pudge's Journal: Mayor Nickels and Chief Kerlikowske Must Resign

Seattle mayor Greg Nickels today willfully, knowingly, and illegally ordered city departments to violate the rights of Washingtonians, as expressed and defended explicitly in state law.

Nickels knows full well that his new executive order banning all guns on city-owned property violates RCW 9.41.290:

The state of Washington hereby fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state, including the registration, licensing, possession, purchase, sale, acquisition, transfer, discharge, and transportation of firearms ... Local laws and ordinances that are inconsistent with, more restrictive than, or exceed the requirements of state law shall not be enacted and are preempted and repealed, regardless of the nature of the code, charter, or home rule status of such city, town, county, or municipality.

Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske supported Nickels' illegal act. Both of them should resign for their blatant disregard of civil rights and state law. The job of both offices is to protect the rights and uphold laws of the people. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't be there.

Cross-posted on <pudge/*>.

This is so stupid

[ces]

First of all AFAIK the person responsible for the shooting at folklife had no legal right to own or possess a firearm due to a history of mental instability. Similarly he could (or at least SHOULD) not have had a CWP.

This regulation serves only to punish law abiding firearm owners with a CWP. Anyone carrying a weapon in these locations without a CWP is already breaking the law. What are the chances this additional regulation is going to deter them?

Law abiding firearms owners, and especially CWP holders are rarely if ever involved in the commission of crimes. This law serves no purpose other than to disarm honest citizens.

Furthermore there is the issue of chronic understaffing of the Seattle Police. Even if all open positions were filled Seattle is woefully behind national averages in officers per citizen. Seattle has 1 officer for every 500 citizens or so. National averages are somewhere around 1 officer for every 225 citizens.

Finally as you point out this very likely violates the State Constitution and related state statutes. I expect a court challenge quite quickly if it is enacted.

From the Washington State Constitution found at: http://www.leg.wa.gov/LawsAndAgencyRules/constitution.htm [wa.gov]

SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.

What's up with big city mayors?

[JesseL]

Nagin in New Orleans, Bloomberg in NYC, Nutter in Philadelphia, Daley in Chicago, I've been hearing about all of them charging around wantonly violating state and even federal laws with impunity. They seem to think their fiefdoms outrank their governors, state legislatures, and all the people of the state who don't live in their city. Nasty bunch of tin pot dictators.

Re:

[ncc74656]

Nagin in New Orleans, Bloomberg in NYC, Nutter in Philadelphia, Daley in Chicago, I've been hearing about all of them charging around wantonly violating state and even federal laws with impunity.

...and there's one more thing they all have in common: they're all Democrats. (Yes, I'm including Bloomberg in that indictment, as he's a RINO who only switched parties after he lost a primary.) This is no mere coincidence.

Re:

[pudge]

Bloomberg is no longer a Republican. He switched to Independent. Good riddance.

Re:

[Bill Dog]

Because they can get away with it. Add to the list the mayor of San Francisco, who at the time was handing out gay marriage licenses against state law. The governor ordered him to cease and desist, and obey the law, but the mayor refused and continued on. I would've sent in the California Highway Patrol (we don't have state police here), and the National Guard if need be, and had him arrested. (And yes, Mayor Newsom is a Democrat.)