Attorney General Maura Healey recently moved to close loopholes in the Massachusetts ban on assault weapons. Gun industry lobbyists called this a secretive mystery plan – who knows what’s really in it?? – which was weird considering Healey announced it in a Boston Globe op-ed.
Republicans in the legislature immediately announced plans to try to roll back Healey’s gun safety measures through legislatve action and 18 Democrats are joining with them. Here are the Shameful 18:
Joining the Legislature’s 40 Republicans in signing the letter were Democratic Sens. Anne Gobi, Jennifer Flanagan, James Timilty and Michael Moore, and Reps. James Dwyer, Colleen Garry, Brian Mannal, Alan Silvia, Thomas Golden, Thomas Clater, Jonathan Zlotnick, John Velis, Josh Cutler, James Arciero, Stephan Hay, Dave Nangle, Paul McMurtry and Stephen Kulik.
Do these Democrats really think what we need in America is less gun safety? More assault weapons?
You can find their contact info here: https://malegislature.gov/People/Search
If you contact any of them, please let us know their response in comments.
None willing to work with UIP, unfortunately so they will probably lose their primary, but worth checking Nora Harrington and his undeclared opponents out. It’s unfortunately his elevation to the Senate will move that body to the right on every front.
Nora Harrington is in the primary with Walter Timilty (also a DINO) for the open seat being vacated by Brian Joyce.
Both are DINOs who’ve done nothing for their districts.
Though a few do have D opponents in the primary. Dwyer is the first off the top of my head, though there are others.
…that this move automatically makes criminals who were not previously.
(Have to give him credit on response time; I emailed him at 2:33 this afternoon and he wrote back at 2:44.)
Huh?! Rep. Golden is more concerned for gun owners of military style weapons than for the victims of all these terrible attacks civilians have been subjected to at the hand of military style weapons?
I’m not impressed he responded quickly – but impressed he is taking such a thoughtless position.
…but I think what he’s getting at is if someone owns a gun that was heretofore considered legal the AG can’t just decide the owner is now a criminal, sort of an ex post facto issue.
It would be ex post facto if the law attempted to make prior ownership of the weapon a crime.
The law presumably provides a mechanism to accommodate existing weapons and their owners. I personally would like to see it require such weapons to be turned in to local authorities, with some reasonable compensation offered in return.
…that’s exactly the confirmation/clarification the legislators are seeking.
It is no surprise that the now-infamous Ms. Garry is among the betrayers.
It is shameful that our institutional party has no sticks with which to discourage her enthusiastic betrayal of Massachusetts Democrats time and again.
I am hoping we can get a presence in Dracut soon, have an active Haverhill town committee. I also would be happy to see a conservative Republican beat her since it would actually make the House more progressive. She can even leave the party and be that conservative Republican for all I care!
She won’t though since she would hate to lose her vested pension from the committee seats and all the goodies she gets from DeLeo. The Mass Dems should give her zero money, no matter how tight her district is.
Jen Flannigan is another. Our candidate was wheelchair bound and had a hard time getting the signatures unfortunately, but she had the audacity to tell him no hard feelings ‘run for my seat once I retire after I put my 20 years in to get a pension’. This is the attitude the majority of the legislature has. And it’s why the work the UIP is trying to do is so important. But we are short on staff and resources, just like Progressive Mass, Mass Alliance and Emerge which is batting 0/4 in Dem legislative primaries this cycle.
These are the races Bernie supporters have to donate to, get excited about campaigning for, and actually run in!
…Garry does not hold any leadership positions and I’m not sure she has since DeLeo has been Speaker. Also, if 20 years is the pension cutoff she’s already set since she’s been in the House for 22.
Not holding my breath for UIP in Dracut. As far as I could tell I was the most liberal resident when I lived there, but if you do find them maybe they should challenge the sitting Dem town committee.:)
I suspect the Mass Dems gave her money to counter the smear she and others were subjected to at the hands of the very dishonest Mass Fiscal Alliance.
…Brian Mannal is not running. But since he replaced Demetrius Atsalis, who was equally if not more conservative and corrupt into the bargain, I’m not sure it is a loss for your team.
The incredibly inept GOP running is likely to win.
There aren’t any stellar candidates running for that seat. Too bad about Crocker, but I admire his gumption.