Saturday, May 19, 2007

Bloomberg calls FOP a "fringe organizaton"

From the NRA newsletter comes this....

Bloomberg Calls Fraternal Order Of Police A "Fringe Organization"

Anti-gun New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) is at it again. A recent New York Post article detailed how, at a breakfast sponsored by Ladies Home Journal, he took a swipe at the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for its support of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits the disclosure of confidential firearm trace data except in the course of a bona fide criminal investigation. "It is one fringe organization," charged Bloomberg.

"I would say resident within the Fraternal Order of Police is far more expertise with the administration of justice than Mayor Bloomberg’s limited experience in that area," shot back James Pasco, the group’s executive director.

In a recent "Memo to Executive Board, Board of National Trustees, State Lodge Presidents, Secretaries and Officers on Tiahrt Amendment," FOP National President Chuck Canterbury said, "The Fraternal Order of Police has been on the receiving end of numerous politically-oriented attacks by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his 'law enforcement spokesperson' John Feinblatt because of the FOP's support of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on the issue of disclosure of firearms trace data."

"Further," Canterbury wrote, "it is important to note that at no time prior to the attacks made on the FOP did Mayor Bloomberg or any member of his administration reach out to the FOP to hear our perspective. Given the Mayor's comments and his general attitude, we can only assume this is because the FOP is a labor organization."

Just last week, we reported on the one-sided hearing that took place in the House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, which was used by anti-gunners as a platform for pushing anti-gun restrictions. In that hearing, Feinblatt, "Criminal Justice Coordinator" for Bloomberg, seized the occasion to blast the Tiahrt Amendment - the critically important provision in the Justice Department appropriations bills that protects the privacy rights of law-abiding gun owners, the safety of law enforcement officers, and the integrity of criminal investigations by preventing inappropriate release of federal firearms trace data.

Both the FOP and the ATF have recently written in support of the law.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

In a small defense of Mayor Bloomberg on this one issue. In NYC, the FOP is considered a fringe group by most police officers. It has minimal membership in the city. People join just for the fraternal nature of the organization. The officers are represented by the Patrolman's Benevolent Association.
Obviously, the Mayor should leave City Hall, and NYC, take a look nationally, before he makes a pronouncment on national issues.Otherwise he would look like any other elitist Democrat(whoops I forgot he is a Republican)