About a month ago, I wrote a piece about New Jersey’s absurd gun laws — laws that have resulted in the arrests of at least three innocent people. All of them faced years in prison until the executive branch chose to let them off the hook. In the case of Brian Aitken, it took a commutation from Gov. Chris Christie himself to cut short a seven-year prison sentence.
The reason is an early-2008 change to a law called the Graves Act. The new policy mandated a three-year sentence for anyone caught with an illegal gun — no matter how obscure the technicality or how innocent the mistake that made it illegal. I spoke with several members of the New Jersey legislature — Republicans and Democrats — who were interested in reforming the law, but they were divided as to whether their liberal colleagues would cooperate.
I was unable to get a comment from the governor’s office for the story, so when John Derbyshire brought up the Second Amendment during Christie’s meeting at NR World Headquarters yesterday, I asked the governor whether he thought Graves Act reform was on the table, given the liberal-Democratic legislature.
His response was not encouraging: “No. Not at all. In fact, I think that Democrats — if they had a Democratic governor, there would be even more of these put on the books. They tried to in [former governor Jon] Corzine’s last year [in office], and they got caught up in the legislature trying to do even more.”
I love Christie as Governor of NJ, and would welcome him as a replacement for liberal NJ Senator Lautenberg. After all, we can't expect better there. But I will never, and I mean NEVER, support him for President as long as he maintains his elitist anti-Second Amendment stance.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFrom the research I've done Christie is not anti gun.
That being said, he is definately not pro gun.
Since those who are not pro gun will vote for more gun control when the next gun crisis arives....not looking so good.
If Christie came out and said "We have enough gun laws, I don't see the need for any more" he may be able to work a truce out with rabid 2A people like me.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChristie is not only terrible on illegal immigration, he has actually attacked those Americans concerned illegal immigration. He is willing to go after American citizen teachers and firefighters and cops, but won't take on one of the major reasons we need more teachers and firefighters and cops.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChristie's only sin is campaigning many years in an obscure state race against "assault rifles".
This was a harmless stand for most of those concerned with the 2nd most important ammendment since the Feds have effectively prohibited the purchase of true assault rifles.
However, his first major act as an executive was to spring a poor chap out of jail who did fall victim to NJ's draconian gun laws.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree with the posters who state unequivocally that they'll never support Christie for President. His commutation, rather than full pardon, of Brian Aitken sealed it for me.
And, if Christie was truly unsatisfied with the draconian Graves Act, he could move quickly and decisively pardon those who are convicted with violating this law, and announce his attentions well before conviction.
If he worked at defending the civil liberties of his state's citizens, half as much as he works getting on "Morning Joe", this wouldn't be an issue, uncooperative Democrat legislature, or not.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't think we will really know until a bill actually reaches his desk. Until then, he is neither for or against. It is all about the votes.
For now, join the NJ2AS and try to change things!!
www.nj2as.com
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@ Scott:
I thought Aitken didn't request a pardon since he was appealing his case?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell I didn't see him say this or see how and in what manner he said it, but the quote about while Dems may say a lot if his real intentions were known and said it in a way that it’s not him, but what can make it to his desk. Would be nice to see him as a PRO 2A Gov, but while I don't think he is, I also don't think he is Anti-Gun either.
The 2A case that’s in the works has legs, how long and strong they are and how far they will go is the question. It's up to all the law abiding and responsible gun owners are looking for this to change. Change doesn’t happen alone, it happens when people work together and now in the time.
People who are against are the people who shouldn't have guns or qualify in the first place being they make their living praying on people and in their day of work robbing people is made just that much easier when the rest of the law abiding and responsible owners aren’t able to defend themselves
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.
For all the people who don’t think our 2nd amendment rights are the right of the people and thing it should go away, do a little research on every single society who had enacted gun control to the extreme and see what happened. As you should have learned in history, history repeats itself. I for one thing need to pay attention and go back to what our original founding fathers wrote into OUR Constitution because it makes sense and is what this nation was founded on. No and’s if’s or but’s about it.
Google NJ2AS if you care about your 2nd amendment rights and want to join the rest of the people who want to NJ to be like most states in the country who have a clue. Being a NJ gun owner is like being a criminal the way we are treated, each and every responsible gun owner doesn’t want guns in the hands of criminals and support stiffer penalties for them, not the law abiding citizens of NJ
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo Christie for Prez in 2012!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe fundamental problem with NJ's gun control regime is that anything having to do with guns is flatly illegal unless you happen to satisfy one of the exceptions to the broader law. As far as I know no other state is like this and of course you won't be surprised to learn that this is the subject of a post-McDonald v. Chicago lawsuit.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere may be more information out there I'm not aware of, but he's not coming across as anti 2A to me here, just that he doesn't expect anything to cross his desk anytime soon, what with the rats in their legislature.
Sure, maybe he's not perfect, but he's a darn sight better than the "president" we have now. I can imagine there's someone better out there, but I can't dismiss him just because he hasn't gone all pro-gun on us. The immigrant thing, yeah, but there's a lot of that going around these days. I think he'd listen to reason. I can, however, dismiss him because he's said he isn't running.
Now, being governor is a pretty busy job; someone needs to put a bee in his bonnet to get to what they want him to get to. Just because he hasn't jumped on all the cases of gun law injustice, doesn't mean he's condoning these things. Maybe I'm naive in giving too much benefit of the doubt, but I think we have to give that to him until he shows us to be wrong. He's got a lot of irons in the fire as it is in that state; don't get all butthurt if he isn't all over your pet projects.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSeems to me like Christie is a Republican version of Obama: says one thing, then bows under pressure to satisfy both parties instead of his own. As someone else here already pointed out: he's not anti-gun, but he's not pro-gun either. Sounds like middle of the road to me, which is fine for some things, but not the 2A. Obama Mk.II, anyone? No thanks.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBack in 2009 I got caught up in this twisted law I was a resident of north carolina with a concealed carry permit and a 5 shot charter arms 38 revolver when I was in burlington county I was never taken to jail I received a complaint summons from the lumberton township police department and the following year I had to go to court face prosecutor john brennan and judge morley the same jackasses in brian a case I was facing 5 years state prison with a 1 year parole eligibility ford gun I legally purchased in north carolina after the governor commuted Ibrian sentence only days later I was in court faseing the plea cut off when is mister brandon changed my plea offer to only probation it was a very good thing me andnew jersey parted our ways hopefully for the last time but I know there are a few people out there that did not cut out so lucky so in the end I ended up getting 2 years probation 1 year for the possession of a handgun then 1 more year of the possession of hollow point ammunition the way I always looked a gun laws is they are needed but this is ridiculous no one should get prison time for the possession of a legally purchased firearms end of story new jersey laws are communist they are wrong and politically motivated to discourage firearm ownership especially win the law that is currently in place can incarcerate a middle age man with no criminal record with a job and two young kids Im riseing on my own
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