For Bloomberg, Gun Control Fight Shifts to State Capitals

[premium]

CARSON CITY, Nev. — John W. Griffin is a fast-talking, whiskey-loving, fifth-generation Nevadan who spends his days as a lobbyist courting lawmakers in Stetsons. He advocates for luxury casinos, once brokered a dispute between a brothel and a nightclub, and has helped feuding families resolve tussles over cattle crossings.

Now he is representing the ultimate city slicker, Michael R. Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, who, undaunted by defeat in Congress, is taking his campaign for stricter gun laws to the nation’s state capitals, including here, where a bill to expand the use of criminal background checks is before the State Legislature.

“I thought, ‘Heck, that’s going to be a tough battle,’ ” Mr. Griffin said. “But for a man with unmatchable resources, there’s good reason to be hopeful.”

Fortified by several million dollars in contributions that have come in since the Newtown school massacre in December, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the national coalition Mr. Bloomberg co-founded and finances, says it has deployed more than 50 people across the country, building grass-roots organizations and dispatching foot soldiers to pressure local politicians.

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/nyregion/bloombergs-push-for-tighter-gun-laws-shifts-to-other-states.html?hp&_r=1&

In as much as most of us are blocked at the other group, I thought I would post this here.

This bill has no chance of becoming law, Gov. Sandoval has already said he'll veto it.
Nevadans, especially rural Nevadans, have a fierce independent streak and we don't like someone coming into our state and telling us how to vote or what's good for us, especially from Bloomberg, who is not very well liked in our state.

Personally, I would like to see some form of this bill become law, but, because it's being pushed by MAIG, it's not very popular around here.

[rrneck]

1. "undaunted by defeat in Congress,"

He's spending pocket change on a hot button culture wars issue. The political leverage and exposure he's getting on his investment is no doubt substantial.

[premium]

2. No doubt.

What cracks me up is that they keep touting his role in defeating a pro 2A candidate in IL, when we all know that any pro 2A candidate in the Chicago/Cook County area has little to no chance to being elected. His so called victory in helping with her defeat is, at best, a hollow victory.

I've grew up here, I know the atmosphere here, and I can say with 100% confidence that Mr. Bloomberg, his money, his org., MAIG, is not welcome here. We are very independent and highly resent someone of the likes of Bloomberg coming into our state and telling us what's good for us.

We might have gotten something if Bloomberg had kept his minions out of it.

[Eleanors38]

4. MAIG may have 2 purposes. One is the establishment

of some kind of shell network to be utilized by Bloomberg in a much bigger political venture (a run for the presidency when/if the 2 parties lose sufficient credibility). The second to have the top dog lobby for gun control/bans in place should the Democrats some how break through its malaise and start winning "back" statehouses. This latter purpose might have more viability assuming the new Democrats are really into gun control in, say, Mississippi or Wyoming.

In other words, his network of sleeper cells cannot substitute for a political party with a platform of many issues, but can take advantage of epic failure or success by the parties. His is a grand hedge.

[rl6214]

3. He needs to be spending his pocket change on

Healthcare, feeding and housing the homeless, creating jobs for those that need them, paying for educating our youth and soo many more things. He's more into CONTROL though.

[DonP]

5. Please note that virtually all his expenditures have been against Dems

We have some Bloomie cheerleaders that extoll his virtues, because he's anti gun (his personal security detachment non withstanding).

But from what I can tell every dime he's spent so far was against Dems he didn't consider suitable anti gun enough.

Funny if any other groups did the same thing people would be screaming. But as long as he wants to ban guns it's OK to dis Dems and spend against them. Funny set of rules.

[gejohnston]

6. Which brings in my "conspiracy theory"

He is a Chamber of Commerce Republican, socially liberal but wants Wall Street left alone. That is why he supported Scott Brown over E. Warren. He wants to flip the senate to prevent better financial regulations while playing progressives as chumps in the process.
There is a chance it could backfire on him. One of the advantages these Dems have is that they "stood up to big money from New York for the people of the state."

[jimmy the one]

7. funny set of rules, er, double standards

donp: Funny if any other groups did the same thing people would be screaming. But as long as he wants to ban guns it's OK to dis Dems and spend against them. Funny set of rules.

The NRA has provided some help to Halvorson, sending direct mail pieces to its members who live in the district. But the group has not publicly endorsed Halvorson — a sign that it recognizes the group’s stamp of approval won’t help. Halvorson is the only white candidate in the majority African-American district and from the start opposed gun control efforts. She was one of the few Democrats endorsed by the NRA in 2010.
.. A total of 38 of those {progun} senators have gotten $15,000 or more in overall NRA help since 2000..leaders: Johnson (R-Wis.), $1.2 million; Portman (R-Ohio), $1.35 million; Burr (R-N.C.), $852,000: Thune (R-S.D.), $717,000; Chambliss (R-Ga.), $355,000.

donp: Funny if any other groups did the same thing people would be screaming. But as long as he wants to ban guns it's OK to dis Dems and spend against them. Funny set of rules.

Top recipients of direct donations from gun rights groups since 2000
1 John Thune (R-SD) $137,755 - 2 Dean Heller (R-Nev) $85,215
3 Pat Toomey (R-Pa) $83,169 - 4 Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga) $79,950
5 Roy Blunt (R-Mo) $77,935 - 6 Ted Cruz (R-Texas) $69,279
7 Richard Burr (R-NC) $67,300 - 8 David Vitter (R-La) $64,561
9 Marco Rubio(R-Fla) $59,439 - 10 Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) $55,800
*figures include contributions made by political action committees that advocate firearm freedoms, & identifiable gun rights group leaders and activists. Totals do not include contributions of $200 or less.. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/05/nra-national-rifle-association-money-influence
Top recipients of direct donations from guncontrol groups since 2000 (Compare to progun)
1 Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) $21,450 - 2 Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal) $14,250
3 Bill Nelson (D-Fla) $13,577 - Tom Carper (D-Del) $10,500
5 Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) $7,800 - 6 Barbara Boxer (D-Cal) $7,700
7 Patty Murray (D-Wash.) $6,500- Robert Menendez (D-NJ) $4,000
9 Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) $3,500 - 10 Mark Udall, D-Co. $2,750
... progun Toomey got as much as all the top ten democrats got.

[DonP]

8. And there's another Bloomie cheerleader now

[ileus]

9. Hopefully the people will tell them to stuff it.

In every state...