed law (it has not passed the House yet). It specifically states that possession of >10 round magazines and/or the parts to make one is illegal…unless you’re the DoD or Washington law enforcement. Apparently there is no grandfather clause.
I wonder if it applies to out-of-State Officers carrying under LEOSA?
As usual the proposed laws will do nothing about crime, do nothing to make anyone but the actual criminals safer, and do nothing to prevent anyone from buying a firearm on the street or through the black market.
And I will say it again. It isn’t the hardware, but the person using it. Deal with the person committing the violent crime, not the item he or she used.
We hear all manner of noise about “gun crime”, yet we NEVER hear about a gun being arrested, or tried and convicted of any crime! Someone should challenge these governors to explain the failure of their administrations to effectively prosecute these illegal/criminal guns! Are they stupid? They are apparently fully aware of the depredations marauding guns inflict upon the innocent, yet they do nothing!
Nicely played, LarryinTX, nicely played!!
Just came across this by accident while researching something else …
CIA collecting bulk data on Americans without oversight, senators say
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/02/cia-collecting-bulk-data-on-americans-without-oversight-senators-say/
So ya no longer need to worry about the ATF having all your gun and personal information, what they don’t have the CIA probably does.
I thought this was breaking news 25 years ago?
Why would anyone NOT think this is, has and will go on happening?
It was suppose to have been stopped way back, but basically its been carried on in secret.
Just mentioning it.
And it may be very noisily stopped again, while it is still carried on in secret. I have pointed out before that the facility built in Oregon a couple years back must be forcibly evacuated with zero notice, and then bombed into oblivion before we will ever have the tiniest hope of privacy of any kind again, it is purpose built to spy on Americans and everyone else for the next 1000 years, there will never be any way to defeat the amount of hidden data there.
.40 cal,
We need a federal law making it a felony for ANY government agent (whether actual employee or “contractor”) to surveil or gather private data on any American citizen EXCEPT pursuant to a court order or warrant, and those can only be good for 30 days, need to be renewed to continue surveillance, and can only be renewed three times. Violation should be a minimum $100,000 fine and five years in prison for the individual(s) involved, and a minimum $5,000,000 fine per agency, with a minimum 1 year in prison for the supervisor in charge of the operation.
That would shut this Stasi nonsense down right quick.
Nah, it would still continue, in secret.
Yeah, just like guns will continue to be “transferred” regardless of “universal background checks”, but I guess it’s better than nothing.
Jesus wept. A few days ago I bought a pair of 7 1/2″ Colt SAA in .45. COLT’S PT FA MFG Co. Hartford, CT USA. Now this out of CT. It’s sad.
The CT Attorney General in Connecticut has refused to prosecute people who knowingly, purposely, and with total disregard for common decency, have exposed people to COVD-19, and caused hospitalization and disability. Yet the state wants a whole new list of laws to harass and persecute people minding their own business and simply exercising their enumerated constitutional rights.
There are a lot of well-to-do New Yorkers who reside in CT and commute daily to their overpaid jobs on Wall Street. They brought their crazy politics with them. And their money.
Many of these NY expats have relocated to FL in the recent past, saving hundreds of millions in taxes. For example, when three rich guys left for FL in 2018, they created a $450 million CT budget shortfall.
So they are gone, enjoying the sunshine, security and freedom of FL. Unfortunately, like dogs with irritable bowel disease, they left something behind them. Their politics.
“…tough on guns…”
Lmao
These people believe this craziness. This is another one of those buzz words and phrases. No one cares to be tough on criminals.
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