Of the group there, I only saw about 3-4 anti’s speak and I left at around 4 p.m. (been there since 1 p.m. and had to get back to evening routine at home). The following notes are from a few that I jotted down during the hearing.
It started with Rep. Gunderson and Senator Zien giving their pitches (the Assembly and Senate sponsors of the bill). Rep. Gunderson actually got choked up when he described getting hit over the head with a crowbar one morning in the summer of 2000 when he went to open his gun shop. He said he’s never done that before (choked up), and it seemed like the emotions finally caught up with him. Yeah, I was moved by that ‘cause he is a crime victim and he’s speaking the truth of what happens – when you’re an unarmed crime victim you’re at the mercy of your attacker.
Then some local pro-PPA’s came on. I included one guy who IIRC was a retired big wig (Cpt., Lt, whatever) with the Milwaukee PD. Dolo, correct me cause I might be wrong on this. At any rate, it was quite obvious that he was politically connected. He said that one night a few years ago, he and his wife were at a first class Milwaukee restaurant when his wife’s .38 snubbie fell out of her purse (his story was much more animated and funny, but my fingers are getting sore) in the middle of the restaurant floor. She put it back and they had a great dinner. He goes to the bathroom and sees a local media mogul, who says his wife has him outgunned and shows him a .25 auto. Then, when they’re leaving, he shakes hands with a Milwaukee judge who says he’s “back up” his wife if she needs it, and while shaking hands the judge knocks his hand on the snubbie in the judge’s waistband. His point was that lots of “law abiding” people CCW’s all the time. He seemed like he was well connected and, as I know well connected people share their “secrets” all the time, I don’t doubt his story. He went on to say many other politicians, media people, judges, etc., CCW illegally in Milwaukee.
An NRA lobbiest spoke in the top five. He was a younger man, well dressed, who presented the statistic very well. I didn’t expect to see the NRA in Waukesha. He is one of the ones I saw when I left. I shook his hand and said that I was embarrassed that I let my membership lapse, but will write out a check tomorrow. I asked him if his job was fun and he said “It’s stressfull.” I imagine it is. He also spoke in the hearing about national pistol competitions (I’m presuming IPDA, IPSCA, etc.). He said that in his office in VA he has a gun safe in his office and use of the basement range. Decent trigger time, I’m guessing.