home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
The Unsorted BBS Collection
/
thegreatunsorted.tar
/
thegreatunsorted
/
texts
/
txtfiles_misc
/
news100a
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-03-02
|
3KB
|
51 lines
Part 1 of 2 parts
03/02/1993 by JOHN KING AP Political Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- With an ally in the White House for the first
time in years, gun control advocates are pushing hard for national
restrictions while getting mixed results in state battles with a gun
lobby once considered all powerful.
New Jersey and Virginia are at the forefront of the state
battles, which President Clinton plunged into Monday with pointed
criticism of the National Rifle Association. He said the NRA and
others are "fixated" on defending the right to bear arms to the
degree they ignore violent crime.
There is evidence that the NRA's absolute opposition to
restrictions has caused cracks in the organization's imposing
political strength. For example, many Virginia lawmakers complained
about the NRA's absolutism and what they considered strong-arm
tactics before adopting a measure last week to limit handgun
purchases.
With Clinton's support, backers predict enactment this year of
the "Brady Bill" national waiting period for handgun purchases. The
measure had majority backing in both houses of Congress last year
but died after being attached to a Republican-opposed crime bill
that failed in the Senate. "Anytime you are up against the NRA they
are going to do their best to defeat you," said Susan Whitmore of
Handgun Control Inc., a chief proponent of the Brady Bill. "But we
think having the support of President Clinton is going to really
make a difference."
The NRA suffered a dramatic setback last week when Virginia
passed a one-a-month limit on handgun purchases and stricter rules
for obtaining drivers' licenses, the principal identification used
to buy guns.
The NRA fared much better in New Jersey, taking advantage of last
year's Republican takeover of the state legislature.
The New Jersey Assembly last week voted to override Gov. Jim
Florio's effort to retain a 1990 ban on the sale, possession and
manufacture of semiautomatic weapons. Florio vetoed legislation
reversing the ban. The Senate override vote is pending.
"It's a landmark message that gun control schemes are useless and
out of step with real anti-crime measures," George McNeill of the
NRA Institute for Legislative Action said of the New Jersey vote.
Clinton's remarks Monday appeared aimed at rallying support for
Florio before the Senate vote.
"I don't believe that everybody in America needs to be able to
buy a semiautomatic or an automatic weapon built only for the
purpose of killing people," the president said. Clinton called it an
"error" for the NRA to oppose restrictions on assault weapons.
There are hearty debates in several other states as well. In
Missouri, for example, the NRA supports a measure that would make it
legal to carry a concealed firearm with a permit. The state House
passed a version last year but it died in the Senate. An amended
version is pending in the Senate this year but it is unclear whether