Although two pistol-packing bills state representative Tony Cornish (R-Tombstone) promises to introduce in the Minnesota House have zero chance of becoming law, the retired lawman tells the Mankato Free Press that Public Safety Committee chair Michael Paymar has agreed to hear the bills.
So much for cutting waste by small-government conservatives, but the hearings should achieve Cornish's general agenda: headlines for Tony Cornish.
Free Press staff writer Mark Fischenich reports in Talk of tightening gun laws results in rush to buy guns:
For all the demand by gun enthusiasts, public opinion polls show that most Americans support more restrictions on gun sales -- particularly the military-style weapons and the high-capacity clips. Cornish said he holds a "more guns, less crime" philosophy and believes gun control proposals would be counterproductive.
So he will be pushing forward with legislation to allow teachers -- and probably other staff -- to carry concealed weapons even if a school's principal or other school administrators don't approve. Teachers, presuming they meet all other state requirements for carrying a weapon, would only need to inform school administrators. Current law requires permission from the administrators before a teacher can bring a weapon to school.
Originally, Cornish had simply proposed letting teachers with permits carry--until it was discovered that state law already allowed the practice, so long as the teacher obtains an administrator's permission. Now, they'll just have to give notice.
But that's not all! Cornish will bring guns out of the parking lot and into the halls of ivy:
Cornish will also be making another attempt to require public colleges to allow students to carry handguns on campus if they have the applicable permits. He said Public Safety Committee Chairman Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, promised him a hearing on both bills later this month.
Cornish doesn't expect either bill to pass the DFL-controlled Legislature (nor does he expect stricter gun-control legislation to be approved), but pushing the legislation will give him time to present his case for a more-guns approach to reducing gun violence. And he wants an opposing voice to be heard when Paymar presents his gun-control proposals.
"What I hope to accomplish is anti-venom for these bills Michael Paymar is going to bring up," Cornish said.
It's not as if he won't have a say as minority lead on the committee when those bills are heard, but leading the news is a lot less likely. The bills aren't in the hopper yet.
Cartoon: Anti-Venom. Cornish is Eddie Brooks to Representative Paymar's Peter Parker. Or whatever.
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When he was back in high school, this publicity hound would have been at the front of the line attempting to steal a teacher's gun.
Posted by: T Pa or Coffee | Jan 17, 2013 at 09:57 PM
Speaking of guns in school, it seems that a charter school in Michigan followed Lapierre's and Cornish's advice and hired an armed guard -- who on his first day on the job left his handgun in a student bathroom:
http://news.firedoglake.com/2013/01/18/new-armed-guard-leaves-gun-in-student-bathroom/
Oooops.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Jan 18, 2013 at 11:17 PM