Alphecca

DC Congressional Seat Tied To Gun Rights

Clever move by Republicans. From the Washington Post:

Republicans yesterday derailed a vote on a bill giving the District its first full seat in the House of Representatives by trying to tie the legislation to a drastic weakening of the city's gun-control laws.

The surprise development came as the Democratic-dominated House appeared on the verge of passing the measure. Many D.C. vote activists had gathered at the Capitol for what they hoped would be a historic day -- the first time in nearly 30 years the chamber would vote to give the District a full-fledged House representative.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and Rep. Thomas M. Davis III are sponsors of the bill, which would add two House seats.

But as more than three hours of debate drew to a close, Rep. Lamar S. Smith (R-Tex.) proposed sending the bill back to committee with additional language gutting the city's gun restrictions.

Democrats retreated, fearing that conservative, pro-gun members of their party could be tempted to side with Republicans. The majority party postponed further action to give voting-rights backers time to regroup.

[...]

Smith's efforts were the latest in a history of Republican maneuvers to repeal the District's gun restrictions, widely viewed as among the strictest in the country. Congress has considered such measures several times since 1999 but has yet to overturn the D.C. law. They have been opposed by the city's political leaders.

The language trumpeting the rights of gun owners comes at a time when the D.C. law is threatened on another front: A federal appellate court recently ruled that the law illegally bars residents from having handguns in homes. D.C. officials say they will appeal.

Smith's language would bar any attempt by the D.C. mayor or council to outlaw guns permitted under federal law. It would repeal the city's ban on semiautomatic rifles and remove criminal penalties for possessing unregistered guns.

Still, if this is the first move by DC residents towards eventual statehood, then the residents themselves deserve the full range of rights enjoyed by citizens of the other 50 states -- well, most of them, anyway -- such as the right to keep and bear arms as specified in the Bill of Rights.