Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’s ambitious gun control initiative is facing a formidable challenge from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.
In a bid to tackle the rising menace of violence in St. Louis, Mayor Jones recently held a “listening session: with survivors, law enforcement leaders, and anti-2A activists.
SLMPD Chief Robert J. Tracy, Office of Violence Prevention Director Wil Pinkney, and several Alderpersons were present.
The session delved into the experiences of gun violence survivors.
Following this emotionally charged meeting, Mayor Jones, in collaboration with the Alderpersons, announced a series of measures targeting the 2A rights of law-abiding citizens.
Key points of this proposed legislation include:
- Banning military-grade weapons from city streets.
- Preventing the transfer or sale of guns to minors.
- Action against ghost guns and untraceable firearms.
- Preparing St. Louis for the introduction of Blair’s Law.
- Prohibiting insurrectionists and hate crime convicts from owning guns.
Mayor Jones expressed her commitment to the cause.
“We come together around a shared vision: a safer, stronger St. Louis, ready to stand up for our values. We know Missourians are demanding state-level action to pass measures like red-flag laws and background checks, but we are ready to try every tool available to us at the local level to protect families from gun violence,” she said.
However, the proposal has not gone uncontested.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey, in a strongly worded letter, cautioned Mayor Jones.
Bailey emphasized that the legislation, as proposed, violates the state constitution. Because the state constitution guarantees citizens an “unalienable” right to bear arms.
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Drawing parallels with Chicago, Bailey remarked on the limited efficacy of strict gun laws in deterring crime. He urged Mayor Jones to reconsider.
“It is my hope that you will reverse course and use existing law to combat the crime plaguing your city, rather than choosing to target the rights of law-abiding Missourians,” he said.
“In other words, I encourage you to go after criminals, not guns,” Bailey continued. “As the Attorney General for the State of Missouri, I will discharge my duties under the Constitution and resist any effort to infringe on the right of the people of Missouri to keep and bear arms.”
Mayor Jones’s measures, especially her signing of BB29 that regulates open carry, along with the proposed new legislation, will be closely watched as the Board of Aldermen returns to session on Sept. 15.
The unfolding scenario promises a heated legal and political battle over the contentious issue of gun rights and reform in St. Louis. Stay tuned for updates.
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“Prohibiting insurrectionists and hate crime convicts from owning guns”
So, has anyone been charged with leading or participating in an insurrection?
NOBODY was charged with insurrection because the FBI concluded there was NO INSURRECTION on Jan. 6th.
If these fasciss think they are going to prevent ANY of the protestors at the Capitol on January 6th or even anyone who supports Trump, they’re going to have massive lawsuits on their hands.
Someone should explain that ar-15’s etc. are not “military grade weapons”. The are military weapon “look alikes” in the same sense that a VW bug chassis with a ferrari F1 body look alike is not a race car. Someone should ask this idiot what constitutes a “military grade” weapon. And I don’t mean cosmetic features.
“Banning military-grade weapons from city streets.” A number of cases are currently pending in federal district courts and Courts of Appeals as to the constitutionality of bans on so-called “assault weapons.” Enacting a city ordinance would quickly be met with a law suit, particularly under Missouri’s broad gun rights provision in its constitution. The Attorney General might even file the suit.
“Preventing the transfer or sale of guns to minors.” Except for parent-child transfers, this is already illegal, I do believe,as minors are prohibited (at least for the moment) from purchasing handguns, and such laws contradict all the pother laws that deem 18 y/olds to be full fledged adults. Again, at least one case on this issue resulted in a district court decision, sure to be appealed, holding that such a restriction is a violation of the 2A under the Bruen analysis.
“Action against ghost guns and untraceable firearms”: questionably constitutional on a federal level, but those cases are pending. Moreover, there are many firearms that are legally not serialized, as the law mandating manufacturers to serialize arms went into effect in 1968.
“Preparing St. Louis for the introduction of Blair’s Law.” The Governor vetoed the Blair’s Law bill that would have made “celebratory gunfire” a felony. The proposed law is named after a child who was killed by such gun fire. However, such acts more closely fit the definition of negligent or reckless homicide and punished accordingly.
“Prohibiting insurrectionists and hate crime convicts from owning guns. Most of these crimes are already felonies, such that that a gun prohibition follows from conviction. On the other hand, politicians keep wanting to expand the scope of hate crimes to the point that they implicate the First Amendment. All we need to do is read the news to see the consequences of such restrictions inn other countries such as Canada and Great Britain.
“…military-grade weapon…”
Those three meaningless words tell you that are most likely dealing with a politician and definately dealing with a halfwit.
I wonder if a covid mask and rock is a military grade weapon, since slings and arrows are mentioned in history?
nice job you just insulted halfwit’s everywhere heh-heh