Pittsburg, PA — Somebody’s Mama never taught him to keep his nose out of other peoples’ business.
At least, that seems to be the case with Mayor Bill Peduto and his gun control efforts.
Peduto has spent the last year going from city to city trying to convince other mayors to violate the gun rights of their citizens like he has.
But on Tuesday, October 29, an Allegheny County Judge struck down the new gun restrictions Peduto passed this spring.
In his ruling here, Judge Joseph James said that the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act would supersede the mayor or city council’s passage of gun control legislation at the municipal level.
Basically, he said that the city of Pittsburgh can’t trump existing state law.
“Stated simply, under the doctrine of field preemption, the UFA preempts any local regulation pertaining to the regulation of firearms,” James wrote. “The Uniform Firearms Act is a comprehensive statute that evidences an intent by the Legislature to preempt the entire field of firearms and ammunition across the state of Pennsylvania.”
Mayor Bill Peduto and his gang of Bloomberg-funded activists crowed in victory back in April when their bills passed.
These bills included an assault weapons ban, a large-capacity magazine ban, and a local version of a ‘red flag’ bill.
They had used the media circus following a synagogue shooting to give them cover from scrutiny and criticism.
But despite the media giving them the spotlight, their new laws were immediately challenged, and as such, were never enforced.
Judge James went so far as to issue a stay on the laws until he had made his final ruling.
Slow to Catch On
But, as is common to the anti-gun crowd, being told they were breaking the law didn’t bother them.
In fact, they promised to keep fighting to violate our gun rights. Tim McNulty, a spokesman for Peduto, said the city would appeal the judge’s decision.
“The city and its outside legal counsel have always expected this would be a long legal fight, and will continue to fight for the right to take common sense steps to prevent future gun violence,” McNulty said. “We will appeal.”
Don’t worry, Peduto.
Gun owners will still be here and ready to fight when Bloomberg sends his next check and tells you to get busy.