By Delegate Mike McDermott
(Annapolis) The House Joint Hearing on HB-294, the Governor’s Gun Bill, continues on into the night and is passing 8-hours of testimony at the time of this writing. Well over a thousand signed up to testify against this bill and only a very few testified in favor of the bill. In fact, except for the “professional” panels that came in support of the governor (about 20 people), everyone else has been opposed.
We have heard from retirees and 10-year olds, people in suits and people in working uniforms, people of great means and people of lesser means, people from Worcester and people from Prince George…all in all, we have heard from Maryland and they do not want this bill passed.
There have been a few good exchanges with some of those who have come in to testify. The governor skated today and did not respond to questions as he had surrounded himself with a large panel providing insulation and the right questions were not asked. The Speaker and Chairmen running the joint committee simply did not allow many questions and he quickly escaped out of the chamber and away from questions.
As of 8:00pm, there were still over 600 hanging around to testify against the bill. Sheriff Lewis joined several other Sheriff’s from around the state and provided passionate testimony before the committee in defense of the 2nd Amendment. In fact, we heard from many in law enforcement who stood with the people’s right to defend themselves as they see fit.
We heard from Beretta Arms who strongly indicated that they would look seriously at moving from Southern Maryland to another state. This echoes what we have heard from other manufacturers of firearms in Maryland. Beretta alone would mean over $400 million to our state coffers.
It was nice to see Worcester State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby in attendance as well. It seems the only support the bill had was from inside the beltway. We will be going well into the early morning hours and may well need to come back later in the day on Saturday to insure that every Marylander who wishes to be heard on this issue is heard.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
12 comments:
Now that the people have been heard, we'll have to see if it changes anything.
The people were heard in obamacare and you see where that got us! if owemalley wants it, it's a done deal!
Too many dumbasses!
Eastern Shore legislaters had better stand firm against this law.
The people have spoken but, I doubt we were heard!
@ 8:35
Ha! The people don't know what's good for them! That's up to Obama, and O'Malley and Feinstein and Bloomberg to decide. And expect to see more of this because it's all done with a clear conscience because, by golly, it's all for the people's own good.
I'm afraid We are screwed.
10:22 We will be heard when it comes time to vote. All representives that vote for this law should be voted out of office.
It won't matter if Easternshore Lawmakers stand ferm or not, the Easternshore went for Romney, BUT, the other counties in Maryland carried the state for Osama!
I have long been a critic of ethics in American Business. However, my eyes have been opened by these few American businesses who stand to defy such tyrannous acts as these gun-control laws.
I say thank you to all the true Americans supporting the second amendment. All I can say is I vote and I will see were the people stand on this issue before I vote next time. Democrat or Republican.
My nieces husband is a Lt. for the Delaware state police and is a firearms instructor, he is also a colonel in the National Guard as a weapons specialist and did his stint in Afghanistan. He is all for our second amendment and the right to conceal carry.
Funny, people like him and Mike Lewis (law enforcement) are for the second amendment, and those who never owned a gun and are afraid of them want to take our rights away.
Suckers. thats what you are getting played like. They have already made up their mind. This so called 'public comments' ruse is nothing but a balm for the people to rub on their spanked aces. Our "representatives" could hardly stand to sit there and listen to person after person saying "DON'T DO IT!".
HEY why are all of you screaming and crying like punks now...you all was warned about these nuts in Annapolis and you voted them back in , so you all got what you deserve and bet you all will put them back next time too.
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