By Larry Keane
Connecticut’s Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont doesn’t have the celebrity status of some of his gun control 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.
SEE ALSO: SAF, CCRKBA Thank Groups For Amicus Brief to Overturn Maryland Gun Ban
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 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 tackling 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 Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs and General Counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association.
Even in TEXAS! Check this out: The DA in Austin who just indicted 19 police officers?
“He (Jose Garza) had been the head of a labor group, the Workers Defense Project…
The Workers Defense Project is a left-of-center advocacy group that aids and provides representation for workers in the Texas construction industry, including illegal immigrants.
Workers Defense Project signed a letter condemning the immigration policy of the Trump Administration and urging American CEOs not to employ anyone involved with the policy.”
(DID YOU CATCH THAT? HE TOLD CEOs NOT TO HIRE ANYONE INVOLVED IN ENFORCING THE LAW.)
“In preparation for the Trump Administration’s planned June Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency raids, volunteers with the Workers Defense Project handed out “know-your-rights” leaflets to illegal immigrants in Texas cities.”
(DID YOU CATCH THAT? HE WAS HELPING LAWBREAKERS.)
This is INSANE.
I lived in CT, born and raised there, left there in 2012. After a now US Senator, who was ATTORNEY GENERAL at the time put the company I worked for out of business by leaking lies to the media about certain untrue business dealings, I had no choice but to leave because jobs were hard to find.
There are many fine citizens still living there. Unfortunately there are many more Marxist liberals and lying, cheating politicians there. Until the good people of CT decide they have had enough, nothing will change.
I live in a very small community in North Carolina now. People from CT, NY and NJ are showing up in droves. My community of 100 homes must have at least 80 residents from those states. Many feel the same as me.
DON’T MOVE DOWN HERE AND BRING YOUR BRANDON POLITICS WITH YOU. WE DON’T WANT YOU.
I am a gun owner living in CT and I am scared that this guy is going to get away with this overreach of government! I am an NRA member and in a local gun club but how do you stop this egomaniac hell bent on passing his anti gun agenda??!! One of the things that he’s proposing along with stop and frisk on open carry people IS BANNING FIREARMS IN ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS! WTF! This would effectively stop people from defending themselves in public!
No going shopping or out to a restaurant or anything like that! If anyone can make any practical suggestions on what individual
gun owners in CT can do to stop this guy, that would be appreciated.
Can’t wait to move out of this godless state!
I moved from CT to IN in 2005. Never looked back. May God smile on all the good people in CT who are getting abused by liberal Marxists running that state. The founding fathers would be taking up their own arms to fight the tyranny. It would remind them of the previous fight with ‘Ol Georgie.
By backdating guns to make them illegal to 1993 laws that is violating ex-po facto law. Also the stop and frisk asking for ID when people have not broken the law violates TV Ohio and several of the supreme court decisions. Is discussing that police or upholding these unconstitutional loss. The Gov and the police need to be held accountable
Passing laws making previously legal actions illegal and prosecutable generally get stomped out in courts. This is why judges who actually read the US Constitution and follow it is so important at all courts at all levels. Local politics matter, people.
Now THERE’S a novel idea… TRACK LEGAL GUN OWNERS !!! NOT CRIMINALS !!!
How SMART !!!
Common sense has either flown the coop, or as I really suspect, the Democrats are catering to the uneducated, illogical and emotionally based fools among us who can’t see the difference between lawful gun owning citizens and the criminal element.
By definition, criminals DON’T follow laws, and yet this simple fact seems to escape most Democrats.