Rendell: Reinstate weapons ban
The Intelligencer
Compelled by the murder of Philadelphia police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter on Thursday called on Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation to re-enact a federal assault weapons ban.
“This issue is quite simple,” Rendell said in a statement. “Either (you) support law enforcement or you don’t. And if you don’t, you’ll have to tell the widow of the next victim or the young child of the next victim why you didn’t vote to protect them.”
Mayor Michael Nutter said last weekend’s “assassination” of Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, who was shot at least five times with a Chinese SKS rifle while responding to a bank robbery, was “truly shocking.”
“We all know that he did not stand a chance,” said Nutter, speaking at a City Hall news conference. “It’s a high-powered rifle that no one should have their hands on.”
The comments came about 12 hours after a third suspect, Eric Floyd, was captured late Wednesday night in an abandoned rowhouse in southwest Philadelphia. Floyd, 33, was caught following a five-day manhunt after police said an FBI agent received a tip.
Brought to police headquarters in Liczbinski’s handcuffs, Floyd was charged with murder, robbery, conspiracy and related offenses. His girlfriend, Tonya Stephens, 37, was found with him and charged with obstructing justice, hindering apprehension and conspiracy.
Another bank robbery suspect, Levon Warner, 38, was arrested Sunday and charged with murder, robbery and conspiracy.
Suspect Howard Cain, 33, was shot to death by police on Saturday during a post-robbery chase. An area mosque has refused a request to hold funeral services for Cain, a Muslim, because of his criminal conduct.
On Thursday, Nutter and Gov. Ed Rendell released a copy of a letter they sent to members of the state’s congressional delegation asking for the federal ban on assault weapons be reinstated. A ban enacted in 1994 was not renewed after 2004.
“Passing this legislation will go a long way to protecting those who put their lives on the line every day for us,” Rendell and Nutter wrote. “There is no excuse to do otherwise.”
The ban, which took effect in June 1994 and expired in September 2004, made the possession, manufacture, use and import of assault weapons illegal. However, the Chinese-made SKS rifle that was used to kill Liczbinski would not fall under the 1994 ban because it came into the U.S. in 1992, a fact Rendell and Nutter pointed out in their letter to Pennsylvania’s 19 U.S. House members and two U.S. senators.
Rendell and Nutter wrote that Liczbinski’s murder “reminds us that our police are outgunned by criminals who have access to these weapons.”
Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-8, a co-sponsor of a bill to reinstitute the assault weapons ban and son of a former Philadelphia police officer, said the government needs to be “proactive” to quell gun violence.
“While I support the right of gun ownership and I believe in the Second Amendment, I strongly believe that if someone wants to fire an assault rifle they should join the military,” Murphy said.
The congressman’s opponents in this year’s House race, however, said reinstating the assault weapons ban would do little, if anything, to stop gun violence.
Tom Manion, a Republican from Doylestown Township, said the focus should be on stricter law enforcement, not on enacting more gun laws.
“I really don’t think a ban on assault weapons is going to do anything to keep the criminals from getting their hands on guns,” Manion said.
He noted all three men police accused in the Port Richmond bank robbery and fatal shooting of Liczbinski were released early from previous prison sentences. Had they served their full sentences, Manion said, the suspects would have been in jail Saturday when the Philadelphia police officer was slain.
“It’s easy to look at the Second Amendment, but we have to focus on keeping the criminals off the streets,” Manion said.
Tom Lingenfelter, a Doylestown resident running as an independent against Murphy, said better enforcement of existing criminal laws is needed rather than instituting additional gun laws.
A competitive pistol shooter who tried out for the U.S. Olympic Team this year, Lingenfelter said law enforcement authorities have enough trouble enforcing current gun laws. One more law would not stop gun violence, he said.
“Just because you make a law doesn’t mean the problem’s going to stop,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Lamp Lighter
©The Evening Bulletin 2008
Delco Deal With Sestak?
Rumors have been swirling that Delaware County Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak has his eye on Sen. Arlen Specter’s seat in 2010. Of course, he still has to win re-election this fall, not an easy task for the freshmen legislator representing a Republican district.
Or is it?
According to the latest FEC reports, Mr. Sestak has raised $2.4 million. His opponent, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Williams, has banked a paltry $134,000.
If there is any hope for the GOP to win the seat back, it must do so this November. So where is the vaunted Delco GOP political machine? Why isn’t it flexing its fundraising and organizational muscle?
Consider this possibility:
It has already cut a deal with Sestak or is about to do so, which would complete the downward spiral of the once legendary GOP county organization. In any case, it is increasingly apparent that the McNichol-Sexton era is coming to a screeching, and catastrophic, end.
A Different Story In Bucks
What a difference a county makes. Delaware County, still Republican, puts up a sacrificial lamb against a freshman Democrat. Bucks, on the other hand, is throwing everything it has into defeating its frosh Congressman, Patrick Murphy, despite the fact that the county is now Democratic in registration. Republican challenger Col. Tom Manion has raised a staggering $422,000 to date, more than respectable at this stage in the game. He is a serious candidate with a serious chance.
Makes the rumor of a “Delco deal” not sound so “conspiratorial” after all.
Nobody Home In Montco
Of course, if there is a silver lining for Craig Williams, it’s that he’s not Marina Kats, the GOP candidate taking on Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz. Ms. Kats has raised $5,600, good enough for a 1:347 ratio to Ms. Schwartz. But you can’t entirely blame Marina. After all, the Montco Republican Party is still in disarray as a result of the ongoing Matthews-Castor feud. What do you expect?
Will Ms. Kats reach five figures in her campaign war chest by November? The jury is still out.
Toomey For Gov?
Recently seen at the Pennsylvania Leadership Council annual meeting: “Toomey for Governor” bumper stickers, in the same color scheme as that used in his 2004 Senate run. Makes sense. It doesn’t take a genius to see that vying for an open seat with no contribution limit is a better bet than taking on a 30-year incumbent with a $2,300 donation threshold.
There goes John Perzel’s shutout.
One Less Coward
State Rep. Steven Cappelli (R-Williamsport) got crushed in his recent bid for the state Senate. Too bad. After all, with Vince Fumo out of the picture, a new pin-up boy for tawdry political entertainment is needed.
Remember, this is the same “pro-gun” legislator who characterized Philadelphia’s murder epidemic as “cultural genocide” - a correct assessment - on national television. But after taking some flak from the clueless Black Caucus, he completely reversed his position and became an advocate for their anti-gun legislative initiatives. Kudos to the people of the 23rd Senate district for rejecting a charter member of the Cowards Hall of Shame.
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