Opinion
Albany, New York –-(Ammoland.com)- New York State has one of the most robust “red flag” laws in the country. It allows a petitioner to seek an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) if there is a threat of violence against others.
At a pro-abortion rally, Senator Chuck Schumer publicly threatened that Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch “would pay the price” if they ruled in favor of a Louisiana’s law that requires abortion doctors have admitting privileges at a hospital. Schumer is an advocate of abortion and sees any restrictions on the practice as unconstitutional.
At the same time, Schumer thinks that restrictions on the Second Amendment are perfectly Constitutional. A lot of Gun owners see this contraction as hypocritical similar to their views on Bloomberg’s opinion that he is more deserving of security than the average American.
The Senator’s full statement was this: “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
The comment drew criticism from Republicans in the Senate, House of Representatives, President Trump, and even a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts. They called Schumer’s statement a clear threat to the Justices.
Roberts’s statement reads: “Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All members of the court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.”
Now Gun Owners of America (GOA) is asking New York State to issue an ERPO against Chuck Schumer.
In the letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, GOA’s Senior Vice, Erich Pratt, highlights that the gun-rights group opposed the New York red flag law. It also lays out how they are concerned that the courts disproportionately execute red flag laws in minority and poor neighborhoods. The group further states that the organization believes that the rich and powerful might get a pass when it comes to the law.
The letter also shares the story of Gary J. Willis, age 61, of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Willis was shot and killed by police when they were serving an ERPO against him. His sister filed the order against him because of a dispute about his mother’s care. Maryland also executes the majority of ERPO in minority areas.
GOA Letter to NY Gov and AG Re Schumer March 6, 2020
Pratt asks the Governor to enforce the law fairly by issuing an ERPO against Senator Schumer. GOA will use this request as a test to see if its concern is legitimate. Schumer was a big supporter of the New York Red Flag law and pushed for the adoption of a similar law nationwide. Both Senator Schumer and Governor Cuomo are both members of the New York Democratic party.
The letter also highlights that Schumer also appears to have violated 40 U.S.C. section 6134 since the pro-abortion rally took place on the steps of the Supreme Court Building.
The code states: “It is unlawful to … make a harangue or oration, or utter loud, threatening, or abusive language in the Supreme Court Building or grounds.”
Pratts says that the GOA and the American people are waiting to see if the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia will apply the law equally between average American citizens and the ruling class. If the U.S. Attorney does decide to prosecute Schumer, then he would face “a fine or imprisonment of not more than 60 days, or both.”
Pratt asserts that if New York decides not to enforce their red flag law against the Senator, then it would show that New York’s gun laws are applied harshly to the general public while leaving the rich and powerful immune from such enforcement. It would verify the average gun owner’s fear that there is a double standard in how laws are enforced.
Pratt also included a draft application for a Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order for Senator Chuck Schumer.
NY Chuck Schumer Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order Application
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.