(February 6, 2000) We beat the gun grabbers in Takoma Park when they wanted to ban handguns by an illegal charter amendment and ballot question. With all the tenacity and welcome of a bad rash, these same advocates of a nannie state have turned up on a special committee, studying alternate ways to ban guns in Takoma Park. Their initial goal was to produce a draft bill for the city council to consider by end of January. That won't happen, as members now wade through even international statistics looking for excuses to implement a local gun ban. They promise up a final solution for June.

Naturally they're showing the same regard for rule of law as they did on the ballot question (which is to say "none.") Though sunshine laws preclude making such decisions out of the public eye, the committee size and makeup changed dynamically, and there is little or no record of their activity preserved. What sorts of measures are they considering? One idea discussed was having housing inspectors and utility workers look for firearms while given access to citizen homes on other business. It goes down hill from there.

In related news, part of Takoma Park was last month declared a crime "Hot Spot" (so called because "this is where the money is burned.") This designation means the state can spend lavishly on those willing to play its game, without standard oversight or safeguards. Ostensibly state funds must be invested to make an impact on anti-crime efforts. In this fiscal year, $63,700 will go to Takoma Park to hire a "coordinator" and "administrative assistant." That oughta take a bite out'a crime. (Gosh, nobody would use these funds to park hacks beholding to the machine... would they?) The Hot Spots program is another of Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy's pet projects, along with the boot camp program for juvenile offenders. You know, the one now under federal investigation for potential civil rights violations ...

Our litigation against Takoma Park last fall doesn't have the totally happy ending we wanted. In the end, the judge ruled against our proposal to make the city pay for legal fees associated with protecting our rights. Well, this wasn't a surprise. Legal fees are almost never awarded in Maryland. Our claim was sound, but the system wasn't going to let us kick it while it was down. We must content ourselves with a victory that let gun owners wake up the day after the election and not look into the mirror at a criminal, plus the city's concession never to play this game again. The left wing did not get a new `Morton Grove.' Our legal expenses are not yet half covered, so if you would like to fuel this and other legal attacks on government abuses, then please donate to our Legal Attack Fund. Do so by adding a note as such when you write your next check to Tripwire and send it to PO Box 1071, Beltsville MD 20704.