(February 14, 2003) Montgomery gunowners who thought the 'sniper' terror was over when police caught two suspects were wrong. Many may get to relive the anxiety of wondering if they'll get a knock on door from police who want their guns.

In December we reported how State's Attorney Doug Gansler and County Executive Doug Duncan used the sniper investigation as excuse to compile lists of county gun owners. Never ones to miss a good chance to vilify gun ownership, they spared no expense in having police shake down people on these lists in hopes they would give up guns. (In fact, it now appears that the real killers were trying to contact officials directly but could not, because so many police were deployed shaking down gun owners. Innocent people died as a result.)

All sniper tips about gun owners were saved, and the county has now teamed with Maryland State Police and BATF to create a new task force to look further into them. Officials are combing their lists to find anyone with a technical firearm disability, that is, a technical reason they may not possess a firearm or ammunition. Anyone who turns up as such will be taken down as a "gun banging criminal."

We're not talking about snagging violent thugs. In fact we're pretty confident that had a real felon turned up in the tips list before, then police would already have him locked away. Instead, people are on these lists solely because a neighbor, gun club, sporting goods store record or state registration database put them there. As such, there is absolutely no reason to think the current exercise benefits public safety. The whole purpose is to chill the climate for lawful gun ownership. Many people likely to be targets of this witch hunt may not even know they're disabled.

[County residents who might reasonably turn to the new state administration for relief are in for a shock. The Ehrlich administration's answer is to submit legislation to demand two years mandatory jail time for any disabled gun owner nabbed in such a politically motivated operation. They're giving Gansler a bigger club to use on us.]

What an irony that county officials got an agreement from the federal government not to deport anyone who may come forward with a tip last fall. Gansler was happy to shelter illegal aliens from INS in order to keep them in the county if only they will expose US citizens who own guns. There's something very wrong with this picture.

Followup: Chief Moose recently appeared at a MAHA rally to support the state Brady organization's suite of gun control, now working its way through legislature. He had no strong history as an anti-gunner before, so what's with the new shtick? We didn't have to look far for an answer. Moose signed a high dollar book contract for his story of investigating snipers, then started an outside consulting business, all in flagrant violation of county ethics laws. Moose needs County Exec Duncan to give him cover so he can rake in the cash, and Duncan of course needs another mouthpiece cheering for gun control. Moose is dancing with the one who brung him. Now it makes sense.

The Brady Bunch announced they would provide all legal expenses to any sniper victims' families who sue gun manufacturers. The litigation is on. Never mind that the alleged snipers were in this country illegally, obtained their weapon illegally and willingly pulled a trigger. Some people believe this was all the gun's fault.