BY LINDA BENTLEY | JULY 3, 2013
SAF scrutinizes use of city funds for Bloomberg’s anti-gun agenda
‘Evidently, the mayor and his staff have a gross misunderstanding of how the
taxpayers’ money should be spent’
NEW YORK – It was recently revealed by CBS News that billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been using taxpayer funded resources to help support his anti-gun Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) nonprofit organization.
On June 26, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed a public records request with the city of New York for all records relating to city resources used for MAIG’s gun control efforts.
SAF is the nation’s oldest and largest tax exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms.
Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
In addition to the landmark McDonald v. Chicago Supreme Court Case, SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven; New Orleans; Chicago and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and numerous amicus briefs holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.
After CBS News revealed MAIG’s domain name is registered to the city, hosted on a city-owned server and administered by city employees, SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb noted Bloomberg appears to have sent Christopher Kocher, a special counselor from his office, to lobby in Nevada on behalf of MAIG’s gun-control agenda.
And, in an effort to conceal who he worked for, Gottlieb said Kocher “scrubbed his city hall e-mail address from the state of Nevada lobbying-registration website early this month.”
“The public has a right to know what’s been going on between Bloomberg, the city and MAIG,” said Gottlieb, adding, “Gun control is Bloomberg’s pet peeve, and he’s been pushing an anti-gun agenda since sending so-called private investigators on a sting operation to gun shops all over the country, which got him in trouble with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.”
Joining SAF in its records request is the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and Tom Gresham, host of the nationally syndicated “Gun Talk.”
Gresham said, “There certainly appears to be a serious problem in Bloomberg’s administration. Evidently, the mayor and his staff have a gross misunderstanding of how the taxpayers’ money should be spent, and that should not include sending New York employees around the country to lobby for Bloomberg’s pet projects.”
Gottlieb called Bloomberg “obsessed” and said, “[I]f he’s spent so much as a dime of public money on what amounts to be a private crusade, Mayor Bloomberg needs to be held accountable for that.”
Gottlieb called on N.Y. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to launch a full scale investigation into Bloomberg’s potential misuse of public funds, and said, “If Eric Schneiderman won’t investigate Bloomberg for possible misuse of public funds, we will. The mayor has been acting increasingly like a self-appointed monarch, but this is still the United States, not Bloomberg’s personal fiefdom.”
Last week, Alan Korwin, a leading expert and publisher of books on gun laws (www.gunlaws.com), questioned if Bloomberg and/or MAIG was involved in the recent $200,000 Phoenix gun buyback program.
The fact that the buyback program, which issued $100 Basha’s gift cards in exchange for guns, was touted as being accomplished without taxpayer money, raised some serious questions as to where the money came from.
For example, $200,000 was handed out in the form of gift cards, so the money used was first laundered. Then the guns were purchased without anyone filling out any 4473 forms and with no questions asked.
So, as Korwin notes, guns may have been used in crimes but the person who committed the crime was able to simply walk away with a $100 gift card and no questions asked.
He said, “[T]his system is the perfect way for a killer to dispose of the murder weapon – have the police do it for you.”
Even if the police do find a ballistics match, Korwin notes they have no idea who gave them the gun, due to the no-questions asked policy.
Because the source of the $200,000 is hidden from public scrutiny, Korwin asks, “Who actually owns these guns they bought? If it’s the people, as with any other city asset, destroying public property borders on a criminal act, even if you did pinky swear to a friend.”
Korwin also called out 20 mayors involved with MAIG, including Bloomberg, that have been convicted of criminal acts, including perjury, embezzling funds, attempted child molestation, bribery, fraud, money laundering, extortion, tax fraud, assault, racketeering, accepting bribes, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, child pornography and domestic violence.
Others pled guilty to charges of trademark counterfeiting, public corruption and embezzle-ment, while others have been arrested on numerous counts of DWI, interfering with a police officer or charged with accepting over $100,000 in bribes.
Now Bloomberg, himself, may join the corrupt cabal of disgraced mayors of MAIG, as he’s being investigated for allegedly using city funds and staff to help support his personal anti-gun agenda.
