Jennifer Granholm: Anti-self-defense Governor forced to sign bills because of tight upcoming election
Opinion polls and facing a tight re-election battle force Michigan Democratic Governor Granholm to sign self-defense bills, but I can only imagine what will happen if she wins re-election and no longer has to worry about re-election, I assume that she will presumably revert back to her normal behavior on guns.
Armed citizens who shoot in self-defense would gain legal protection from civil lawsuits and criminal charges under six bills signed Thursday by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. The bill-signings produced barbs between Granholm and a Republican senator who backed the bills.
The legislation, promoted by gun-rights activists, clarifies when a person can use deadly force in self-defense during break-ins, carjackings and other potentially violent crimes -- even in incidents away from the person's home. Local prosecutors still could bring criminal charges if they believe someone was wrongly shot in the name of self-defense. But convictions will be very difficult, said Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, a leading advocate for the new laws.
"This gives the homeowner and people who use firearms to protect themselves an added measure of security against the criminal element," Cropsey said. While Cropsey praised Granholm for signing the bills, he accused her of acting out of election-year politics rather than personal support.
"Her natural constituency is the antigun crowd," he said of Granholm. "She knows the polling data supporting this is so high, she'd be nuts to veto it." . . .
When Granholm was state attorney general, I had a quasi debate with her at a conference on guns put on by Wayne State University, and it was very clear that she felt very strongly in favor of gun control. She was very strongly against the then proposed concealed handgun law, though it is possible that she has learned that the law worked out much better than she believed and I know that she claims that to be the case. Given my brief interaction with her, I have my strong doubts about that. It is my recollection that
Thanks to Matthew Ledyard for sending this to me.
The legislation, promoted by gun-rights activists, clarifies when a person can use deadly force in self-defense during break-ins, carjackings and other potentially violent crimes -- even in incidents away from the person's home. Local prosecutors still could bring criminal charges if they believe someone was wrongly shot in the name of self-defense. But convictions will be very difficult, said Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, a leading advocate for the new laws.
"This gives the homeowner and people who use firearms to protect themselves an added measure of security against the criminal element," Cropsey said. While Cropsey praised Granholm for signing the bills, he accused her of acting out of election-year politics rather than personal support.
"Her natural constituency is the antigun crowd," he said of Granholm. "She knows the polling data supporting this is so high, she'd be nuts to veto it." . . .
When Granholm was state attorney general, I had a quasi debate with her at a conference on guns put on by Wayne State University, and it was very clear that she felt very strongly in favor of gun control. She was very strongly against the then proposed concealed handgun law, though it is possible that she has learned that the law worked out much better than she believed and I know that she claims that to be the case. Given my brief interaction with her, I have my strong doubts about that. It is my recollection that
Thanks to Matthew Ledyard for sending this to me.
posted by John Lott at 7:14 PM
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