NJ Mayor Resigns from Mayor Against Gun Control
Date: Jul 9, 2007 6:53 PM
Firearms Industry Hails New Jersey Mayor Following Resignation from Bloomberg Coalition
Monday July 9, 4:15 pm ET

NEWTOWN, Conn., July 9 /PRNewswire/ — Citing careful review of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s statements and actions, listening to the concerns of many of his constituents and receiving communications from and speaking with officials at the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the firearm industry’s trade association — Oldmans Township (NJ) Mayor Harry Moore resigned his membership in the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition (MAIG) Saturday afternoon.
“I joined your coalition because of its purported purpose to combat the criminal acquisition and misuse of guns, which is a goal shared by all Americans,” wrote Moore in his resignation letter to Mr. Bloomberg. “Regrettably, it has become abundantly clear to me that you are using this coalition of mayors to advance a hidden agenda of bringing lawsuits against members of the firearms industry and spreading anti-gun propaganda.”

Mayor Moore’s letter addressed several key issues that are currently playing out before the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. Chief among these is the Shelby / Tiahrt amendment, legislation designed to safeguard criminal investigations and law enforcement lives by restricting access to firearms trace data solely to law enforcement. Mayor Moore, along with law enforcement groups such as the Fraternal Order of Police, supports reauthorization of Tiahrt / Shelby, legislation he refers to as a “law enforcement lifeline.” Mayor Bloomberg and the MAIG coalition vehemently oppose such law enforcement protections as it would hinder the ability of anti-gun politicians to sue law-abiding firearms retailers.

“We are pleased that Mayor Moore took the time to educate himself on the real motives and agenda of Mayor Bloomberg’s coalition,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “The MAIG coalition is not about catching criminals, thwarting the misuse of guns or protecting law enforcement. It is about one thing and one thing only: filing civil suits against lawful firearms retailers. Clearly Mayor Moore understands this, and we remain confident that as the truth surfaces more MAIG resignations will follow.”

Noted in the resignation letter was the Department of Justice’s admonishment of Mayor Bloomberg for his actions involving civilian private investigators conducting clandestine sting operations against federally licensed firearms dealers, without the knowledge of ATF or the New York City police department. These tactics interfered with already ongoing investigations and endangered the lives of law enforcement officers and others. “The Department of Justice warned you to refrain from these actions … I do not want the blood of a police officer on my hands so that you can advance your anti-gun litigation campaign,” wrote Moore.

Mayor Moore’s letter also pointed out Mr. Bloomberg’s refusal to meet with NSSF officials who had offered to discuss their already proven effective programs to curb criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms. “I learned of several instances, all well documented, in which you actually rebuffed the efforts of the firearms industry — a community that has repeatedly shown its willingness to work with federal, state and local authorities on programs to curb criminal access of guns. Perhaps if you had allowed NSSF to address the coalition we would have learned about some of their proven programs such as the ‘Don’t Lie for the Other Guy’ campaign.”

The resignation letter ends with a plea to the New York City mayor. “I can only hope that you will see my departure and the recent departure of other mayors from your coalition as a sign that things must change. We are all on the same side when it comes to stopping criminals from getting guns. Where you lose me is in your true quest — to end lawful firearms ownership and destroy a lawful American industry,” concluded Mayor Moore.

To read the Mayor Moore’s complete resignation letter simply click here, http://www.nssf.org//PR/Moore_Letter_070707.cfm . To learn more about industry programs to combat the criminal misuse of firearms please visit http://www.nssf.org.

THE LETTER

July 7, 2007

VIA FACSIMILE and U.S. MAIL
(212) 788 ? 2460

Hon. Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor of the City of New York
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

Re: Resignation from Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Dear Mayor Bloomberg,

Upon careful review of your statements and actions, listening to the concerns of many of my constituents and receiving communications from and speaking with officials at the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearm industry’s trade association, I hereby, effective immediately, resign my membership in the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition (MAIG).

I joined your coalition because of its purported purpose to combat the criminal acquisition and misuse of guns, which is a goal shared by all Americans. Regrettably, it has become abundantly clear to me that you are using this coalition of mayors to advance a hidden agenda of bringing lawsuits against members of the firearms industry and spreading anti-gun propaganda.

It is simply unconscionable that this coalition, under your leadership, would call for a repeal of the Shelby /Tiahrt amendment that helps to safeguard criminal investigations and the lives of law enforcement officers, witnesses and others by restricting access to firearms trace data solely to law enforcement. How anyone, least of all a public official, could be willing to sacrifice such a law enforcement lifeline in order to gain an edge in suing an industry they have political differences with is repugnant to me. The fact that your campaign against this protective language consisted of overheated rhetoric, deception and falsehoods is disturbing. In a recent editorial entitled “Setting the Record Straight,” ATF Acting Director Sullivan repudiated your long-held mantra that the current legislation forbids law enforcement from sharing trace data. In clearing up this mistruth, Acting Director Sullivan stated, “Let me be clear: neither the congressional language nor ATF rules prohibit the sharing of trace data with law enforcement conducting criminal investigations, or place any restrictions on the sharing of trace data with other jurisdictions once it is in the hands of state or local law enforcement.”

According to ATF and the Department of Justice, your actions in having civilian private investigators conduct clandestine sting operations against federally licensed firearms dealers, without the knowledge of ATF or your own police department, actually interfered with ongoing criminal investigations, putting the lives of law enforcement officers and others at risk. The Department of Justice warned you to refrain from these actions because such efforts could “interrupt or jeopardize ongoing investigations.” In response, your Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler stated that the operations would not necessarily stop. I do not want the blood of a police officer on my hands so that you can advance your anti-gun litigation campaign. I prefer instead to support the Fraternal Order of Police, a group that opposes your coalition’s efforts to gain access to gun trace data for use in civil lawsuits. If a federally licensed firearms dealer is engaged in criminal activities it is the job of law enforcement, chiefly ATF ? which works closely with state and local law enforcement agencies ? to investigate and arrest those that would abuse their license for criminal purposes. Instead of supporting ATF I have learned recently that you and your criminal justice coordinator John Feinblatt have repeatedly insulted the Bureau, saying it was “asleep at the switch” and that “ATF does not take its mission seriously.” I will not be associated with such inappropriate behavior.

While re-examining my participation in MAIG I learned of several instances, all well documented, in which you actually rebuffed the efforts of the firearms industry ? a community that has repeatedly shown its willingness to work with federal, state and local authorities on programs to curb criminal access of guns. This is indeed disconcerting. Perhaps if you had allowed NSSF to address the coalition we would have learned about some of their proven programs. One such program, called Don’t Lie for the Other Guy, seems to be a productive and legal way of working with firearms retailers to better educate them about recognizing would-be straw purchasers. The program, done in conjunction with ATF, also has a public relations component that warns residents in targeted areas of the severe penalties associated with straw purchasing firearms.

Mayor Bloomberg, I can only hope that you will see my departure and the recent departure of other mayors from your coalition as a sign that things must change. We are all on the same side when it comes to stopping criminals from getting guns. Where you lose me is in your true quest ? to end lawful firearms ownership and destroy a lawful American industry.

Sincerely yours,

Harry Moore
Mayor, Oldmans Township, N.J

The Second Amendment IS Homeland Security !