Brady Campaign Nervous; Admits Effort to Get DC to Modify Gun Ban Rather Than Risk Trip To Supreme Court

Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, confirmed today that the group attempted to convince the District of Columbia to change its law banning guns rather than risk an appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court. They were unsuccessful.

The District, which this summer suffered a landmark defeat in a ruling by the Second District Court of Appeals that its 1976 ban on private possession of handguns violates the Second Amendment to the Constitution, chose to appeal rather than change.

According to Mr. Helmke, explaining his strategy to retreat rather than fight

It will be the biggest ruling on the Second Amendment ever. You get nervous when you see something with far-reaching implications.

The District's homicide rate ranks among the highest in the nation and last year police seized more than 2,600 illegal guns in spite of the nearly-absolute ban.

Presumably all of the guns were seized from criminals as all the lawful citizens were standing around with their hands in the air, surrendering to the murderers, rapists, robbers and muggers.

The District's attorney general offered the rubric that the homicide rate would be even higher without the ban, saying

More guns leads to more gun violence. (sic)

Her statement would be more credibility if she could point to a city with more guns and a higher crime rate, but unfortunately for her argument each of the cities with more guns has a lower crime rate than the city that known as "the murder capital of the country."

According to the Associated Press

Some cities and states with tough gun laws are getting nervous about D.C.'s appeal. During the lower court proceedings, Washington had the backing of several jurisdictions, including Massachusetts, Maryland and Chicago. But fearing they could lose - and lose big - at the Supreme Court, few have publicly backed the city or filed briefs in support of its appeal.

Of course, every one of those listed have serious crime issues and victims with no recourse. Since 1986, state after state has allowed their citizens more handgun latitude and their crime rates have fallen, significantly. England and Australia, once poster children for the Brady campaign, have suffered the consequences of greater restriction and seen their crime rates increase dramatically.

The facts are in, the good faith arguments are over. There can no longer be any rational justification for blaming the gun, for taking the position that otherwise law abiding Glocks, Sigs, Colts, Rugers and HKs are magically teleporting across the beltway in order to wreck wanton havoc on the peaceable and innocent residents of our fair capital.

Again, according to the AP

Helmke, of the Brady Campaign, said the group suggested to Washington that it rework its gun laws rather than press on with an appeal. A broad Supreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment could jeopardize a variety of laws, including waiting periods for handgun sales and California's machine gun ban, he said. (sic)

UPDATE: It's news to the NRA

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First, the constitutional scholars, now the Brady Campaign. The winds are blowing, and sails are triming.