More than 300 Washington gun owners descended on the John A. Cherberg Building in Olympia Tuesday morning for a hearing on SB 6396, the so-called “assault weapons” ban legislation sponsored by Senate Judiciary Chairman Adam Kline.
Opponents of the bill vastly outnumbered its supporters, and for many in the audience who had traveled several hours to reach the capitol, it was disappointing that Kline allowed only 30 minutes for the hearing, and only a handful of speakers – evenly divided between pro and con – were allowed to speak. The crowd spilled out into the hallway, and at least a couple of auxiliary hearing rooms were jammed.
What may become a focus of the hearing because of its subliminal theatrics was the appearance by Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo in support of the Kline bill. Several in the audience, including National Rifle Association lobbyist Brian Judy, were astonished when Pillo claimed to be “here today representing myself and my personal opinions,” yet she was in full uniform, complete with duty belt and sidearm.
That appearance in uniform so disturbed Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Bellevue-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and a longtime Bellevue resident that he fired off a letter to Bellevue City Manager Steve Sarkozy chastising Pillo.
“If Chief Pillo was there to testify strictly on her own behalf, essentially as a private citizen,” Gottlieb observed, “it seems rather odd that she would appear in full uniform, complete with her duty belt and sidearm. Chief Pillo was there to give the visual impression that she was, indeed, speaking as a representative of the law enforcement community.
Although I’m the Bellevue Police Chief, I’m here today representing myself and my personal opinions regarding my law enforcement background.”--Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo
“What would have happened had a Bellevue police officer appeared in opposition to the legislation, in full uniform, refuting the statements of the chief,” he inquired. “May I hazard a guess that the officer might face some discipline for appearing in uniform?”
Gottlieb called for Chief Pillo to face “the same disciplinary procedures as any of her officers who pulled this kind of political stunt.”
Pillo’s testimony was equally astonishing, and easily refutable.
She claimed, for example, that “Since 1990, more American lives have been lost through gun violence than in all the combats fought during the 20th Century.”
Pillo also asserted that “Assault weapons can also be easily converted to fully automatic machine guns.”
And she stated that Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton “shot to death and officer Britt Sweeney was injured by a killer using an assault weapon.”
What would have happened had apolice officer appeared in opposition to the legislation, in full uniform, refuting the statements of the chief? May I hazard a guess that the officer might face some discipline for appearing in uniform?-Alan Gottlieb, CCRKBA chairman Bellevue
The first claim does not stack up to simple mathematics, the second assertion would encounter stiff arguments from assorted gunsmiths and the third statement would run into a rebuttal from Kel Tec, the manufacturer of the sporting rifle allegedly used in Brenton’s slaying, which I discussed earlier here.
Several open carry activists turned out for the event, and they were as well-behaved as they were visibly well-armed. Surprise of surprises; Washington State Patrol troopers who serve as security guards during the legislative session appeared relaxed and not the least bit uncomfortable with those folks.
Jim Williams, a member of the Washington Arms Collectors’ Board of Directors, observed that a lot of people spent a lot of time and money to travel to Olympia for what amounted to a “30-minute show.” It appears the bill may not make it out of committee.
Judging from the strong turnout in opposition, perhaps it never should have been there in the first place.
More from Gun Rights Examiners
Atlanta: Ed Stone | Austin: Howard Nemerov | Boston: Ron Bokleman | Charlotte: Paul Valone | Cheyenne: Anthony Bouchard | Chicago: Don Gwinn | Cleveland: Daniel White | DC: Mike Stollenwerk | Denver: Dan Bidstrup | Grand Rapids: Skip Coryel | Los Angeles: John Longenecker | Minneapolis: John Pierce | National: David Codrea | Phoenix: Douglas Little | Seattle: Dave Workman | St. Louis: Kurt Hofmann | Wisconsin: Gene German
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For more info: Senate Bill 6396.
Comments
The best we can hope for is that somebody had an orgasm during Pillo talk.
I hope that a lot of 2nd Amendment supporters contact their elected City Council members in Bellevue to express their dis-satisfaction with their Police Chief speaking on behalf of gun grabbers.
Also ... wonder if Chief Pillo drove her own vehicle to Olympia or did the taxpayer foot the bill for her "personal lobbying" effort.
Yeah, I was there and I too was SHOCKED to see an officer, paid by public tax dollars, there to support this far-reaching, unconstitutional legislation. Aren't there laws against that? If not, there should be.
But Dave, come on..... You forgot to write the funniest part of her "testimony"! That was when Senator Pam Roach asked her "How many bullits does it take to kill?" and Chief Pillo didn't know the answer! HA! THAT was a hooooot!
I've heard they don't have the votes to proceed, but I'll believe that when this trash is buried.... until next legislative session when it re-emerges under some other guise.
I was in the overflow room and tried my best to be polite and silent but when somebody (I think it was Senator Kline) stated that adding a pistol grip to a semiautomatic carbine rifle makes it more lethal than a normal hunting rifle of the normal 30 caliber range, I couldn't hold back a laugh. Of course the senator used the term "assault rifle" for semiautomatic carbine. For those who don't know, a carbine is a smaller version of a fully sized a rifle. It uses cartridges which are much less powerful than full sized rifles and more powerful than pistols.
Citizens of Bellevue,
I presume that your city council meets once a week. If you were in Olympia or even if you've just read the reports of your police chief, I would urge you to attend the next city council meeting ask her why she attended today's state legislature hearing in full uniform and insisted that she was simply testifying as a private citizen.
From State v Rupe:
"To protect the integrity of constitutional rights, the courts have developed two related propositions. The State can take no action which will unnecessarily "chill" or penalize the assertion of a constitutional right and the State may not draw adverse inferences from the exercise of a constitutional right. UNITED STATES v. JACKSON, 390 U.S. 570, 581, 20 L. Ed. 2d 138, 88 S. Ct. 1209 (1968)"
Go here and type in 'assault weapon' in the search window, then go to the last case shown (State v Rupe)
The bill is history on just that ruling alone.
Even if it does make it into law, it will be invalidated on its face.
Stay tuned!
Pillo's own words about 10 LA Police officers being injured by two bank robbers carrying "assault weapons", being able to out-gun the police... Exactly! We the people are expected to defend ourselves against criminals with "assault weapons"...
If Government CANNOT STOP CRIMINALS FROM GETTING GUNS, THEN GOVERNMENT CANNOT PROTECT WE THE PEOPLE!
Pillo's own words about 10 LA Police officers being injured by two bank robbers carrying "assault weapons", being able to out-gun the police... Exactly! We the people are expected to defend ourselves against criminals with "assault weapons"...
If Government CANNOT STOP CRIMINALS FROM GETTING GUNS, THEN GOVERNMENT CANNOT PROTECT WE THE PEOPLE!
I'd like to thank those who showed up to in support of our civil rights. Excellent job, folks!
The two worst enemies of the normal hard working citizen are union employees and their management, police and teachers. Being said, if WA passes such a bill you can bet many productive WA citizens will leave the state. CA has lost tens of thousands of red blooded Americans who left that state because of the firearm laws passed. This same thing will happen in WA because people will vote with their feet. Then the state will raise everyone's taxes to make up for the loss. Watch and see.
Would someone please disarm the ignorant!
Message to Congress July 4th 1861!
Soon after the first call for militia, it was considered a duty to authorize the Commanding General, in proper cases, according to his discretion, to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus; or, in other words, to arrest, and detain, without resort to the ordinary processes and forms of law, such individuals as he might deem dangerous to the public safety. This authority has purposely been exercised but very sparingly. Nevertheless, the legality and propriety of what has been done under it, are questioned; and the attention of the country has been called to the proposition that one who is sworn to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed,’’ should not himself violate them. Of course some consideration was given to the questions of power, and propriety, before this matter was acted upon. The whole of the laws which were required to be faithfully executed, were being resisted, and failing
I watched the hearing via the web feed, many thanks to all the 2nd Amendment supporters who were able to take time off work and incur personal expense to show up in person.
I was a bit stunned at Sen. Kline's idea of "fair" representation by having an equal number of pro's and con's speak. It sounds fair until you realize that it gives equal voice to vastly unequal sized groups. The Con’s out numbered the Pro’s by about 20-to-1, yet the Pro’s got just as much time to present their case, which was based on emotion rather than fact, and just plain wrong information. I don’t want to accuse the Bellevue Police Chief of lying, but she was horribly misinformed and clearly unwilling to fact check on her own, preferring instead to simply repeat the same misinformation she was fed by whatever anti-gun group prepped her for the hearing.
As in most of these "town hall meetings", your voice doesn't matter. They have already decided on their course of action and the meeting is only staged to give the appearance of a democratic gathering. We have had this with many BLM and Forest Service actions, they want to close the land and then when we show up, few, if any are given a chance to speak against the new closures. End of meeting. And they do what was planned anyway. Time to wake up, it's a one-sided system!
"If Government CANNOT STOP CRIMINALS FROM GETTING GUNS, THEN GOVERNMENT CANNOT PROTECT WE THE PEOPLE!"
And how's THAT strategy working in the war on (some people's) drugs? On teen pregnancy? Drinking by teenagers? Etc., etc.
Banning something always makes it go away, huh?
Besides, one more time - THESE ARE NOT ASSAULT WEAPONS. Automatic weapons HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL FOR YEARS, probably decades now.
If these types of firearms were pink and blue, you wouldn't be afraid of them.
"Automatic weapons HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL FOR YEARS, probably decades now."
You can still own fully automatic weapons as long as the serial numbered part, the part the BATFE says is the "gun", was manufactured prior to May 19, 1986. For example, with an M16 this is the lower receiver. I own NFA Title 2(Class 3) weapons which are fully automatic, including more than one M16A1 lower receiver, amoung others.
They are even legal in WA as long as you owned it before July 1, 1994. However, you may not purchase or sell them within the state of WA any longer.
It is sad. If you think it is bad in Washington. Try Hawaii. HPD roles a uniformed police officer out to speak on the anti NRA position. Also the pro NRA officers do not attend in uniform. When HPD started pushing for .50 caliber ban the City and County got it banned from all ranges on Oahu. Oh yeah and as for other wonderful issues with Hawaiii if you are a Combat Veteran and at anytime have seeked treatment for PTSD you might as well just give it up on trying to buy a weapon or as many of my fellow vet friends say just lie. HPD is the worse out of all the Law Enforcement agencies in Hawaii. As a police culture they are heavily anti gun in citizens hands. They also have one of the best Law Enforcement Propaganda machine in the U.S. due to the Asian tourist market here. The honolulu police media liason and legislative liasons are the best at pushing BS. If you want to own a weapon you have to waiver your rights to medical privacy to HPD. Aything in the record can disqualify you.
someone should post the minute-mark where pillo appears.
tl;dw
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