Upchuck Schumer Talks Out of Both Sides of His Mouth
Senator Charles "Upchuck" Schumer made the news this week in New York State by pushing for a rule that would allow hunters who donate venison to food pantries to deduct the cost of processing deer into venison to be tax-deductible. He's attempting to curry favor with hunters and downplay his anti-gun record because he's up for reelection in 2010.
But while Upchuck has been doing that, look at what else the Senior Senator from New York City (he does not give a damn about the rest of New York State) has been up to: http://schumer.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=319935
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2009
SCHUMER: GAPING HOLES IN FEDERAL GUN BACKGROUND CHECKS ALLOWED FORT HOOD SHOOTER TO PURCHASE GUN UNNOTICED BY FEDS Current Background Checks Do Not Raise Red Flags When Someone who Has Been the Subject of a Terrorist Inquiry Buys a Gun - Allowed Fort Hood Shooter to Purchase a Gun Unnoticed by Joint Terrorism Task Force
Schumer Calls for Requiring Immediate Notification to JTTF When Someone who Has Been the Subject of a Terrorist Inquiry Buys a Gun
Schumer: We Cannot Let Another Threat Slip Through the Cracks
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the Department of Justice to require that a red flag be raised when someone who has been the subject of a terrorist inquiry attempts to purchase a gun after reports emerged today that the Fort Hood shooting suspect was able to purchase a gun and pass the background check even though the Joint Terrorism Task Force had reviewed certain communications of the suspect related to a terrorist investigation. Presently, the FBI unit responsible for background checks on gun purchases informs the FBI Counterterrorism Division when the gun purchaser is listed in the Terrorist Screening Database; but that watch list is not nearly inclusive of everyone the government may have concerns about.
“The bottom line is a giant red flag should have been raised when Major Hasan tried to buy a gun. We simply cannot allow bureaucratic firewalls to get in the way of tracking potential threats. The FBI and all branches of federal law enforcement have been working around the clock to investigate this tragic incident and I fully support and applaud their efforts, but changing these rules is common sense.”
Below is Schumer's letter to the Attorney General:
November 12, 2009
The Honorable Eric H. Holder Jr. Attorney General United States Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530
Dear Attorney General Holder:
I write today with grave concerns regarding reports that the Fort Hood shooting suspect Major Nidal Malik Hasan was able to pass the required federal background check and purchase a firearm without the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) ever being alerted to his purchase, even though Mr. Hasan had repeatedly contacted a radical Imam suspected of ties to Al Qaeda.
It is my understanding that when an individual is buying a handgun, National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) staff checks with the Terrorist Screening Center for hits in the Terrorist Screening Database. In the case of valid hits – where the purchaser in question is the subject of a preliminary or full terrorism investigation – NICS staff can delay the gun transaction for up to three business days and contact the FBI Counterterrorism Division to determine whether those agents have prohibiting information about the individual that is not yet contained in the automated databases.
In the case of Maj. Hasan, according to the FBI press release issued November 11, 2009, the FBI was aware of Maj. Hasan as part of an unrelated investigation being conducted by the JTTF. Moreover, the press release indicates that Maj. Hasan’s communications to the subject of that investigation were subject to inquiry. Given Maj. Hasan was a subject of a terrorist inquiry by the JTTF I find it shocking that no red flag was raised when he purchased a firearm.
I understand that FBI Director Mueller has ordered a full review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the Fort Hood tragedy and will be actively searching for any polices or practices that should be changed as a result of what we learn. I fully support this effort and stand ready to help should further regulatory authority be required through legislation.
The bottom line is that a red flag should have been raised and the JTTF notified when Major Hasan purchased a gun. I am sure you will agree that we simply cannot allow bureaucratic firewalls to get in the way of tracking potential threats.
Thank you for your consideration and attention to this matter. I know that the FBI and all branches of federal law enforcement have been working around the clock to investigate this tragic incident and I applaud your efforts.
Sincerely.
Charles E. Schumer United States Senator
CC: Director Robert S. Mueller, III, Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
"I am sure you will agree that we simply cannot allow bureaucratic firewalls to get in the way of tracking potential threats."
Translation: Here's a good excuse to use to keep honest citizens from buying firearms legally. Let's use it!
Upchuck can posture all he wants, but the leopard hasn't changed a single spot, his recent foray into pheasant hunting and his advocacy of a tax break for hunters who do something nice for the community notwithstanding. He is still no friend to the honest citizen who owns firearms, and he needs to be voted out of the Senate and booted out of Washington.
New York voters, take note of this man who wants to deprive you of your civil rights!
If the voters of New York reelect Schumer they deserve what they get.
That's the sad part, Windwalker. It's not the voters of New York State, meaning the people who live upstate (which to him starts at the northern Westchester County border) who keep reelecting the bastard. It's the voters of New York CITY. You might notice how I referred to him: "the Senior Senator from New York City."
Quite aside from the urgent need for term limits, something I agree with by the way, the problem in New York State is that the upstate voters are outnumbered by the voters in Sodom-on-Hudson. Even if all the upstate counties were to vote against Upchuck, if the NYC voters go for him he's in. Why else do you suppose the scoundrel spends all his time courting them? Politicians go where the votes and the money are, and in this state that means the Socialist Republic of Bloomberg, aka New York City.
Do you realize that there are half a million millionaires in Manhattan alone? Those are the people who professional politicians know can donate big chunks of cash and get their friends to do the same; the one who can afford to attend the $10,000 a plate fundraisers or buy a table for their company executives at $50,000 a table so they can meet and be photographed with the Great Man.
I worked at a company where the owner and former CEO was a rabid Democrat of the Clintonista stripe and I saw this. After he was caught rigging bids and was forced to "retire," divest his company stock to avoid a trip to Club Fed and then died, we still got faxes and letters from various Democratic committees and candidates who hadn't read his obituary. He was dead and buried, and they still were looking for him to sponsor this or that or donate money to such and such a Democratic candidate. Even sending these yo-yos faxes explaining he was dead, stamping the letters "Return to Sender - Recipient DECEASED" (I was the office manager and really did have a rubber stamp made up that said that), and on the third or so letter from the same bunch, writing "He's DEAD, you idiots!" on the letter alongside the Deceased stamp didn't stop the importuning communications from the NYC Democrats, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Leadership Council, the Democratic Senatorial Committee and heaven knows how many other brands of scumvermin from arriving at the office.
It's to prevent just this kind of thing that the House and the Senate urgently need term limits. But I agree. Unless we can get a third party, the Libertarians maybe, into control of at least one house of Congress and get a bill passed with the effective date say, 8 years ahead, we are still going to have more cases of people like Ted Kennedy dying in office after half a lifetime in the Congress.
We also need to outlaw gerrymandering Congressional districts, but that's a different, though related, problem.
"terrorist inquiry"??? Terrorist by who's definition? I seem to recall that the teabaggers were loosely referred to as potential domestic terrorists as were veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by certain members of the present government.
Cyrano, I too favor term limits for our Senators and Representatives. I apologize for my post for it sounded like I was slamming all the New York voters and I know most of upstate New York doesn't support Schumer. Sorry!
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I support Arizona
Schumer is a smug, arrogant, snide little man. Just look at his history. He has taken a large role in the anti-gun movement with the Brady Campaign, he was part of the investigation into the events at Waco, Texas. He had the nerve to tell an ATF explosive expert that flash bangs were not lethal devices. He has no business in the senate or in government at all. But, because the majority of New Yorkers are just as liberal, he will remain where he is, to the regret of the rest of us.
Fact is, he gets voted in. We only have ourselves to blame. How long did Ted get to be a MA senator? If we can't convince the majority, then we've failed just as much as those who would vote for a critter like that. If we feel strongly enough about taking points to counter those offered by this thingy, we need to be politically active, support the right candidates, or run for office ourselves.
this politico has a long, long history of pandering to the media for any possible 15 second soundbite. When not pandering for his soundbite he is sucking up to the ultra liberal / ultra left wing of the Democrat party.
