12/23/2012
While attacking National Rifle Association President Wayne La Pierre on NBC’s Meet the Press this weekend, host David Gregory actually violated gun laws in the city where he broadcasts.
During the show, Gregory waved around a 30-round magazine for what he claimed is an AR-15 rifle. But since Meet the Press is taped in NBC’s Washington D.C. studios this is actually a violation of the city’s strict gun laws.
Washington D.C. specifically bans the very ammunition magazine that Gregory bandied about during his discussion.
DC High Capacity Ammunition Magazines – D.C. Official Code 7-2506.01
(b) No person in the District shall possess, sell, or transfer any large capacity ammunition feeding device regardless of whether the device is attached to a firearm. For the purposes of this subsection, the term large capacity ammunition feeding device means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The term large capacity ammunition feeding device shall not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
Penalties include “a maximum fine of $1000 and/or up to a year imprisonment.”
Will D.C. officials prosecute Mr. Gregory? They would anyone else, wouldn’t they?
Sadly, despite all these extremely stringent gun banning laws in the District of Columbia, violent crime soared in 2012.
Finally, maybe Mr. Gregory should have watched CBS to get some facts about those “assault rifles” he is so worried about. CBS recently reported that a scant 2 percent of all gun crimes are committed with assault weapons.
12/25/2012
Washington D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier has confirmed that the department is looking into allegations that NBC’s David Gregory violated D.C.’s gun banning laws during a recent taping of Meet the Press.
Breitbart contacted the office of the police chief and asked if there were any plans to look into this apparent violation of the District’s gun laws. In response, Chief Lanier replied, “Yes, we are investigating the incident to determine if the magazine was in fact real.”
We will continue to watch this developing story.
UPDATE #1:
12/26/2012
An email has surfaced purporting to be from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department stating that NBC requested permission to use a high capacity ammunication magazine and that the request was denied.
UPDATE #2:
12/26/2012
TMZ:
An official from the D.C. police told a member of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that David Gregory COULD display a high capacity magazine on “Meet the Press” Sunday … TMZ has learned.
Well-placed law enforcement sources tell TMZ … a staffer from “Meet the Press” called ATF before the show aired to inquire about the legality of David holding the empty magazine during a segment on gun control. We’re told the ATF person contacted the D.C. police to find out if the District of Columbia — the place where the show is broadcast — had a law prohibiting such a display.
Our sources say the D.C. police official informed ATF David could legally show the magazine, provided it was empty. An ATF official then called the staffer from “Meet the Press” to inform them they could use the magazine.
D.C. police released a statement today, saying “NBC contacted the Metropolitan Police Dept. inquiring if they could utilize a high capacity magazine for this segment. NBC was informed that possession of a high capacity magazine is not permissible and the request was denied.”
It appears “Meet the Press” may have gotten 2 different answers from law enforcement.
UPDATE #3:
12/27/2012
According to POLITICO, a spokesman from the Washington Metropolitan Police Department said it was illegal for David Gregory to use a gun magazine as a prop on Meet the Press — even if it was empty.
Officer Paul Metcalf said “it’d still be illegal” if the magazine didn’t contain bullets.
Yesterday, TMZ reported that Gregory was given the green light after a D.C. official contacted the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. And that he may have gotten conflicting responses.
Metcalf did not comment on the report. “I don’t know where they got their information. I can’t confirm what they said,” he said. “All I can say for now is that the matter is still under investigation.”
An ATF official told POLITICO that the information the D.C. official provided to the ATF was inaccurate. As Metcalf said, using the magazine would be illegal — and the ATF official “said the bureau regretted that the misunderstanding had created these issues.”
And so the saga of David Gregory and the gun clip continues…
Related Links:
White House Petition to Charge NBC’s David Gregory for Possession of High-Capacity Magazine in DC
NBC’s David Gregory Not Charged “Despite the Clarity of the Violation of This Important Law”
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