‘Mayor Against Illegal Guns’ Charged With Illegal Acts
Another member of the Michael Bloomberg-founded organization Mayors Against Illegal Guns has apparently run afoul of the law.
Monticello, N.Y., Mayor Gordon Jenkins, a Democrat, and another town official were arrested on various charges, including bribery.
On its website, Mayors Against Illegal Guns describes itself as “a bipartisan group of more than 1,000 current and former mayors from nearly every state to fight for common-sense gun laws… that reduce gun violence and save lives.”
Earlier this year, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. mayor John Tkazyik quit the group because he claimed that it was really going after legal firearms.
Reporting on the Jenkins arrest along with that of the building inspector, the Daily Freeman explained that “Both men were charged with bribe receiving, criminal mischief, and two counts of conspiracy, both felonies, as well as misdemeanors of three counts of official misconduct, criminal nuisance, and, under state Environmental Conservation Law, endangering public health or safety. Jenkins was also charged with intimidating a witness, a felony, in connection with an incident in Fallsburg.”
In a separate incident, police arrested the mayor in November 2013 for driving while intoxicated.
Several MAIG mayors have also experienced run-ins with the law, including a Pennsylvania mayor charged in connection with alleged handgun incident. A Florida mayor who appeared in a gun control commercial with Bloomberg was arrested for DUI when he was found asleep behind the wheel at the scene of a car crash. Other elected officials in the group have allegedly been charged with corruption, assaulting a police officer, and child sex crimes.
The former billionaire mayor of New York City and Slurpee foe, Bloomberg has vowed to spend $50 million this year on gun control initiatives as a counterpoint to the National Rifle Association.
As mayor of the Big Apple for 12 years, Michael Bloomberg was surrounded by armed NYPD bodyguards at all times. Given his immense wealth, he likely now has private security traveling with him.
Bloomberg’s anti-gun political action committee just spent $150,000 in attempt to defeat Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke in a primary. Last Tuesday, Clarke, a conservative Democrat and strong gun rights advocate, prevailed against his primary challenger by 53 percent to 47 percent. Outside groups spent a total of about $550,000 in the failed attempt to oust Clarke who is running virtually unopposed in the general election. Clarke received support from the NRA and other pro-gun groups and individuals.
[image credit: Doug Kerr]
