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Interesting challenge to NY gunshow law
Posted by David Hardy · 8 July 2005 06:53 PM
A tip from Dan Gifford. According to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, attorneys challenging a new NY gun show law have raised an unusual point. The law makes it a crime to have a "gun show" without capability for running criminal background checks, and defines "gun show" as any gathering of gun enthusiasts. That would include shooting club meetings, their fundraising dinners, etc., etc.
Well, David, if I were an attorney in NY, I wouldn't be worried about that vague definition. If I didn't want to rear up on my Constitutional horse and challenge the law on it's vague definition, I would simply point out that anywhere that there is a gathering of ONE person, and a telephone is present, you have a background check capability.
Take the phone, call the desk Sgt at your local precinct, and ask the Sgt to check the name for wanted, and if the person is wanted, come and pick him/her up. If the cops show up, don't sell a gun to that person. If they don't, go ahead.
You've done your check, though, and the fact that you did one means the law, vague as it is, has been complied with.