Sarah Brady's Statement about Ashcroft Confirmation

[pax]

Found at http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0201-156.html and presumably also on HCI's web site at http://www.handguncontrol.org

Handgun Control Inc. Statement on Ashcroft Confirmation
U.S. Newswire
1 Feb 20:00

Statement Of Sarah Brady On The Confirmation Of John Ashcroft As U.S. Attorney General

To: National Desk
Contact: Handgun Control Inc., http://www.handguncontrol.org.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following statement was released today by Handgun Control Inc.:

"Today, the United States Senate voted to confirm John Ashcroft as Attorney General by a vote of 58-42. While we at Handgun Control are disappointed at the outcome of this vote, we are gratified that the confirmation process highlighted Americans' support for gun safety efforts and raised the importance of enforcement of gun laws -- like
the Brady Law and the federal assault weapons ban -- to the forefront of the national discussion.

"During his testimony and in his written responses to questions from the Judiciary Committee, John Ashcroft promised to make the enforcement and defense of our nation's gun laws a top priority.

Specifically, he claimed the following:

• He believes in closing the gun show loophole.
• He supports the assault weapons ban and will work for its reauthorization in 2004.
• He will make keeping guns out of the hands of felons a top priority.
• He believes that the federal government should have a strong role in the prosecution of illegal firearm trafficking and cracking down on irresponsible dealers.
• He will vigorously defend gun laws under attack in the courts.
• He will give prosecutors the resources they need to
  aggressively enforce our gun laws and provide more funding for that enforcement.

"Despite these assertions, we remain concerned about Mr.
Ashcroft's true commitment to using the power of his office to reduce gun violence -- and not simply because of his past record of opposing reasonable gun laws.

"Some of Mr. Ashcroft's responses to specific questions were, at best, vague; others were, at their worst, purely evasive. When asked if he believes that the National Firearms Act -- which regulates machine guns -- is constitutional, he replied, '...I would approach it with a presumption of constitutionality and would defend it so
long as a good faith and conscientious basis existed for doing so.'

Even while voicing the opinion that the Second Amendment does not preclude common-sense gun control, he added, '...I will vigorously defend gun control statutes passed by Congress whenever there is a good-faith and conscientious basis for doing so.'

"Furthermore, throughout the confirmation hearings, Mr. Ashcroft seemed to express support of certain gun laws out of obligation -- because they were positions taken by the Bush Administration -- rather than out of a true and convincing commitment to the intent of these laws. Such overly careful wording and the use of qualifying language makes us skeptical about his apparent change of heart when
it comes to implementation and enforcement of gun safety measures.

"I seriously doubt that the United States Senate would have
confirmed a man with Mr. Ashcroft's extremist record had he not been a former Senator. On behalf of Jim and myself, I want to thank those Senators who opposed this nomination. It is unfortunate that some members of the Senate chose to place deference to a former colleague above the best interests of the American people. It is also unfortunate that President Bush chose to ignore his own promise of
bringing the country together by making such a divisive nomination.

"Clearly, the pressure on John Ashcroft to demonstrate a strong commitment to reasonable gun laws is not over. It is just beginning. He must now follow through on the commitments he made during the confirmation process. The American people will hold John Ashcroft accountable for his promise to rigorously enforce and defend our gun laws. They will hold President Bush accountable for making the gun
safety priorities cited by Mr. Ashcroft a reality. Finally, they will hold the United States Senate -- particularly those members who voted for Mr. Ashcroft -- accountable for exercising their oversight responsibilities and for keeping John Ashcroft true to his word."

 

[BMAN]

Good, John Ashcroft is now the Attorney General of the United States of America. Choke on that one, HCI. I sincerely hope HCI has slipped up legally somewhere along the line during the past 8 years and the US DOJ finds evidence of this. Then I'd like to see the DOJ bring the hammer down mercilessly on them. They certainly deserve it.

 

[Waitone]

<Rant On>

The hypocracy of these people and others of their ilk is simply breathtaking. I can not remember a single incidence in the past 8 years where any comment was made about the former administration effectively shutting down prosecution of violators of federal firearms laws, something not reported in Big Media (there's a surprise) nor bitched about by HCI or any other anti-constitutional advocacy group. It took Wayne LaPierre to tear the scab off the sore on a Sunday talk show. LaPierre caught unmitigated h*ll for saying what he said.

Fast forward to today and all I hear is the fascists currently out of power wring their hands questioning if Ashcroft would uphold the law. I WANT TO PUKE! These people savage an honorable man and give a pass to a colony of perverts.

The moral standards in the US are upside down.

<Rant Off>

 

[Hard Ball]

Let's hope she is right and AShcroft will be able to get rid of all the laws she is so fond of!

 

[Sam Adams]

Costing HCI Money

How can we get on HCI's mailing list WITHOUT donating anything to them? The object is to bankrupt them with material, labor and postal costs.

 

[RHC]

She's a typical spin merchant. What Ashcroft said about defending the law as long as there is a "good faith" belief in its constitutionality is the ethical standard for lawyers. To defend a law or interpretation you have no reasonable belief can prevail is unethical, as it wastes the money of the public spent on courts.

 

[Dennis Olson]

It is also unfortunate that President Bush chose to ignore his own promise of bringing the country together by making such a divisive nomination.

I guess to the liberals "bringing the country together" = putting liberals in power throughout a conservative administration.

Hmmm....

 

[nralife]

"I'd have to say that as I have listened to this organized campaign against John Ashcroft, I sometimes wonder if there's not an effort to make the love of traditional values a hate crime in America. Fifty years ago, a person who set out to engage in public service might unfairly be criticized for not being a member of a church or not professing religion, but who would have thought 50 years later that a man would be mocked for holding a deeply held faith? Who would have thought 50 years later that calling on the Almighty to help you fulfill trusts that were given to you by your state and your nation would be held up to ridicule? The plain truth is, we may have "In God We Trust" on our coins, but we do not have it in our heart."

Senator Gramm - TX

 

[elector]

Yes, I'm getting really, really sick of hearing the lefties refer to Mr. Ashcroft's traditional American strengths and personal principles as "extremist." The far left of this country makes it seem like the U.S.S.R. won the Cold War after all.

 

[Bob Locke]

When you consider that Adolf Hitler could get elected over Thomas Jefferson in America these days, it really brings things like this into focus.

 

[Coronach]

How to cost HCI money...

How about shipping them every PC gadget they advocated and you removed from your guns (keyed safeties, trigger locks, etc)?

Of course, send them postage due.

Mike

 

[DC]

Bite me, Sarah...bite me Teddy, bite me Chuckie...bite me, all ya'll elitists. Now the law will be upheld...can't ya hear me knocking, heh heh heh.

Ball's in play...