Gillibrand Announces New Anti-Gun Legislation

NEW YORK—U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced legislation on Sunday that would limit the flow of illegal firearms into New York City by closing the gun show loophole and giving authorities more power to prosecute gun trafficking rings. The legislation comes on the heels of 10 arrests made by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office on Nov. 30. The arrests were the result of an eight-month, gun show investigation that uncovered serious violations by several New York gun dealers.

“The attorney general’s critical investigation shows just how easy it is for guns to end up in the hands of dangerous people,” Sen. Gillibrand stated in a press release. “By cracking down on gun dealers who blatantly disobey the law as well as illegal gun traffickers and their vast criminal networks, we can reduce gun violence and keep our families and neighborhoods safe.”

Investigators from the attorney general’s office were able to purchase guns without the required background check. In many instances undercover investigators were able to purchase guns even when they told the sellers that they had an order of protection against them and could not pass a background check. 

Almost 90 percent of the guns used in gun crimes in New York City come from out of state. Of those, almost 90 percent are illegal.

“Our investigation confirmed what too many already know: in America, guns are freely available to all, regardless of criminal history or other prohibitive factors,” stated Attorney General Schneiderman in a press release. “The gun show accountability gap puts communities in New York and across the country at risk, and it must be addressed. I support Sen. Gillibrand’s proposal to stiffen penalties against those who ignore the rule of law.”

Tom King, president of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said that many of the dealers arrested in Schneiderman’s investigation were unaware of a state regulation prohibiting individual gun sales at gun shows.

“This is a really bad attempt to foster an anti-gun agenda,” said King.

The Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2011 will be introduced in the Senate sometime in the coming week. The act enables prosecutors to focus on an entire gun trafficking network, by making it illegal to deliver or receive two or more firearms when an individual knows or has reason to believe that the guns may be used in a felony. The act includes additional penalties for drug ring kingpins and penalties based on the number of guns trafficked. In a significant change, the bill, for the first time, levies significant penalties on corrupt gun dealers.