Mineta Back-Tracking on Armed Pilots

Mineta's comments had nothing to do with the 310-113 House vote demanding that all pilots be authorized to train and be deputized to carry firearms in their cockpits. Right.

When Magaw was forced to resign after just six months as Director of the newly formed Transportation Security Administration I suspected he was being made a scapegoat.

Admittedly the airlines and Congress were furious with Magaw for empire-building and his obvious intent to create another Federal law enforcement agency.

But the White House was clearly embarrassed by being on the wrong side of an issue supported by three-quarters of the public -- and even more safety-minded mothers.

Magaw's decision not to arm pilots wasn't just his -- despite the claims. He was only following the lead of his bosses, Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta and Homeland Security "Advisor" Tom Ridge who had made their opposition to armed pilots quite clear. Bureaucrats know to do what their bosses want.

There had been continuous reports that President Bush agreed with "Magaw," but the day after the House vote I called the White House Press Office to determine the President's position. The press had been saying he opposed arming pilots, but there had been no formal statement.

The White House declined to comment, simply directing me to the Department of Transportation -- a sure sign that they wanted lots of air between themselves and the "makers" of a clearly unpopular decision.

The Airline Pilots Security Alliance (http://www.secure- skies.org) has scheduled an "Armed Pilots Rally" at 9 a.m. tomorrow in the press area between the Russell Building and the Capitol. Speakers will include the widow of one of the 9/11 pilots -- who had advocated arming pilots before that terrible day he had his throat slit.

It wouldn't surprise me if Sen. Smith's new ally, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) were there to make it respectable for anti-gunners to support guns in cockpits (and stick it to the Bush Administration).

The bill, sponsored by Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), is supported "with reservations" by NRA- ILA, which reportedly is concerned that there are no penalties for states that don't supply records to the FBI's database.

Covered items must have been acquired before October 31, 1968, by a veteran who served overseas between July 26, 1934 (the NFA enactment) and October 31, 1968 (the Gun Control Act of 1968).

The bill contains a provision for donating machine guns to museums, and for museums to be able to transfer them. It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Ways and Means (I assume because the NFA is a tax measure, though no additional guns have been registerable since 1986).

"Innocent veterans who possess war relic firearms are in jeopardy of being unjustly convicted of serious felonies," Rep. Gibbons said in a press release.

"These veterans fought to secure freedom and preserve our national security. When they returned home they focused on reuniting with their family, securing an education, and building a home -- not on wading through the burdensome bureaucracy associated with registering a firearm."

Although GCA '68 provides for amnesty registration periods, there's been only one -- immediately after passage of the act, for 30 days, which expired before most people knew about it.

A deciding factor may have been Fisher's having joined 18 other state attorneys general in signing a letter earlier this month concurring with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's interpretation of the Second Amendment. The letter to General Ashcroft was drafted and circulated by Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor.

It states that on the basis of scholarly research, "your position on the second Amendment is a sound public policy decision. There is an increasing amount of data available to support the claim that private gun ownership deters crime. . . To the extent that a society's laws make it more difficult for law-abiding private citizens to buy and keep firearms, that society is more subject to the destructive behavior of those who do not follow any law."

FOAC said it would join with other pro-gunrights organizations in mounting "get out the vote" efforts for Fisher.

The United Kingdom totally prohibited private firearms ownership four years ago, but despite a smattering of back-bench politicians recently calling for reconsideration of that law, the British Home Office is considering 20 requests by law enforcement agencies to "further tighten" the gun laws.

Primary targets appear to be deactivated guns, replicas and air guns.

The National Criminal Intelligence Service said: "It appears anyone who wishes to obtain a firearm will have little difficulty in doing so whether genuine, reactivated, modified or replica."

Last week the UK announced an overhaul of the criminal laws, eliminating the ancient prohibition against "double jeopardy" -- being tried more than once for the same offense -- allowing hearsay evidence in court trials, and allowing jurors to know of a defendant's criminal history.

Larry is well-respected in the state but his challenger is a wealthy Democratic fundraiser with close ties to the Hollywood political community.

Aug. 3-4 I'll be at the Spokane Fairgrounds gun show promoting the candidacy of son Jeff Knox to represent Spokane in the closely divided state house.

He's going against an entrenched anti-gun Democratic incumbent in a solidly Democratic district -- which voted 80 percent against the 1997 I-676 handgun licensing referendum. If we can make those gunowners aware that Jeff is super-friendly to gun rights, he can win it. (Committee to Elect Jeff Knox, 1722 E. 14th, Spokane, WA 99202)

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