My state senator Finney done got his NRA endorsement. We got invited to some recent shindig for Finney. My wife asks if I want to go. I explained I was not a fan. He is good on guns though.

In Chattanooga, a bear was a threat to a man’s family. So, he killed it. Good for him. But now TWRA is looking to charge him. As Deb said:

Because that’s what they do - they charge people. They don’t search for Justice. They charge people. They are probably reviewed on whether or not they charge (and convict) enough people in a given time.

Sabre Defence (which cannot spell Saber nor Defense) of Nashville has been awarded a military contract.

So, did he lie or not? Simple question, really.

Amazing how much we minimize that depending on which letter comes after their last name.

Naifeh did lie.

Ya know, when some state bureaucrat jerks me around due to circumstances beyond my control, I’m generally shit out of luck. But if I were a politico, I’d just have the laws changed when they inconvenience me. Case 1:

After the board denied her request, Ford, who was elected to the state Senate two years ago, vowed to change the law.

Case 2:

A Pennsylvania State Senator retaliates against the Game Commission after his kid has a run in with a game officer.

Case 3: The Chicago Alderman Loophole.

TNGOP says:

SPEAKER NAIFEH LIED ABOUT HAVING GUN PERMIT

Public records show that Tennessee House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh lied in order to give himself political cover for his attack gun rights legislation during the last legislative session.

On April 11, nine days after he used parliamentary tricks to kill two pieces of legislation designed to enhance Tennesseans’ gun rights and the privacy of gun permit records, Naifeh claimed he was a friend of gun owners, and stated he was one of more than 190,000 Tennesseans who had a “concealed-weapons permit.” But public records show that Naifeh did not even apply for a handgun carry permit until three weeks later.

Actually, what really happened was:

After the maneuver, Naifeh displayed to a reporter a certificate showing he has completed the gun safety course necessary to obtain a handgun carry permit for himself. Naifeh said he has a 9 millimeter Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol that he plans to carry after obtaining a permit.

I ain’t a fan of Naifeh and would actually like to see that douchebag out of office for repeatedly using shenanigans to kill pro-gun bills. But completing the course is not getting a permit. Just part of the process. And it usually takes 90 days to get one. So, assuming he applied shortly after that, he still may not have received it yet. However, he did say after he had received the permit.

But, then, TN GOP knows we gun owners don’t like Naifeh. Too bad TN GOP is not credible since seven of their guys voted Naifeh as speaker. Not one dime from me, guys.

Update: Somehow I missed that Naifeh in fact did state shortly after this a few weeks ago I became one of the over 190,000 to earn a concealed weapons permit. Oops. Sorry about that. They are correct.

Update 2: AC has more.

Update 3: And that does explain why they requested the records.

Update 4: And since Naifeh seems intent on keeping your records public, here’s his application.

Here: Marsha Blackburn has a perfect pro-gun voting record in Congress and is a great friend to Tennessee gun owners and hunters. She is a true pro-Second Amendment Member of Congress and NRA-PVF is proud to endorse Representative Blackburn in the August 7th primary and in the November 4th general election.

So, there was a bit in the paper yesterday athat said: Applications for concealed handgun permits triple in a year. And now the article doesn’t even mention that. It is here and mentions they are slightly down.

The original article that other reports are based on (still not corrected) said: Applications for Tennessee carry permits statewide have skyrocketed over the last five years, increasing from 237 in 2003 to 195,251 in 2007. Applications more than tripled between 2006 and 2007, records show.

Wow, that would be quite an increase. And our local Merchant of Death tried to clue them in:

That’s right, a near thousandfold increase in applications. Hm. I doubt it. The Channel 8 guy did too, and didn’t run the story at all, in fear it might be wrong.

I clued Channel 6 onto this information, before they did the interview. Newschick didn’t particularly care, figured she’d still do the interview. Same questions, same deal. Only, when they got back to the studio, all of the “find out why carry permit holder numbers in Tennessee are SKYROCKETING!” audio they did was fairly useless, since the real numbers actually show a decrease in permit applications, regardless of whether or not we’re seeing an increase in them here in our store. Exactly the opposite of what they originally wanted to talk about. Suspect that trucated their useable video a bit, too.

Ya know, I’m not surprised when some nitwit thinks banning handguns is a good idea. I am surprised, however, when such a nitwit is in my state:

Current laws on possession of handguns by juveniles are fine and appear to be enforced, from my vantage point in Juvenile Court. But as we all know, handguns continue to be available to Nashville kids. Something more needs to be done.

The current laws are not curing the problem. They are a Band-Aid. Kids are still carrying handguns, still being charged with robberies using handguns, and kids are still being injured by handguns.

The most practical and effective method for handgun control is also the easiest to describe: Ban handguns.

Couple things: I don’t think you know what practical or effective means. I’d also lay 5:1 you couldn’t tell me what current gun laws are.

Miss Tennessee has a handgun carry permit!

Squeaky tells us gunnies to listen up:

Jesse tells us that there’s a bill trying to get pushed through by a couple of Memphis Senators that would make serialization of ammunition required by January of 2009.

No worries. This is the second (maybe third) time this has come up. And it will again get killed in committee.

AC interviews Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam regarding future political aspirations, namely governor.

This is the part where, as promised, I remind everyone that Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of Mayors Against Guns. Mayors Against Guns is an anti-gun group headed by NYC’s Michael Bloomberg. It is funded, in part, by the anti-gun Joyce Foundation. Barack Obama was on the board of directors for Joyce for eight years, doling out money to fake grassroots gun groups.

Past coverage of this group here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Tennessee Firearms Association is looking for folks to help increase their web presence.

I just linked to you, so I helped with your presence some!

Via AC, TN has two cities in the top 10 violent crime list. I’ll give you two guesses.

In other news, nationwide violent and property crimes are down. Must be due to all those recent gun control victories. Oh, wait. They haven’t had any victories.

A Morristown Trap Club set a national record: Their 5-man team combined for a total score of 496 out of a possible 500 targets. Their near-perfect performance earned them a place atop the National Trap Shooting record books as the highest single team performance in history.

Handgun carry permits up in Tennessee.

At a ball, one of the prizes is a Barret 82A1.

At the NRA Con, I met Ronnie Barrett. I thanked him for his stance against California. And I reminded him about Rose French whom he recalled vividly. Told him I was the blogger that pushed his side of the story and he thanked me. How cool is that?

Let me catch you up:

TN State Rep. Rob Briley got pulled over for DUI.
He decided to call the cops involved Nazis
He kicked the window out of the car
All this made youtube.
He disappears.
Concerned folks fill out missing person report.
He’s found in a casino by state police who ask him to go home
Goes to rehab
Not good enough
Resigns

Sure, there’s some particulars left out but that’s the gist. Now, the latest is that he’s continuing to be Tennessee’s biggest douchebag because on his way out he blames not himself for making poor choices. Nor himself for being a douchebag. Rather, he blames bloggers and media. I shit you not:

“But the press needs to understand that if they’re not responsible with that information, that they’re not going to have access to it anymore,” Briley said.

That’s right. He says it is irresponsible for the press to point out that a state Rep did everything I listed above.

In addition to the mainstream press, Briley criticized bloggers, remarking that “just because you say it, doesn’t make it true.”

Everything I’ve said in this post (including and especially the part about you being a douchebag) is true.

A ridiculous law has been proposed:

Legislation that seeks to keep imitation firearms out of the hands of minors passed the state House.

The measure sponsored by Rep. John DeBerry, a Memphis Democrat, was approved 63-29 on Thursday. The companion bill unanimously passed the Senate in February.

Both chambers must now work out differences in the bill before it’s sent to the governor for his consideration.

DeBerry’s bill would require a person who is not 18 years old to get permission from a parent or legal guardian to purchase an imitation weapon, which he says are nearly identical in size, design and color to real ones.

And next, are we going to have pretend background checks that you’ll be disqualified from for committing toy crimes?

In TN, a woman has plead guilty to stealing handgun carry permit fees.

down your spine.

Your government at work:

The Senate held a voice vote on whether to turn down the air conditioning after Sen. John Wilder, a Mason Democrat who has served in the upper chamber for more than four decades, said that the room was too cold.

It wasn’t clear which side prevailed on the vote but Speaker Ron Ramsey, a Blountville Republican, brokered a compromise by instructing the clerk to turn the thermostat up by 3 degrees.

They don’t give a shit.

In Nashville.

The bill in TN banning drinking in vehicles by passengers has been killed. I wonder if the next version will contain a limousine loophole too?

Jamie Satterfield notes that the state Supreme Court is looking into TN’s waiver of due process of law err illegal drug tax:

In a separate case, Brad Buchanan tried today on behalf of the state Department of Revenue to convince the state high court to overturn a lower appellate court ruling striking down as unconstitutional the state’s Unauthorized Substance Tax Act, more commonly known as the “crack tax.”

Under the law, the illegal wares of drug dealers were to be taxed. Dope peddlers could voluntarily pay the tax with the promise of anonymity but those who failed to do so but wound up busted by police were assessed the tax whether or not they were ultimately tried or convicted of criminal charges.

A Davidson County chancellor deemed the tax punitive in nature and, therefore, afoul of constitutional protections including the right to due process and the right against being punished twice for the same crime. The state Cout of Appeals also struck down the tax but for different reasons, arguing the state cannot tax an illegal activity or product.

Defense attorney Phil Lomonaco, on behalf of Lenoir City construction worker Steven Waters, asked the Supreme Court today to keep the crack tax out of Tennessee’s tax code.

“It is conditioned upon a crime,” Lomonaco said. “This is purely a tax on an illegal activity.”

Actually, it’s not a tax at all. It’s a scheme to take a person’s property without due process of law.

So, due to budget concerns, there will be due process of law. I would think that budget concerns would lead to a lack of due process of law. And to think, I’ve had it wrong all this time.

Been a bit of an issue in the state. Terry and AC have the info on it. Campfield sums it up thusly: Farr illegally collected the Ipod tax before he found out he couldn’t collect the tax but he still collected the tax until he can pass a bill allowing him to collect the tax.

In an update to the sooper seekrit smoking room for legislators mentioned here, comes a confession:

State Rep. Joe McCord acknowledged today that he and others have been smoking in his legislative office suite, violating a state law that he supported.

Hypocrite.

But the Maryville Republican questioned a Nashville television reporter’s tactics in doing a story on the indoor-smoking activities.

Boo-hoo. I wonder if there are any substantial legal penalties for breaking this law? So far, my google-fu is weak.

You know, one they passed.

A while back, TN’s congressmonkies passed a law banning smoking in the workplace and before that they banned smoking in state buildings. But for them, not so much:

The I-Team has discovered that some state lawmakers may not be abiding by a law meant to affect all Tennessee residents.

Everyone, including the thousands of state workers in Nashville, have to walk outside to specified areas if they should want to smoke.

State law prohibits smoking inside state buildings, but for those who want to skirt the law and know the right people, there’s a room upstairs for them.

And our local Blount County boy is allegedly in on the law-breaking:

According to an I-Team report, those who want to get around the smoking ban inside Legislative Plaza need to know state Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, and if they’re really connected, they will be invited back to a room set up for smoking.

WBIR notes that Corker supports the changes and says this of Lamar Alexander:

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander says he sees no need to change the current rule.

Soon, the long tradition of passing the beer may come to an end. Seems the senate wants to make it illegal for automobile passengers to drink while being driven around. Notable in the bill is that there is an exception for rich people driving around in their limousines.

Phil Bredesen: Pony up for the state!

Translation: Get me a Democrat that appeals to dumb, bitter, cousin-humping gun owners!

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean may join an anti-gun group:

A national movement among urban mayors against illegal guns and the so-called “gun show loophole” has made its way to Knoxville and Memphis. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said he is exploring joining that cause.

Mayor Haslam and other Tennessee mayors have signed up with this anti-gun group.

Update: The Nashville City Paper gets the non-existent gun show loophole wrong. Sales at gun shows are subject to the same federal regulations as sales not at gun shows.

Update 2: In comments, Clint takes me to task for stating the paper gets it wrong. I took issue with the fact they called it a loophole when it is not. However, their description of the sales process is mostly accurate (a few nits aside).

It’s already here. Or should be. I don’t see that they collect it.

Andy notes his personal experience with thieves. Some developers I know had several tens of thousands of dollars of copper stolen from a one of their sites. And it was in the ground. I guess it’s good money to warrant people getting that creative to steal it.

Left of the Dial: I say if you can’t hold your liquor maybe you shouldn’t be packing a weapon.

To lawfully drink and to lawfully carry a firearm in our state, you must be 21 years of age.

At UT.

Jimmy Naifeh (the speaker who kills Tennessee’s pro gun bills) is up for re-election. Meet his opponent, Rory Bricco. He’s quite pro-gun.

R. Neal on the guns in bars bill:

Yes, that’s just what we need. More yahoos with more guns in more places.

Yes, because everyone with a permit to lawfully carry a firearm is a yahoo. Been writing Obama’s stuff?

Anyway, most of our neighbor states have such a provision and no increase in violence at restaurants has been reported.