16 September 2008

DC Council Member Giving An Inch

"D.C. Council member Phil Mendelson says he will propose regulations Tuesday that would legalize semi-automatic handguns in the District because the stopgap legislation the council passed in response to a Supreme Court ruling "would not stand up to judicial scrutiny."

Well, at least he's becoming a realist.

"The Supreme Court has spoken, and we have to act accordingly," he said. "We are still going to have a strong gun control law." Mr. Mendelson, at-large Democrat, said the bill will refine the city's definition of machine guns by using wording from other jurisdictions and the federal assault-weapons ban, which has since expired. The bill also will cap at 10 the number of rounds a semi-automatic gun magazine can hold.

"The bill would undercut two federal challenges to the law: a bill in the U.S. House to be considered as early as Tuesday that would relax gun-control regulations in the District, and a lawsuit in U.S. District Court filed by Dick Anthony Heller of the District v. Heller Supreme Court case."

Oh, so its not about doing right for constituents in the District of Columbia, just holding onto power.

Hmmm . . .

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