World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Mailing List
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Gun talks stall after White House meeting fails
By Randall Mikkelsen
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The Clinton administration and the gun
industry blamed each other and politics on Monday for the collapse of talks
aimed at resolving local government lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said plans for a Jan.
21 meeting between the White House and the industry -- which would have been
the first since the federal government in December threatened to join the
suits -- had collapsed after a ``minority'' of gun makers objected.
``The meeting was called off by a couple of companies who didn't want to sit
down in an election year and be seen as giving the federal government a
victory,'' said HUD spokeswoman Veda Lamar.
She said the White House and the housing department, which is taking the lead
role on potential federal involvement in the suit, had been invited to the
meeting.
But the association representing gun makers said the Clinton administration
had invited itself to an already scheduled meeting, one in a low-profile
series between local governments and the gun industry, and was rejected out
of fears of politicizing the talks.
All talks are now suspended due to the attempted administration involvement,
said Robert Delfay, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation
trade group. ``We just felt that the whole political element of their
involvement would not be constructive,'' he said.
The administration was now meeting individual manufacturers in hopes of
making progress toward settling the lawsuits, which seek to recover damages
related to gun violence, Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo told reporters.
``We're trying to get the more reasonable manufacturers and deal with them
individually,'' Cuomo said in a telephone conference call.
He declined to identify companies the administration was speaking with and
Delfay said any such talks with individual firms would be
``counterproductive.''
HOPING TO KEEP POLITICS OUT
``We are hoping to have a chance to work toward resolving this issue as soon
as possible without having politics play a role in it,'' said Lamar.
But politics, always a driving issue in the debate over gun control and gun
violence, is becoming more intense in this presidential and congressional
election year.
President Bill Clinton launched a new front in the battle over gun control,
proposing in his State of the Union address last Thursday that gun buyers be
required obtain a license. The National Rifle Association and its allies in
Congress immediately denounced the plan.
The legislative effort is one of three elements of the administration's
strategy to fight gun violence. The others are government programmes, such as
education, and the threatened suit.
Thirty U.S. cities and counties have filed 20 lawsuits against gun makers for
damages to cover the costs related to gun violence. The challenges have yet
to go to trial.
Clinton said in December 1999 that if no settlement could be reached in the
local cases, the White House would lead a suit on behalf of some 3,200 public
housing authorities.
The White House lawsuit would try to force the industry to crack down on
dealers who sell a disproportionate share of guns used in crime, to change
sales pitches, and to require safety devices such as child-proof locks.
Cuomo declined to identify which gun makers were opposed to the Jan. 21
meeting, which the White House had hoped would open the door to settling the
suits. ``The vocal minority I think ruled the day on their side,'' he said.
Cuomo, speaking to reporters to publicise a $30 million proposal for a
Housing Department programme to fight gun violence, said he was hopeful for a
settlement.
``I still believe there is a chance for success,'' he said. ``We have said
that if we don't believe there's any point in talking, any point in
negotiation, then we will file suit, but I don't think we're there yet.''
Delfay said in order for talks to resume with local governments, the White
House must tell the local government representatives it would not try to
attend the talks and they should revive them without federal involvement.
The initiative Cuomo announced on Monday will be included in Clinton's 2001
budget request. The $30 million would be used for mapping incidents of gun
violence as a prevention tool, promoting responsible use of guns and
assisting community responses to gun violence, Cuomo said.
20:20 01-31-00
------------------
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
________________________________________
Gun talks stall after White House meeting fails
By Randall Mikkelsen
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The Clinton administration and the gun
industry blamed each other and politics on Monday for the collapse of talks
aimed at resolving local government lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said plans for a Jan.
21 meeting between the White House and the industry -- which would have been
the first since the federal government in December threatened to join the
suits -- had collapsed after a ``minority'' of gun makers objected.
``The meeting was called off by a couple of companies who didn't want to sit
down in an election year and be seen as giving the federal government a
victory,'' said HUD spokeswoman Veda Lamar.
She said the White House and the housing department, which is taking the lead
role on potential federal involvement in the suit, had been invited to the
meeting.
But the association representing gun makers said the Clinton administration
had invited itself to an already scheduled meeting, one in a low-profile
series between local governments and the gun industry, and was rejected out
of fears of politicizing the talks.
All talks are now suspended due to the attempted administration involvement,
said Robert Delfay, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation
trade group. ``We just felt that the whole political element of their
involvement would not be constructive,'' he said.
The administration was now meeting individual manufacturers in hopes of
making progress toward settling the lawsuits, which seek to recover damages
related to gun violence, Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo told reporters.
``We're trying to get the more reasonable manufacturers and deal with them
individually,'' Cuomo said in a telephone conference call.
He declined to identify companies the administration was speaking with and
Delfay said any such talks with individual firms would be
``counterproductive.''
HOPING TO KEEP POLITICS OUT
``We are hoping to have a chance to work toward resolving this issue as soon
as possible without having politics play a role in it,'' said Lamar.
But politics, always a driving issue in the debate over gun control and gun
violence, is becoming more intense in this presidential and congressional
election year.
President Bill Clinton launched a new front in the battle over gun control,
proposing in his State of the Union address last Thursday that gun buyers be
required obtain a license. The National Rifle Association and its allies in
Congress immediately denounced the plan.
The legislative effort is one of three elements of the administration's
strategy to fight gun violence. The others are government programmes, such as
education, and the threatened suit.
Thirty U.S. cities and counties have filed 20 lawsuits against gun makers for
damages to cover the costs related to gun violence. The challenges have yet
to go to trial.
Clinton said in December 1999 that if no settlement could be reached in the
local cases, the White House would lead a suit on behalf of some 3,200 public
housing authorities.
The White House lawsuit would try to force the industry to crack down on
dealers who sell a disproportionate share of guns used in crime, to change
sales pitches, and to require safety devices such as child-proof locks.
Cuomo declined to identify which gun makers were opposed to the Jan. 21
meeting, which the White House had hoped would open the door to settling the
suits. ``The vocal minority I think ruled the day on their side,'' he said.
Cuomo, speaking to reporters to publicise a $30 million proposal for a
Housing Department programme to fight gun violence, said he was hopeful for a
settlement.
``I still believe there is a chance for success,'' he said. ``We have said
that if we don't believe there's any point in talking, any point in
negotiation, then we will file suit, but I don't think we're there yet.''
Delfay said in order for talks to resume with local governments, the White
House must tell the local government representatives it would not try to
attend the talks and they should revive them without federal involvement.
The initiative Cuomo announced on Monday will be included in Clinton's 2001
budget request. The $30 million would be used for mapping incidents of gun
violence as a prevention tool, promoting responsible use of guns and
assisting community responses to gun violence, Cuomo said.
20:20 01-31-00
------------------
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!