Posted on 02/16/2013 9:11:56 AM PST by EXCH54FE
A Maine Newspaper that had solicited concealed carry permit holder information from police agencies around the state for research and investigative purposes has rescinded its request following harsh criticism from state lawmakers.
When Bangor Daily News invoked Maine’s ‘Freedom of Access Act’ to obtain gun owner information on Wednesday GOP politicians, including Gov. Paul LePage publicly decried the move.
In a statement that was accompanied by a twitter post of a photo of the governor holding his CCW permit, LePage wrote, “If newspapers would like to know who has concealed weapons permits, then they should know the Governor has his.”
“I have serious concerns that BDN’s request will incite fear among gun owners and nongun owners alike regarding their safety. There is no reason why these records should be public, and I encourage the Legislature to act quickly to make this personal information confidential,” the Gov. LePage continued.
The fuss over the request is largely due to the precedent set by the Journal News, a NYC-based publication that upon obtaining lists of gun owners from local police departments created interactive maps displaying their names and addresses.
But BDN’s leadership claimed that they weren’t going to do what the Journal News did, they were simply going to study the information, examine it to see if any trends related to crime and public safety emerge.
“The BDN has never had any intention to release identifying information about permit holders and said so in our request,” wrote the newspaper’s director of news and new media, Anothony Ronziao in an op-ed.
“We recognize how sensitive this information is, and made sure police agencies knew of this intent. We believe the wholesale publication of permit holder information, as was done recently by a newspaper in New York, is irresponsible,” he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at guns.com ...
A kick in the crotch is the only thing these bastards understand.
However, the Sussman/Rep Pingree owned Portland Press Herald is taking up the banner. Emergency legislation to prevent the gathering of CCW info in Maine is being fast tracked through the legislature with the governor in support.
CCW permit applications have exploded in Maine. The waiting period is now up to 90 days (vs 30 a few weeks ago) and the backlog is about 2400 applications. I don’t have a current number for total CCW holders in Maine but a few years ago it was about 30,000 or around 3% of the adult population.
Yeah...there is this road to hell I keep hearing about paved with "Good intention"
Why doesn’t anyone point out that this is one of the reasons why we are against registration.
It is “slap in the face” obvious.
The misuse of the information is our biggest fear. And it isn’t against the FOIA request but our own government. Ironically, it is our government who has promised to keep this info confidential and they willingly hand it over to anyone who asks for it.
Heck. I was thinking about getting a CCW here in Colorado but not now. I’ll just carry and be damned with the laws.
The unintended consequences of this kind of stupidity — punish the law abiding.
It’s another death rattle from a dying industry.
In these times of seeing technology as the panacea for all ills, a law abiding citizen ought to be able to be immediately told what God-given rights are being limited simply by asking on a website.
A CCW should be an implied right of any law-abiding citizen.
Given the extensive profile that law-enforcment maintains on every citizen the “Instant Check” burden should be on law-enforcement, if they have reason to believe someone lawfully stopped should not have the automatic right of concealed carry.
These ‘technology initiatives’ should just as easily be able to be used to limit government, not expand it’s power
Th state is a bigger threat to your well being than any thug is.
They are sons of bitches. In their “minds” the law-abiding honest non-violent citizen who when through the procedures required to obtain a permit is the CRIMINAL, while the violent thug is the HERO.
Proof: the left has no intention of taking guns from criminals.
Sad but true. Instead of reporting the news, they create it.
Those CCW holders are legal law abiding citizens. They paid a fortune in money, spent a lot of time to comply with the laws, and risked future reprisals from idiots like this newspaper and the local police.
No news unless you are trying to create the news.
Newspapers using intimidation tactics against lawful citizens.
They may want to check 6 quite often.
Not only will they make me completely vulnerable by taking away my rights to self preservation and defense, but they may one day turn their resources against the citizenry.
Publish name, home address, telephone, email and Google Street View pics of their homes and offices.
To illustrate if there is a pattern between geography and Liberal Arrogance; research and educational purposes only of course.
They may also single you out.
Yup. Make an example.
“arms” are for all, not just for “law abiding” citizens.
If you were black and living in the south in the 1940’s the powers that be could decide you were not law abiding enough, of good enough character or make any other claim to deny your inalienable right to “bear arms”. (Selma)
If you are living in any Demon-rat controlled hell-hole, they can decide that you are not equal-enough to protect your family. (Chicago)
Don’t push the “law abiding” part too far. If you get a parking ticket ‘cuz you missed feeding the meter by 2 minutes, you are not law-abiding.
The Constitution does not state “law-abiding”.
How about the Federal/State/Local Gubmint gets out of the business of denying inalienable rights completely by going with Constitutional Carry everywhere?
I like the link to the Happy Valentine’s day from guns.com
No way those gals can conceal their guns.
Research and investigative purposes.
Just like San Francisco’s Bernie Ward had child porn on his PC for “research purposes.”
North Carolina has legislation in the works protecting confidentiality of CCW holders.
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