COLUMBUS COUNCIL
City may seek ban on assault weapons
Expiration of federal law prompts Mentel to pursue legislation
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Mark Ferenchik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

With the expiration of the federal assault-weapons ban last month, the Columbus City Council will consider banning assault weapons in the city and regulating Tasers and stun guns.

Councilman Michael C. Mentel wants to hold public hearings beginning next month to decide whether to ban or regulate the sale and ownership of assault weapons.

"Because of the failure of leadership at the federal level, we’re faced with AK-47s and Uzis on the street," said Mentel, who leads the council’s Safety and Judiciary Committee.

"We clearly have a health, safety and welfare issue in play here. These are not recreational weapons. These are designed to kill."

A spokesman at the National Rifle Association’s headquarters in Virginia said he couldn’t comment on Mentel’s plan until it’s in writing.

But West Jefferson gun shop owner Dan Donaldson, a member of a group that successfully challenged Columbus’ first try at an assault-weapons ban, said he thinks Columbus is wasting its time.

"It’s my right to own one," said Donaldson, who moved his business from Columbus eight years ago and mocked the term "assault weapon."

"We call it a firearm out here," he said.

Though the city in June bought 200 Taser stun guns for police, Mentel said he’s concerned about criminals using Tasers and other stun guns in robberies and other crimes. While he doesn’t want to ban civilians from possessing them, he does want to make it difficult for criminals to obtain them.

Seven states, including Michigan, have banned the public from using or selling stun guns. Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., restrict stun guns, according to the Web sites of several stungun retailers.

Legislation on assault weapons could be before the council by early December. Mentel plans to hold the first public hearing at 5 p.m. Nov. 4.

City officials know they have to word any ordinance carefully. A federal appeals court ruled in 1994 and 1998 that the city’s first two attempts at an assault-weapons ban were unconstitutionally vague.

"When it’s structured correctly, it can be done," said City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr., who is doing research regarding such a law."

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dublin and Toledo are among cities that ban the possession of assault weapons. It is a first-degree misdemeanor with a maximum six-month jail term and $1,000 fine.

Pfeiffer said Cleveland’s ban has withstood a legal challenge.

But the Columbus law overturned in 1998 was patterned after the Cleveland law and still fell short.

In 1994 Congress approved a federal assault-weapons ban that prohibited the sale of 19 kinds of semiautomatic guns, including AK-47s and Uzis. The law expired Sept. 14 because Congress didn’t reauthorize it.

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman sent a letter to President Bush on Sept. 13 calling for the president and Congress to extend the ban.

Mentel said police have told him they are concerned they could face these weapons.

In July, a Hilltop man fired an AK-47 assault rifle at police as they chased him through a residential neighborhood north of Morse Road following a West Side fight. Several cars and homes on Brittany Road were hit, and one bullet entered a house, grazing a woman in the neck.

Columbus Police Sgt. Brian A. Bruce, who heads the division’s defensive-tactics unit, said he’d like to see an assault-weapons ban. Some ammunition for those weapons can penetrate bulletproof vests, he said.

Former Columbus Councilman John P. Kennedy pushed for the city’s first assault-weapons ban after a 1989 schoolyard shooting in Stockton, Calif.

"Why does anyone within the city limits need an assault rifle?" Kennedy said yesterday.

Kennedy said he didn’t want to take away the right to own a gun but wanted to be reasonable.

"You look at other civilized countries, they don’t allow (assault weapons)," Kennedy said.

Damn, I just signed a lease and will be moving back inside the Columbus city limits.  They used to have an AWB, and it was overturned.  I think they'll have a hard time putting this through, but you can bet your ass they're going to fight hard for it.  This liberal ass town has a screw loose.  

So this law would basically make it a crime to have possession of such a evil baby killing weapon?  So basically no Grandfathering in the rifles you have?  

I say "Fuck that", and you can quote me on it.  

I was a felon for having a FS and a col. stock on a postban lower.  Now because of the AWB sunset I am legal again.

I was a felon for carryng a handgun with me most of the time when Ohio didn't have a CCW.  Now that they have such a law I am not a criminal any more.

Why do they keep trying to make me (a normally honest, law abiding man) into a criminal once again?  

I'm permanently moving out of Kolumbus in 2006. City Council are a bunch of idiotic liberals. They lost the last 2 law suits in Federal Court and paid over $ 80,000 in court costs. If they want to try that again, the group known as Peoples Rights Organization, will probably file another law suit if this becomes a local ordinance again.

Quoted: Legislation on assault weapons could be before the council by early December. Mentel plans to hold the first public hearing at 5 p.m. Nov. 4.

Raise Hell!

You now know where and when to show up. If you care you will add to the crowd.

Columbus, like most large cities, is festering with democratic assclowns.

Just think of 270 as a giant toilet bowl seat. The shit tends to fall inside the bowl, and normal people seem to want to get as far away from it as possible. I have another comment about Columbus, but it's even worse and might get me banned. You figure it out.

(Quote from above) " In July, a Hilltop man fired an AK-47 assault rifle at police as they chased him through a residential neighborhood north of Morse Road following a West Side fight. Several cars and homes on Brittany Road were hit, and one bullet entered a house, grazing a woman in the neck. "

Ok they need to read what BS they spew, the AWB was in place in july, how did the above happen ? Proof the AWB did nothing to prevent the above. Criminals do not follow the laws !

I have no doubt this will pass.
It will be just like the smoking ban.
Who cares what residents want or need.
Folks, start calling 610, and writing to the papers.
This will be a big fight.

this is total bs.....i am so mad!!!!!!!!if this passes im moving they can keep this town and state...i will be ther thurday on the 4th at 5 pm with a friend or two.......i think u should deport gov employees for trying to take away your right...if they want a ban move to another country or how about cali.......u see their crime free lives....im not turning shit in,fuc em.

come on ar members lets all do this and show up!!!!!!! we cant loose this one.

I'll be there, you can bet ur a** on it!

I will be there too.  Now just gotta get my AR15.com shirt washed  

I have lived in alot of Cities/States and Columbus isn't that bad of a place to live.  I actually like living here.  I now have a job that pays me way more than I ever made before, have a house, wife, kid.  All of which I didn't have before I moved here, so yes, Columbus has been good to me.  

I do not like the politians here but that is pretty much like everywhere else I have lived also.  I cannot believe that they are trying to pull this bullshit.  I am not turning my AR's in no matter what, and I am not moving them out of Columbus.  I am just gonna to ignore this law if it comes to pass.  Fuck 'em.

Good thing I never lived inside Columbus, always outside of 270 in New Albany, The DUMMYcrats f everything up.

We need everyone to come down and support "our" community and "our" rights.  The more the marrier.  Lets show them where we stand on this ban.  Lets show them they arent getting anything from us!

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You don't even have state preemption there

PRO filed the last lawsuits and won. Columbus doesn't have a chance in Federal Court, but they couldn't care less.

"1994 - Federal court awards judgment to People's Rights Organization against City of Columbus, calling the "assault style weapon" law and high-capacity magazine ban unconstitutional. Columbus changes wording of overturned law, and quickly passes new statute as emergency legislation. People's Rights Organization files new lawsuit. Court finds against the City of Columbus a second time. Columbus appeals, and federal appeals court finds against the City of Columbus, calling the hastily written law unconstitutional for its vagueness in wording. City of Columbus is ordered to pay People's Rights Organization more than $140,000 to reimburse the not-for-profit group's legal fees in the two actions. City of Columbus attempts no further infringement against lawful gun owners." - P.R.O.


P.R.O.

fuc em they cant have mine either..........lol. ill be there.car pool anyone?