Althouse: "NBC's David Gregory, the subject of a now-popular police investigation..."

December 26, 2012

"NBC's David Gregory, the subject of a now-popular police investigation..."

Politico's Dylan Byers seems to think the deliberate flouting of D.C. gun laws — committing a crime, knowingly, right there on network TV — is some kind of absurd winger obsession.

91 comments:

Synova said...: He's not the only one.

But you see... because it was in the purpose of promoting bans on high capacity magazines... his heart was pure.; 12/26/12, 5:00 PM
Sorun said...: If they really are investigating, it seems the DC police are taking their sweet time about it.; 12/26/12, 5:01 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Today, the police issued a statement, saying NBC had been told before last Sunday's show that it was “not permissible” to show a high-capacity gun magazine on air.

Doesn't this setup a conflict between gun laws and the first amendment?; 12/26/12, 5:02 PM
Sofa King said...: Laws are only supposed to be used against bad people. That's how it works, isn't it?; 12/26/12, 5:03 PM
chickelit said...: The thing about Byers (who also supports Piers Morgan apparently) is the utter predictability. Lefty predictability is just as attack-worthy as right wing predictability. No one really likes obviousness. It doesn't help or further the discussion.

Now Althouse on gun rights -- who would have predicted that?; 12/26/12, 5:04 PM
Sofa King said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/26/12, 5:05 PM
Quaestor said...: Of course Dylan Byers is perfectly correct. Laws are only intended to apply to absurd wingers like Wayne LaPierre and the 2nd Amendment freaks he represents. However, David Gregory, by not being a Columbia J-school graduate, occupies a curious middle ground. Since he is not a fully qualified member of the ruling elite his immunity to the statues and ordinances of the District of Columbia is questionable.; 12/26/12, 5:06 PM
Sofa King said...: Lem, yes it would, except the police didn't actually tell them that they couldn't show it on the air, but that they couldn't have it in the studio. The "not permissible" was about possession, not "show on air" - that's Politico's own spin.; 12/26/12, 5:06 PM
SteveR said...: Dylan Byers takes the handoff at the 25 and runs around right end. Irony Alert pushes him out at the 30 but Byers, ignoring the whistles and lack of pursuit, streaks 75 yards into the end zone and spikes the ball over the goal posts.; 12/26/12, 5:09 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: If the press can publish the Pentagon Papers - a subject of transcendent national interest and significance... whats a little gun magazine going to do?; 12/26/12, 5:11 PM
sakredkow said...: Wingers salivating over seeing a hardened criminal like Gregory having to defend himself to the police. That'll show him to mess with our gun rights!; 12/26/12, 5:14 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: The "not permissible" was about possession, not "show on air"

But presumably to "show it on air" you have to have possession... unless you "show it on air" remotely.; 12/26/12, 5:16 PM
Gahrie said...: But presumably to "show it on air" you have to have possession... unless you "show it on air" remotely.

Yeah, because the chances that NBC had stock footage of "assault weapons" and 30 round magazines are so low.....; 12/26/12, 5:17 PM
Hunter said...: @phx

If you see the absurdity of David Gregory going to jail for this, perhaps you can see clear to the absurdity of making instant felons of 99.999% of legal gun owners with some sweeping national ban on rifles/mags/black paint...; 12/26/12, 5:22 PM
chickelit said...: phx said...
Wingers salivating over seeing a hardened criminal like Gregory having to defend himself to the police. That'll show him to mess with our gun rights!

So you think it's nuisance? What was your attitude on the Palin harassment which ultimately led her to resign to avoid persecution?

Rhetorical question.; 12/26/12, 5:24 PM
Carnifex said...: Liberals are always expected to be excused from committing crimes...they "mean well". That's why they can lie, commit voter fraud, and flaunt gun laws with impunity. There is no one except the conservative's to actually call them on it. Sure as hell the press won't.(nor the RINO's); 12/26/12, 5:25 PM
chickelit said...: @Hunter: phx is going to say that such gun magazine owners will be given a time period to comply and also fair market value.; 12/26/12, 5:26 PM
Cedarford said...: I see this playing out in a vague parallel to Deputy AG Wilfred Brimley's ass-whupping in "Absence of Malice".

Prosecutor to a small gathering of NBC lawyers, David Gregory, 3 filthy rich news producers, and a pair of unfortunate flunky gopher and goferettes named Yishak and LaToiletta.

Prosecutor to David Gregory: "What happened"?
"The producer making 900K a year, the one in the middle, just handed it to me to use. I had talked in the middle of the week about how cool it would be to use it as a prop. So I did and handed it to gopher boy Yishak, who is son to some NBC exec in NYC.."

Prosecutor: "So it was never yours and you never brought it into DC and didn't know it was wrong to have as you were calling for possession of such a thing to be a crime when it was already a crime in the jurisdiction you broadcast from....Well, being stupid is no crime and I believe you sir. As a liberal journalist I think you really are that stupid. You can go, Mr Gregory.

The NBC star leaves the room. So do the two wealthy producers Gregory didn't finger, as to the two men's personal lawyers.

Prosecutor: "Now, Mr. Producer, explain to me how the hell this happened!! "

It wasn't my fault. I had some flunky get it, after I told my secretary to sheck and explain that we were not some mere citizen, but NBC itself, needing the assault weapon magazine to wave about in the name of the children.
She said the police still had problems with it, but didn't say specifically we couldn't use it. So I reprimanded her.
But I didn't actually get it, I gave some money to a flunky to get it...Yishak. I never physically touched it."

Prosecutor: "Well, Yishak???"
Yishak: "Look, my Dad knows people and the lawyers say..."
Prosecutor: "You see that man standing behind me? He is a DC Marshall and he has these things in his pocket called subpeonas. And if I tell him to, he will drag your ass down to DC jail right now so you are ready for grand jury testimony and you can wait out the night in a holding cell full of 36 black gang bangers".
Yishak - "Look, I didn't even get it! I went to Virginia but they were all sold out! Went to 6 different stores. Talk to LaToiletta."
Prosecutor: "Well, before I ask you, I have to say your mother picked one doozy out for your 1st name..seems to be a black thing..once met a thug whose momma gave him the Arabic name for unclean animal because it sounded good to her. "
LaToiletta: "Yishak come to me, say he done struck out, offered me 25 to get one to borrow. Got a friend of a friend who knows someone who might be Rasheed, but that not his real name. Anyhow, Rasheed took 20 to buy a bag and tole my friend he better get it back or he shoot my ass."

NBC lawyers: "but, but"

Prosecutor:
"Everybody just shut up. LaToiletta..do you have career plans past being a scut-gurl for those rich suits? Time to start looking, because the lawyers probably already have HR drafting your termination.
Mr. Producer...seems that you are the one that sent that skinny kid Yishak out to be your assault weapons stawman. When he couldn't come up with it, he went to LaToiletta. I do believe I will ask that friendly Marshall to give you one of those subpeona letters and I understand that unlike Yishak the lawyers will block having you spend the night with all them gang-bagers. But you are in a whole heap of trouble."; 12/26/12, 5:27 PM
Known Unknown said...: If they filmed Meet the Press in Texas, this wouldn't be an issue.; 12/26/12, 5:27 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Yeah, because the chances that NBC had stock footage of "assault weapons" and 30 round magazines are so low

Yea but its not the same as holding it, caressing it and then choking it to death... where is the love?

Have you notice The View interviews are always in person never remotely?

Believe me, its not the same.; 12/26/12, 5:27 PM
Sofa King said...: Wingers salivating over seeing a hardened criminal like Gregory having to defend himself to the police. That'll show him to mess with our gun rights!

Gregory evidently salivates over the idea of seeing hardened criminals like the average law-abiding gun owner defend themselves to the authorities. I say, turnabout is fair play.; 12/26/12, 5:31 PM
edutcher said...: I forget which Republican politico (somebody who worked for Nixon, I think) who ran afoul of some obscure regulation and and got into all kinds of trouble and the Lefties thought it was soooo hilarious.

Like the man said, hilarious is a bitch.; 12/26/12, 5:35 PM
David said...: If they prosecute Gregory will claim that his possession of the clip was protected free speech. Lawyers will arrive and much money will be paid. Journalism and press freedom will be said to be in crisis. Gregory will be unrepentant and his kids at Sidwell Friends will be safe behind the legal guns carried by the various protectors ringing the school. No white children will die unexpectedly and therefore the entire thing will be soon forgotten.; 12/26/12, 5:37 PM
Tim said...: "...when he displayed what appeared to be a gun magazine on last week's show. Today, the police issued a statement, saying NBC had been told before last Sunday's show that it was “not permissible” to show a high-capacity gun magazine on air."

Uh, yeah, it's what appeared to be a gun magazine, because, see, you can go to any novelty shop and buy what appeared to be a gun magazine, instead of, you know, actually breaking the applicable law and possessing something against the law for which no one would actually make a fake, what appeared to be a gun magazine.

What fucking weasel Dylan Byers is.; 12/26/12, 5:38 PM
Methadras said...: So let me understand this. Showing essentially what amounts to a plastic or metal curved box or container with a spring inside of it that has no ammunition in it at all, on television constitutes a felony? I'm not a fan of David Gregory at all and find him to be an unmitigated hypocrite of the highest order, in his twisted, one-sided interview with Mr. La Pierre's idea about having armed security or peace officers stationed at schools, while he sends his children to a school that has armed security stationed there. Since when was the D.C. Police department in charge of the 1st amendment on television or is it completely gone now in D.C. at this point? I'd say this is clearly in issue I would litigate and vigorously. Not only does it hamper a news organizations ability to conduct freedom of the press, as much as I detest leftist news reporting, but it clearly hampers a citizens right to even own such a device under any circumstance. Absurd.; 12/26/12, 5:38 PM
Insufficiently Sensitive said...: Said Gregory: So, here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets.

Would such a distinguished member of the MSM simple LIE to his audience? His description is unequivocal.; 12/26/12, 5:41 PM
dbp said...: Maybe on the next show they could demonstrate how to fire-up a crack pipe using real freabase cocaine.

Free speech baby!; 12/26/12, 5:42 PM
Crimso said...: I wonder how many people are in the set comprised of the intersection of the set of people who think Sam Bacile got what he deserved and the set who think pursuing this whole David Gregory nonissue is frivolous.; 12/26/12, 5:42 PM
dbp said...: freebase; 12/26/12, 5:44 PM
Synova said...: "So let me understand this. Showing essentially what amounts to a plastic or metal curved box or container with a spring inside of it that has no ammunition in it at all, on television constitutes a felony?"

Yeah.

Pretty much.

And since Gregory WANTS IT THAT WAY, I think we should just let him have it that way. Fair?; 12/26/12, 5:44 PM
dbp said...: The scene from Pulp Fiction where John Travolta mainlines heroin is pretty compelling, but I want to see how it is really done. For his next act, let's see Gregory shoot-up heroin on live TV!

Free speech!; 12/26/12, 5:47 PM
McTriumph said...: Everyone that touched that contraband in the building at NBC studios should be charged with the felony of possession of a unlawful 30 round magazine. NBC executives should be charged with felonies, David Gregory is their agent.
They should all be accountable, just like law abiding citizens charged with felonies in DC and NYC airports while changing flights. Their crimes being owners of firearms packed in Federally and TSA approved travel gun safes. If you're going to cuff them, cuff Gregory.; 12/26/12, 5:47 PM
bagoh20 said...: Q: What do Gregory and mass murdering gunmen have in common?

A: Both ignore gun control laws to get attention.; 12/26/12, 5:48 PM
Icepick said...: Wingers salivating over seeing a hardened criminal like Gregory having to defend himself to the police. That'll show him to mess with our gun rights!

Don't do the crime if you can't do the crime. He was advocating that possession of such items should be against the law and that those that have them should be thrown in jail to be ass-raped by unpleasantly mean individuals. While doing so he actually violated the law that was already in place. So he should be thrown in jail to spend the next year getting ass-raped by unpleasantly mean individuals. It's what he is advocating!

Perhaps at the end of it he will have an appreciation of blind justice. And also that perhaps the prisons need a different kind of reform that what he probably thinks now.; 12/26/12, 5:49 PM
Humperdink said...: I live within 10 minutes of the New York border. Most of my friends/family have CCW permits from Pa. Taking a concealed weapon into New York, even by mistake, is worth a trip to the pokey.; 12/26/12, 5:51 PM
Chip S. said...: I wonder if some NBC staffer broke some other laws in the process of acquiring this contraband.; 12/26/12, 5:53 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Lets see... Sam Bacile was told it was not permissible for him to use aliases and he still went ahead and did it and wound up in prison... still there.

David Gregory on the other hand... a first amendment cause celebre.

Nice touch Crimso.; 12/26/12, 6:03 PM
Synova said...: In the other thread someone pointed out that having the magazine may be a misdemeanor and not a felony.

In any case, whatever it is, how does the guy advocating for making sure those magazines are illegal get a pass on it?; 12/26/12, 6:18 PM
Hyphenated American said...: "Wingers salivating over seeing a hardened criminal like Gregory having to defend himself to the police. That'll show him to mess with our gun rights!"

What's so special about Gregory that he does not have to follow the DC gun laws he himself supports? Are there are special laws for rich liberals?; 12/26/12, 6:25 PM
Cedarford said...: Crimso said...
I wonder how many people are in the set comprised of the intersection of the set of people who think Sam Bacile got what he deserved and the set who think pursuing this whole David Gregory nonissue is frivolous
===================
I think the set of people that think felon Bacile should not be thrown back in jail for violating his probation's specific terms of release to serve out the rest of his sentence is very, very small. He makes a bad right-wing "Freedom Lover/1st Amendment Hero" martyr, especially given he stated his goal was to incite Muslims to kill and injure Americans.
His well-deserved frog march back to jail to serve the remainder of his felony sentence was hardly frivilous.
In a year, he will be released. Then the scumbag career criminal will be back to new crimes. Pity we cannot deport him to Egypt as an undesirable alien, even if the Brotherhood will kill him within hours of setting foot on the ground.

If you are a hero refugee from persecution - it strongly behooves one not to try to kill and injure his hosts. Nakoula lost any right to stay in America because of his life of victimizing native born Americans.

As for Gregory..the heat will not be on him, but the unhappy little low or no pay gopher flunkyboy or flunkygirl that fetched the magazine. Not on the rich producer that told them to go fetch for an even richer Gregory who will walk once it is clear he is just a stupid man who reads news the writers and producers feed him off a TelePrompter.; 12/26/12, 6:27 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: The petition to deport Piers Morgan has reached 77,777.

Its perfect.; 12/26/12, 6:29 PM
Gahrie said...: Showing essentially what amounts to a plastic or metal curved box or container with a spring inside of it that has no ammunition in it at all, on television constitutes a felony?

Close. In certain parts of the country, including the studios where MTP is shot, possessing a plastic or metal curved box or container with a spring inside of it that has no ammunition in it at all, on television constitutes a felony.; 12/26/12, 6:30 PM
Hyphenated American said...: "He makes a bad right-wing "Freedom Lover/1st Amendment Hero" martyr, especially given he stated his goal was to incite Muslims to kill and injure Americans..... - it strongly behooves one not to try to kill and injure his hosts."

I don't see any evidence that he tried to kill Americans, nor that he said that his goal was to kill Americans.

"Not on the rich producer that told them to go fetch for an even richer Gregory who will walk once it is clear he is just a stupid man who reads news the writers and producers feed him off a TelePrompter."

Gregory may be stupid - but he was shown in possession of illegal magazine. He should go to jail.; 12/26/12, 6:32 PM
alwaysfiredup said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/26/12, 6:32 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/26/12, 6:35 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Are we sick to death of the hack prog-dem media and their hypocrisy?; 12/26/12, 6:41 PM
Cedarford said...: H-A ..."I don't see any evidence that he tried to kill Americans, nor that he said that his goal was to kill Americans."

The idiot gave an interview before he got lawyered up when he claimed he was an Israeli funded by Jews there and in America, and his personal goal was to show what animals Muslims are by using the Prophet defamation to anger them to the point where they would kill and injure Americans.

(Note to right-wingers - just because Obama whacked a traitor US citizen in Yemen who had also incited Muslims to kill or injure Americans (Maj. Nidal Hasan was a disciple) and didn't cry and personally intercede when authorities booted the scumbag Nakoula back in jail...does not mean as right-wingers you must hold al-Awalki and Nakoula as Martyrs of the Sacred Parchment); 12/26/12, 6:49 PM
Hyphenated American said...: "The idiot gave an interview before he got lawyered up when he claimed he was an Israeli funded by Jews there and in America, and his personal goal was to show what animals Muslims are by using the Prophet defamation to anger them to the point where they would kill and injure Americans."

Is it possible to see the transcript of this interview, where he said that he wanted moslems to kill Americans?

"does not mean as right-wingers you must hold al-Awalki and Nakoula as Martyrs of the Sacred Parchment"

I don't know any right-wingers who put al-Awlaki as a martyr. I do know that Nakuola did not do anything wrong with his video, and the only reason why he was sent to jail was to appease the fascists.; 12/26/12, 6:54 PM
Alex said...: phx has outed himself as just another rabid left-wing maniac.; 12/26/12, 6:57 PM
Kansas City said...: This is rich.

A "star" of NBC who thinks gun control laws are great and armed security at public schools is unthinkable does the following:
(1) sends his kid to a private school with 11 armed security officers; (2) violates the DC gun control law during the course of the interview; and (3) demmonstrates the absudity of the gun control law. A trifecta tribute to left wing absurdity.; 12/26/12, 6:59 PM
gadfly said...: If stupid laws are written by stupid people, then stupid consequences must stupidly result - unless such stupid laws are not intended for stupid people.; 12/26/12, 7:01 PM
Mark said...: In a sense Byers is correct; it's intuitively obvious that the mere possession of a high-capacity magazine doesn't make a person a danger to society.

The hallmark of liberalism is the need to deny the intuitively obvious when it comes to the unwashed masses.; 12/26/12, 7:02 PM
Cedarford said...: H-A "Not on the rich producer that told them to go fetch for an even richer Gregory who will walk once it is clear he is just a stupid man who reads news the writers and producers feed him off a TelePrompter."

Gregory may be stupid - but he was shown in possession of illegal magazine. He should go to jail.

I don't think you understand the law or how the Big Media works. Touching an ilegal item you do not own, in the company of the person who brought it, does not constitute "possession".

And in the Big Media, a star goyim like David Gregory does not waste his valuable time when he could be at an Embassy soire` white tie affair skulking about gun shops for illegal items to put in his car and bring into DC. Nor is he likely the person that activated the NBC flunky that served as stawman buyer and gopher. That would be a producer who is paid to think...not a stupid WASP prop guy paid even more than the brains at NBC sre just to look good on camera and read the news.

This is how it will play out.....The flunky is fired at the behest of NBC lawyers. The producer that orchestrated the whole thing will resign and promptly be rehired by General Electric to a new producer job in international PR or some other media Immelt now owns for GE. Gregory will walk when it is clear he was just a clueless reader of news, who was just handed a gun clip prop by the 2nd assistant to the involved producer, between her blowjob assignments.; 12/26/12, 7:09 PM
Rabel said...: Kansas City,

Unfortunately, we missed out on the quadrafecta. Which would have been LaPierre pointing out live to Gregory that he was breaking the law. It would have been a classic for our times.; 12/26/12, 7:11 PM
Tyrone Slothrop said...: David Gregory can always get a job at the Journal-News.; 12/26/12, 7:14 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Which would have been LaPierre pointing out live to Gregory that he was breaking the law.

Either there are so many gun laws that its impossible for one man to know them all or LaPierre is just an incompetent mouthpiece.; 12/26/12, 7:17 PM
Fritz said...: Byers/Politico appears to have edited out any reference to right wingers as of about 8:30 EST. Anybody know where to find the original?; 12/26/12, 7:23 PM
Bob R said...: Said it before. Critical Legal Studies was a how-to manual, not a critique. The powerful will use the law to fuck their enemies until they are stopped. Often with guns. With extended magazines.; 12/26/12, 7:25 PM
Gahrie said...: Either there are so many gun laws that its impossible for one man to know them all or LaPierre is just an incompetent mouthpiece.

Actually given that LaPierre works in D.C. (the NRA is based there) incompetency must be assumed.; 12/26/12, 7:33 PM
McTriumph said...: phx
Gregory and his ilk haven't mess with Americans' gun rights, their hair on fire reporting has increased gun ownership. There's been a run on AR-14s and 30 round clips.; 12/26/12, 7:39 PM
YoungHegelian said...: @gahrie,

Actually, NRA headquarters is in Fairfax, VA off of Route 50 & I-66 near Fairfield Mall, not the District.

But it used to be in DC, and LaPierre is close enough that he should know DC's gun laws by heart, so you're point is well-taken.; 12/26/12, 7:41 PM
McTriumph said...: "Actually given that LaPierre works in D.C. (the NRA is based there) incompetency must be assumed."

or maybe he didn't want to acknowledge the magazine or handle it, there by becoming an accomplice to Gregory's FELONY.; 12/26/12, 7:46 PM
McTriumph said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/26/12, 7:46 PM
YoungHegelian said...: @Bob R.

Critical Legal Studies was a how-to manual, not a critique

That's a fascinating idea, Bob. I'd like to see you build a case for it from various lefty authors & write a book on the topic.

I think that you are correct: that CLS's "Esoteric Teaching" (to use a Straussian turn of phrase) is that it's a How-to for how to fuck over the opposition under the cover of Law.; 12/26/12, 7:47 PM
Chef Mojo said...: Actually, the NRA is based in Fairfax, Virginia, outside of DC. There's a very good reason for that.; 12/26/12, 7:58 PM
Kirk Parker said...: Lem,

"But presumably to 'show it on air' you have to have possession... unless you 'show it on air' remotely."

I do believe you're starting to catch on. The First Amendment is not a blanket against any and all criminal conduct, provided only that you intend to talk about or broadcast photographs of, said illegal conduct.

He was perfect free to show photos of illegal-to-possess-in-DC magazines, regardless of where they were taken--heck, even if they were takin in DC of illegal conduct committed by someone else. But that's all.

Meth, McT, Gahrie, and everyone else:

NOT a felony, it's a lowly misdemeanor. 1 year in jail or $1,000 fine.; 12/26/12, 7:58 PM
Kirk Parker said...: And yeah, the ratio between monetary fines and time in jail has not been kept rational... I wonder if the judge would have the discretion to specify one and not the other? 364 days for Mr. Gregory... my schadenfreude would know no bounds.; 12/26/12, 8:00 PM
Methadras said...: Gahrie said...

Close. In certain parts of the country, including the studios where MTP is shot, possessing a plastic or metal curved box or container with a spring inside of it that has no ammunition in it at all, on television constitutes a felony.

Too which I say shouldn't be against the law, that Gregory and NBC should fight vigorously in a court of law to overturn and they should defend him in court if it ever gets there. The idea that an unloaded magazine is a felony is bullshit. However, that being said, do I want to see him prosecuted for it? No. Is he going to get prosecuted for it. No.

This entire issue is an affront to any freedom loving American and the police state of D.C. should be sued into oblivion for even having a law like this passed. I hope it comes up in front of SCOTUS and is brought down hard.; 12/26/12, 8:02 PM
Methadras said...: Gahrie said...

Close. In certain parts of the country, including the studios where MTP is shot, possessing a plastic or metal curved box or container with a spring inside of it that has no ammunition in it at all, on television constitutes a felony.

Too which I say shouldn't be against the law, that Gregory and NBC should fight vigorously in a court of law to overturn and they should defend him in court if it ever gets there. The idea that an unloaded magazine is a felony is bullshit. However, that being said, do I want to see him prosecuted for it? No. Is he going to get prosecuted for it. No.

This entire issue is an affront to any freedom loving American and the police state of D.C. should be sued into oblivion for even having a law like this passed. I hope it comes up in front of SCOTUS and is brought down hard.; 12/26/12, 8:04 PM
garage mahal said...: Actually, the NRA is based in Fairfax, Virginia, outside of DC. There's a very good reason for that.

Quickest way between two points is.......?; 12/26/12, 8:16 PM
Big Mike said...: Today, the police issued a statement, saying NBC had been told before last Sunday's show that it was “not permissible” to show a high-capacity gun magazine on air.

Deliberately flouting a police directive virtually forces the DA's hand I should think. But I agree with Sorun; they're taking their own sweet time about the investigation.; 12/26/12, 8:18 PM
Synova said...: "In a sense Byers is correct; it's intuitively obvious that the mere possession of a high-capacity magazine doesn't make a person a danger to society.

The hallmark of liberalism is the need to deny the intuitively obvious when it comes to the unwashed masses."

I suppose it all depends on if you identify with the unwashed masses or not. "Unwashed masses" = "me" or "not me."

If you think "not me", but you really CARE about the unwashed masses.... you're probably a liberal.; 12/26/12, 8:28 PM
Anonymous said...: Forget it Jake: it's Chinatown.; 12/26/12, 8:41 PM
DADvocate said...: We all know it's OK when a liberal does it, because he means well. Imagine the uproar if LaPierre had held up the clip.; 12/26/12, 8:45 PM
DADvocate said...: Actually given that LaPierre works in D.C. (the NRA is based there) incompetency must be assumed.

Since LaPierre doesn't work in D.C. and the NFA is not located in D.C., who's incompetent now? Perhaps, the person making a false claim.; 12/26/12, 8:50 PM
Mark said...: Synova, you are correct. What is commonly called "liberalism" really isn't very Liberal.; 12/26/12, 9:04 PM
I Callahan said...: All moot now. Gregory had "permission":

Got Green Light For Magazine Demo; 12/26/12, 9:04 PM
Kirk Parker said...: ICallahan,

That linked story is nuts. The ATF has a pivotal role in enforcing federal firearms law, alas and alack to us all, but has nothing whatsoever to do with DC law, which is between Congress (with its pathetically misguided attempt at handing of 'self-rule) and DC itself.; 12/26/12, 9:14 PM
Kirk Parker said...: handing off... sorry.; 12/26/12, 9:15 PM
Kansas City said...: Look, it would have been sweet if LaPierre was quick enough on his feet to react to the surpise use of the prop clip, but that is a pretty high standard. I though Lapierre did pretty well. He more than politicians tries to answer the questions. Gregory had a game plan to try to trap him and Lapierre more of less allowed himself to be trapped by Gregory taking LaPierre's line out of context and using it against him - about if it is possible it might save lives, to try it.; 12/26/12, 9:16 PM
Kansas City said...: Guys, the issue is not prosecution of Gregory. It is the absurdity of the gun control law that prohibits Gregory possessing a clip.; 12/26/12, 9:18 PM
McTriumph said...: You mean, between congress jacking off and DC itself.; 12/26/12, 9:19 PM
Anonymous said...: Next, Gregory will illustrate to the unwashed masses the workings of child pornography by showing an unnamed source's illegal collection on network television. It's OK, he's a Journalist.

If the police try to confiscate the materials backstage he can tell them that:
A) he is a reporter,
and
B) he isn't done with his research.; 12/26/12, 9:25 PM
30yearProf said...: Being a Chicago pol, Obama sent one of his servants from BATF over to the DC Police and get the ticket "fixed." Just like any good democrat Ward Captain.; 12/26/12, 9:36 PM
Crimso said...: "I think the set of people that think felon Bacile should not be thrown back in jail for violating his probation's specific terms of release to serve out the rest of his sentence is very, very small."

So you think the first set is very, very large. I would guess that the larger the first set (or the second, or both), the larger the intersection set will likely be. Bacile is no martyr; he broke the law and went back to jail. Gregory apparently broke the law (and a damned serious law, to hear the firearms-control enthusiasts pushing it), but I bet he won't go to jail. I bet he won't even be prosecuted. Some animals are more equal than others.; 12/26/12, 10:18 PM
Jason said...: The most entertaining part of this isn't even Gregory himself. It's that the episode is exposing the rank hypocrisy of all his pro gun control supporters.

It's the best encapsulation of Fen's Law yet: the left really doesn't believe in the bullshit they lecture us about.

If Gregory is not charged then everyone who ever was charged and everyone charged with possession of an illegal mag in the future should file a lawsuit claiming selective enforcement. Let the DA explain to jury after jury and judge after judge just why Gregory is special.

Was it because he's obviously not threatening anyone? Was it because he's otherwise law abiding and it's stupid to charge him? Fix the target, Gregory. Personalize it and freeze it. Make these goddamned libtards state their case themselves. As Saul Alinsky said, make them live up to their own rule book.; 12/27/12, 12:07 AM
Hunter said...: chickelit said...

@Hunter: phx is going to say that such gun magazine owners will be given a time period to comply and also fair market value.

Well, naturally. They're dangerous enough to require outlawing, but it's not like the people who're going to be turning them in are gonna kill anybody in the meantime.; 12/27/12, 2:02 AM
eric_harris_76 said...: Looks to me like an accidental act of civil disobedience. Or would be, if Gregory thought the law was stupid or unjust or immoral or unenforceable or otherwise needing to be repealed -- rather than the opposite.

As it is, he's just accidentally a poster child for the double-standard of gun opponents, and the media in general.; 12/27/12, 7:44 AM
ken in tx said...: I just ordered a gun magazine from Amazon. It's called 'Gun and Garden'. I don't know if its high capacity or not.; 12/27/12, 9:16 AM
mikee said...: Alinsky has yet to be mentioned in the first 150 or so comments at that website.

Gregory's guilt or innocence regarding his obvious, blatant violation of a serious law should be decided by a jury of his peers before a DC judge.

They can use jury nullification to avoid conviction, but they might have a hard time deciding he was innocent of the charge.; 12/27/12, 12:34 PM
Jerome said...: "Too which I say shouldn't be against the law, that Gregory and NBC should fight vigorously in a court of law to overturn and they should defend him in court if it ever gets there."

Yes, I think it would be instructive for NBC to devote some time and money to making the case that the "law" Mr. Gregory "violated" is null and void because it is contrary to the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.

NBC is in the entertainment business, and that would be really entertaining.; 12/27/12, 6:05 PM