(HI) Anti-firearms collusion in Aloha state?

Oatka

New member
Check out this guy's website, he needs your comments for the Hawaii Ethics Commission. http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/CapitolDr/hawaiiponoi/

The article below sounds like stone-walling by the State in the best tradition of Sgt. Shultz, "I know NOTHING . . ."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_dougherty/20000716_xnjdo_antifirear.shtml

Anti-firearms collusion in Aloha state?
Farmer accuses state of illegal ties to gun-control group

By Jon E. Dougherty
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com

A Hawaii resident has filed a formal complaint with the State Ethics Commission, alleging collusion between state officials and an anti-gun group and charging that both have conspired to "fend off democratic processes."

At issue are charges leveled by farmer and rancher William J. Flynn of Hilo, Hawaii, who said a personal "six-month investigation" has resulted in evidence that officials of the state's Department of Health Injury Prevention and Control Program and the Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition have colluded to exclude firearms owners in formulating policies for the "prevention of intentional and unintentional injuries related to firearms and firearms violence."

According to a statement Flynn released Monday, state "government officials and employees have lied to our legislature in formal testimony, have maliciously caused fraudulent data to be inserted into their own drafted legislative proposal, and have created and structured a 'private organization' in order to circumvent the open process of our state Sunshine Law," which mandates that the state's business be conducted in public and be subjected to public scrutiny.

Flynn added that the state was attempting to shield "its dealings from public scrutiny" and have discriminated against firearms owners "who would suggest remedies" to gun violence throughout Hawaii "that include a balanced due consideration for constitutional issues and other civil liberties."

The State Ethics Commission would neither confirm nor deny on Monday whether it had received Flynn's complaint, citing privacy concerns.

In a summary of the complaint obtained by WorldNetDaily, Flynn alleged that the Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition has held its meetings in public buildings, including the state attorney general's office, and that "about 45 percent of the time" the group's president and founder, Nadine Onodera, has been absent and unable to chair the meetings.

"In her absence," Flynn said, "a governmental representative has fulfilled that private role." Specifically, he named Eric Tash "of the Department of Health" as having chaired the meetings in Onodera's absence, something "Tash has admitted," Flynn charged.

Tash told WorldNetDaily that without seeing the contents of the complaint, he could offer no comment or explanation.

Meanwhile, Flynn said he was "dismayed" to discover that group meetings "were held ... at the exclusion of" opposing voices and firearms supporters in public buildings -- a phenomenon Flynn claims has been substantiated by "a legislative aide (name withheld) who previously worked in the Department of Health" and was instrumental "with the formation of the Injury Prevention and Control Program and its earlier initiatives."

Also, Flynn said government resources are being utilized to produce Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition literature. He said in January 1995, "the Department of Health produced an 11-page tri-colored booklet" for the gun control group "free of charge, entitled 'HFCC -- A Plan for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Violence in Hawaii.'"

The booklet, Flynn said, "solicited membership and donations on its last page and gave every indication that it was the work product of [Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition]." The Hawaii farmer said former Department of Health Director Lawrence Miike "acknowledged afterwards [sic] that it was, in fact, the creation of the [Hawaii] DOH and had been produced in Hawaii's prison system by inmates."

Flynn told WorldNetDaily on Monday that he sees a national trend, via state health department "preventative programs," to limit access to firearms by law-abiding citizens. He added that by using government services and agencies, such anti-gun advocacy could appear more legitimate.

And, he said, figures provided by the Department of Health and the state attorney general's office to the legislature on handguns and other firearms stolen throughout the year are erroneous.

Specifically, a bill currently being considered by the Hawaii legislature regarding the safe storage of firearms said that lawmakers "find that ... on Oahu, an average of 22 handguns are reported stolen each month." Flynn said in his statement that officials with the Honolulu Police Department, who provided him with gun theft data, put the number substantially lower.

The Honolulu Police Department provided WorldNetDaily a copy of an undated report detailing the department's statistics on gun thefts. According to department spokesman Jean Motoyama, who faxed a copy of the report, in 1997 a total of 90 handguns were reported stolen, followed by 20 rifles and four shotguns -- for a total of 114 firearms. In 1998, 124 handguns were reported stolen, followed by 28 rifles and two shotguns. In 1999, the figures fell to 105 handguns, 12 rifles and six shotguns.

In total, police figures for the three-year period show that 319 handguns, 60 rifles and 12 shotguns were stolen, while just six weapons -- all handguns -- were reported as "lost."

Tash would not comment on the disparity in figures, while Flynn pointed to the obvious: The police figures average far less -- fewer than nine handguns per month -- than the numbers indicated in the legislature's safe-storage bill.

"They are off the mark by a low of 112 percent and a high of 277 percent," Flynn said. "It is reasonable to believe an 'error' may exist in amounts less than ten percent, but it is sheer fantasy to believe amounts exceeding twice their true value are anything but intentional fraud."

Again, Tash declined to comment without first seeing the complaint. Also, a state Department of Health spokesperson told WorldNetDaily she was "new on the job" and didn't have much information yet on Flynn's claims. In his complaint, Flynn also alleges that state health department officials are acting in concert with known anti-gun organizations.

For instance, he said, "Tash is identified by Handgun Control, Inc. as its 'state activist,' listing his official state telephone office number for contact purposes." And, he added, the Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition is listed as a grassroots member on the Handgun Control, Inc. website.

In an Aug. 25, 1999, "talking points" memo sent by Handgun Control, Inc. to "state activists," Tash is listed as the "contact" in Hawaii.

The memo instructs activists to say that "states can do more [to] protect children from the dangers of guns." It also advises activists speaking to press members to stress that polls "show ... there is strong support for strengthening gun laws that will help protect children," and urges activists to admonish "communities and legislators to work for laws that will help protect children."

A handwritten note on the copy of the Handgun Control memo provided to WorldNetDaily by Flynn includes this urging: "Note: May form basis of future R.I.C.O claim in court, as there is an interstate connection involved in a legally defined 'conspiracy.' Check w/Steve."

Tash declined to confirm or deny whether he was Hawaii's "state activist" contact, nor whether he believed his position within the Department of Health while simultaneously serving as a member of the Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition was a conflict of interest.

In a separate "talking points" memo put out by the Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition to encourage passage of Hawaii's safe-storage bill, the group claims that "on average, about one gun is reported stolen each day on [the island of] Oahu." Also, the memo says, "up to half of all gun owners do not keep their guns locked up," and "unsecured guns are a primary burglary target."

But according to Honolulu police figures, even during 1998 -- the year depicting the most reported gun thefts -- the total figure for stolen handguns, rifles and shotguns is only 156 -- or about 43 percent of the suggested "one gun stolen per day" talking point listed in the memo.

And, on a meeting attendance sheet for the group, Tash is listed as "chief" of the Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition and an employee of the Hawaii Department of Health. Other state employees listed were Dr. Dan Galanis and Ina Percival. Tash is listed as attending 40 Hawaii Firearms Control Coalition meetings; Galanis and Percival five and one respectively.

Flynn told WorldNetDaily that he was "disheartened" by the alleged collusion.

"Think of all the wasted time and effort that went into this bill with its justification based and founded upon fraud. Think of the shadow cast on the credibility of our legislators with two executive departments' language that prefaced the bill, 'The Legislature finds ...' It's outrageous," he said.

"It would be much easier to just leave Hawaii and move to another state with more reasonable laws," he added, "but I won't do that. This isn't right, what they're doing here."



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