The Boston Globe reports Healey sent out a letter Tuesday to the 350 gun dealers in Massachusetts and her office plans spot checks on Bay State gun stores to make sure they’re not selling illegal guns.
“For me, this is a public health crisis and acting to address it is a moral imperative,” Healey wrote in the letter, which was also obtained by MassLive.com. “There are simply too many guns that are too easy to obtain.”
Kudos to the AG!
Please share widely!
jconway says
He has resicinded gun permit reciprocity with 23 other states. It’s a big deal since Virginia with its lax gun laws and enforcement is considered a big supplier of illegal guns to criminals across the Eastern seaboard. Unsurprisingly, he has come under fire from the NRA despite accurately saying he is following their lead by “enforcing the laws we already have”. Healy is doing the same, I also support any efforts she makes to go after manufacturers and sellers for liability.
fredrichlariccia says
this is the difference between lax and smart/tough law enforcement.
Well done, General!
Fred Rich LaRiccia
doubleman says
I’m happy about this development, and I hope it is just the first step. I’d like to see a lot more scrutiny on the manufacturers as well. Few have seemed interested in targeting the makers because they are relatively large employers in the Pioneer Valley.
I wanted to comment on Bob’s promotion comment. Everyone seems to be really excited about the prospect of Healey for governor. I don’t get it (at least not yet). I really like her – both in personal interactions and her record and positions (with one recent caveat). Her daily fantasy sports activity is probably her highest profile to date, and I think it is weak as hell – and also really sketchy and concerning given then involvement of her former boss. Healey’s anti-casino platform during the campaign was great, but now seems a bit hollow after going up against the gambling industry for the first time.
That said, why is a career-long lawyer and prosecutor the obvious choice for governor? A lot have tried the AG-Gov route in MA and failed. Of course that’s not to say it can’t work, but that jump isn’t one that necessarily makes a lot of sense. The jobs are so different and success at one does not mean success at the other.
I’m excited to see what Healey does in AG’s office. She’s no doubt a great attorney. For the governor’s race, I think she has a lot to prove beyond just being a great lawyer, though.
jconway says
Considering her opposition to gambling is what got her the bulk of her support in the primary, I was somewhat dismayed to see her approve of expanding it for sports betting while her peers in NY are rightly cracking down on it. The fact that her old boss and mentor is a paid lobbyist for them is also a bit of a conflict of interest. Doesn’t disqualify her for anything, but it was a rare bad move from her office.
I might add, she and Baker have teamed up on a lot of initiatives together and seem to have a better working relationship than previous AG-Gov pairings, it is doubtful she, Marty Walsh, Deb Goldberg, Suzanne Bump, or other high profile figures in major positions will take the plunge. Precisely since they’ve been lovey dovey with Baker in public and likely comfortable where they are. Moulton despite the twitter sparring, is actively soliciting the Governor’s support for the Lynn revitalization project. I don’t see a great field emerging on the Democratic side, thin benches are the results of our relatively non-competitive primaries and entrenched incumbents. Outsiders will continue to struggle to get passed the byzantine convention process or have the money to make a run.
whoaitsjoe says
brick and mortar stores are going to be fine. I actually used the word “new” to describe a preban magazine I had with me at a store(I meant new to me – it is visibly old) and the gentleman helping me bristled and asked me where I got a “new” magazine from. Those people have a livelihood and families to feed that depend on their licences and have no interest in possible revocation on easily-avoided missteps regarding the state laws.
Gun shows are different though. People selling guns at gun shows do not give a flying f bomb about the AWB or selling firearms with too many “evil features” (as if a folding stock and pistol grip makes me so much more deadly. I actually prefer thumbhole stocks). Whether or not you agree with the laws, their practical effect or if they are just nonsense for a political resume – it’s the law. Gun shows dun care.
jconway says
My cousin up in NH is a proud 91′ Gulf War vet, hunter, and evangelical and is an NRA member, and he hates gun shows. He worked at the Kittery Trading Post in their gun section and largely feels that they are legitimate sportsmen who are obviously going hunting in that part of the region, and they only sell caliber rifles used for that purposes. But that the gun shows make ‘the legitimate owners’ look like anti government nuts. My buddy in the guard and fire dept also doesn’t like them for similar purposes, thinks it won’t be long until sleeper cells use them to cause attacks.
Seems like you agree with them? Closing that loophole could be another avenue where we have more common ground and can get faster results than stale optics like the no fly list.
whoaitsjoe says
n/t
Mark L. Bail says
convenience stores are spot checked for underage liquor and cigarette sales. Why not guns?
Does Massachusetts have gun shows? Those could be spot checked too.
Charley on the MTA says
That my previous diary was not meant as broad approval or endorsement for Baker. Merely stating that there are reasons why he is popular right now; and that he remains to be tested on several areas. I might have also mentioned that his “leadership” on energy has been deficient at best. I’d almost certainly prefer Healey.