Ashcroft Reverses Bush Administration Position on Renewing Federal Ban on Assault Weapons

PRNews ^

[conservativefromGa]

Attorney General John Ashcroft Reverses Bush Administration Position on Renewing Federal Ban on Assault Weapons Wednesday March 5, 1:17 pm ET Ban Will End in September 2004 Without Congressional Action

WASHINGTON, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney General John Ashcroft, in testimony before Congress yesterday, for the first time refused to offer support for re-authorizing the federal ban on assault weapons. Ashcroft's comments before the Senate Judiciary Committee represent an apparent reversal of Bush Administration policy as well as Ashcroft's prior statements before the committee.

During his January 2001 confirmation hearing, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) asked Ashcroft if he would support re-authorizing the law when it sunsets in September 2004. Ashcroft's answer was unequivocal, "It is my understanding that the president-elect of the United States has indicated his clear support for extending the assault weapon ban, and I would be pleased to move forward that position, and to support that as a policy of this president, and as a policy of the Justice Department."

There was no such clarity yesterday, as detailed in news reports, when Ashcroft failed to renew his prior commitment on the part of the Administration. The Attorney General, under repeated questioning, for the first time refused to state that the Administration would support renewing the law. Yet just last week the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that the White House supported extending the ban. Ashcroft's refusal to voice support for renewal of the ban represents a dramatic shift in the Administration's position.

VPC Public Policy Director Joe Sudbay states, "Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Bush Administration have, once again, placed the deadly agenda of the National Rifle Association and the gun industry over the safety of the American public and law enforcement. Terrorist training manuals seized in Afghanistan have made clear that America's enemies recognize the nexus between our nation's weak gun laws and potential terrorist attacks. That the Attorney General would reveal this change in policy at a Congressional hearing on homeland security only illustrates the depth of the Bush Administration's fealty to the NRA." The NRA has made termination of the ban a priority. During his failed 2000 Senate campaign, Ashcroft was the beneficiary of more than $500,000 in NRA spending.

For more information on Attorney General John Ashcroft's pro-gun, anti- public safety policies, visit the VPC web sites http://www.ashcroftgunwatch.org and http://www.vpc.org .

The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational organization working to stop gun death and injury in America.

[conservativefromGa]

bang

[agitator]

I'll believe that ban going away when I see it.

[BenLurkin]

Ban "military style" rifles? Heck, every American household should have one, IMHO.

[Southack]

Hey liberals, you can't pass an extension to the assault weapons ban if you are stuck filibustering Estrada!

Ouch, that's got to hurt!

Oh yeah, you can't pass such an extension through a Republican House, Senate, and Presidency, either (especially when said groups have just finished passing TWO arming pilots pro-gun laws in the last year or so).

That's got to hurt even more!

Man, the VPC's PRNewswire is going to melt!

[Technogeeb]

Yet just last week the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that the White House supported extending the ban. Ashcroft's refusal to voice support for renewal of the ban represents a dramatic shift in the Administration's position.

Good. Maybe someone in the administration realized that they aren't going to get re-elected if they re-authorize this abominable, anti-constitutional piece of passed legislation pretending to be a law.

[MJY1288]

When one of these anti-gun maggots can show me a gun that drove itself to a hold up or bank robbery and raised itself and killed an innocent person all by itself, I will agree that Guns need to be regulated, Until then, the criminals who break the laws of our land need to be legislated against, NOT THE GUNS

[KaiserofKrunch]

Ashcroft has been repeatedly strong on the Second Amendment. I always thought the ban addressed a REAL problem, as only 1/10th of one percent of all crimes were commited with the misnamed "assault" rifles.

Oh, happy day if this really gets killed! Go John, go!

[mercy]

Am I mortified!

Everyone knows that pistol grips on rifles are the most deadly feature ever incorporated in a long gun.

Surely the end of the world is at hand.

[Rasputin_TheMadMonk]

What I would like to see is an email/fax campaign, much like the morons for saddam attempt to flood the capital where we send all of the fedreps a copy of the second amendment. A simple,

'A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'

Nothing more than this and our names. Once a day until they publicly promise to allow the bill to die. I wonder what their response to such a flood would be.

[spodefly]

The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational organization working to stop gun death and injury in America.

The Violence Policy Center is a virulent left-wing organization of liars and manipulators funded by a billionaire marxist working to villify all gun owners, confiscate their guns and ultimately cause grave injury to freedom in America.

[The Toad]

Terrorist training manuals seized in Afghanistan have made clear that America's enemies recognize the nexus between our nation's weak gun laws and potential terrorist attacks.

Oh really? The terrorists believe they will be safer with fewer US citizens with legally owned guns? Hardly....

[stylin19a]

Terrorist training manuals seized in Afghanistan have made clear that America's enemies recognize the nexus between our nation's weak gun laws and potential terrorist attacks.

This guy is kidding, right ? Notwithstanding I don't know what the heck it even means other than terrorists want us disarmed, didn't a Russian General say Russia was hesitant to be in a war with the U.S.A., not because of our military, but because of the number of private citizens posessing weapons ?

BUZZZZZZZZZZZ ! VPC...thanx for playing.

[tbpiper]

Maybe if they were designed to use Joselyn Elders' 'safer bullets' they would be acceptable.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Stories about the same testimony with opposing interpretations here and here

My own take is that the administration is playing chicken with the Republicans in congress to avoid having to use a veto: "You guys had better not let this renewal get to my desk or I might just sign it and then we'll both have to take the heat." The President is also up for renewal in the fall of 2004 and I'm sure that he would rather not have to deal with this topic.

[Fiddlstix]

Bump

[Blue Collar Christian]

To all Californians reading this:

We gotta dump this female dog Feistien.

Get active. Join CRPA and donate time and money.

Don't buy Levis or Hallmark cards.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Years ago when I first heard of California's plan to ban semi-auto rifles(but they could find no reason to ban them) I told my neighbours "get ready! There is going to be a mass killing with an assault rifle somewhere in the US, probably in California".
3 months later the Stockton massacre happened and Cali banned the rifles.
Be ready. There will be a mass killing somewhere in the US before the ban expires. I can't help but believe that a "set-up" will be in place to keep the ban in effect or made worse.

[Travis McGee]

I will believe it when I see it. And if the war goes badly and the economy tanks, we may be seeing President Hillary and Attorney General Schumer in two years. Then all bets are off.