Back in 2012, during a taping of “Meet the Press,” David Gregory broke a District of Columbia law that prohibits one from possessing a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
Gregory was interviewing Wayne LaPierre when he displayed the magazine to the viewing audience, while posing the following question to the National Rife Association executive vice president:
So here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets. Now isn’t it possible that, if we got rid of these, if we replaced them in said, ‘Well, you could only have a magazine that carries five bullets or ten bullets,” isn’t it just possible that we can reduce the carnage in a situation like Newtown?
According to an arrest warrant obtained by the website Legal Insurrection, D.C. police responded to an inquiry by a producer of “Meet the Press” who was inquiring about whether it would be legal to display the magazine.
“No, possession of high capacity magazines is a misdemeanor” wrote D.C. police. The officer told the producers to use photographs instead of the magazine.
Clearly, the “Meet the Press” crew did not listen and willingly violated the law, which prompted D.C. Police to file an arrest warrant for Gregory.
Of course, Gregory was never charged. In Jan. 2013, D.C. Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan exercised his “prosecutorial discretion” and let the former host off the hook, claiming that charging Gregory would “not promote public safety” in the District. nor would it “serve the best interest of the people.”
Had you or I been caught with a 30 round magazine, do you think we’d get the same treatment that Gregory did?
Hell no. And that’s really why Legal Insurrection filed the lawsuit asking for the release of the arrest warrant. As they noted:
The point of all this was not that we wanted David Gregory prosecuted. We didn’t.
There is no reason for mere possession of an unloaded high-capacity magazine, not to be used in the commission of some other crime and far away from actual ammunition, to be a crime. But it is in D.C.
That needs to change, but it probably will not, until people like David Gregory and other high profile citizens start having it enforced as to them.
That’s correct. Had Gregory been charged perhaps the anti-gunners that run Washington might be forced to recognize just how stupid a law banning a widely popular and commonly owned firearm accessory really is. Until the law applies equally, it doesn’t apply at all.
The actual complaint should read, “brandishing an implement of weaponry in a threatening manor”, and only Wayne LaPierre could file that charge to go along with “possession of a high capacity ammo magazine within the city limits of the District of Colombia”.
Of course that would never be enforceable against a gun-grabbing anti-gunner, for they have more rights than the law abiding armed citizen! Kinda like criminals have more rights than their victims!
“producers of the show would like to have a clip(standard or high power) without the ammunition in studio to use on the show.”
what the hell is a high powered ‘clip’? does the follower use an electric motor instead of a spring or something?
You know what a clip is, clown. A stripper clip isn\’t the only kind of ammo clip. Stop hanging out at /k/ so much!
Sure we know what “clip”means, but the term used was “high-powered clip” which is actually beyond silly.
This idiot is the living proof that the left can pass as many gun laws they want and the criminals still won’t obey them, just as happened in this case. Ban it all you want but someone will always violate the law. Just as they did in this case.
More proof that gun laws don’t do anything productive and one of their own proved it right here!
LOL! Imagine that!
Absolutely they should have been arrested and charged, just like We the Common People who make up this great nation would have been arrested if ANY of us would have been caught with a SINGLE 30 round Magazine, not an entire display of numerous magazines, and what about the Federal Level, since it rises to a Federal Violation once they crossed State Lines while Illegally in possession of 30 round magazines??
Very Old News. I would hope the editors could find more interesting material than this.
So, there is a statute of limitations on a firearms law? Sweeping it under the rug is OK with you? I hope somebody pursues this, David Gregory is no special case. He should get what any ordinary citizen would get. Sounds like you’re OK with what Hillary Clinton said…..”At this point, what difference does it make”.
I think an arrest will be useless. If he was not apprehended in DC, how will the LEO’s be able to prove that he wasn’t just holding the body of the mag?
So, some leftwing antigun wakadoodle breaks the law and all is forgiven.
But some poor sob a few years back gets time for possessing a musket ball?
This country needs an enema in the worst way.
The fact that Gregory had an illegal high capacity magazine in DC proves LaPiree’s point – the law only impacts law abiding people…
No arrest warrant was issued, folks. The thing that the writer here thinks was a warrant was an affidavit requesting one.
You can beat this dead horse all you want but you should stop to remember laws do not apply to those who make them or their friends just look at the mess in Washington so it is a mute point at this time please vote wisely and things could change MAYBE
Didn’t you get the memo? Democrats pass laws to apply to everyone but themselves. They know what’s best for us, they need to protect us from ourselves, they are exempt because of their great wisdom.
Possession of magazines over 10 rounds is NOT illegal in Maryland. Only the sell, buy or transfer of these items is illegal.
I agree with the rest of the article. Proscriptive violation of misdemeanor laws indicates a disregard for the laws of the land. We see that not only from the media but also from many ‘Holders’ of public office.
Who polices the government?
A waste of time and paper. Good intentions but whats the old saying? The magazine was a prop for the sole purpose of making a point. I agree a picture more than likely would have driven the point home. Bottom line there is something called “The spirit of the law vs the letter of the law”.
He thought the first amendment to the Constitution Will protect him lol!
As long as your a celeb. pushing the anti-gun agenda you can violate the law that they would and have nailed pro gun folks. Details say they went looking for him at his MD home, were the 30 round mag is also illegal there. The mag gets turned in and placed in evidence. THE END.
WAIT A DARN MINUTE! What about the rest of the investigation. Who did he get the mag from? Where did 5he transfer take place? Did he have the illegal mag in MD (illegal there too)? Is Gregory a gun runner getting the mag from Virgina and crossing State and Washington D.C. Lines. He didn’t get it by magic. Again, above paragraph applies.
Not sticking up for this idiot, since he had the magazine in dc, but it is legal to possess 30 round magazines in MD. You just can’t purchase them there. I know people that live in MD, and they say its legal to drive to VA and bring them back
Indeed it is, making it yet another totally useless and ineffective law on the books.