Kucinich packed heat after 1978 Mafia death plot

[oberliner]

Cleveland Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who is drafting legislation to ban civilian ownership of handguns, kept a pistol in his house after police learned of a Mafia plot to kill him during his tumultous stint as Cleveland's mayor during the 1970s.

Now seeking the presidency, Kucinich was among five Democratic candidates who admitted during a Thursday night presidential debate that they'd kept guns in their houses during their adulthoods. The other gun-toting Democrats were former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

"Shotgun, not pistol," Biden volunteered during the MSNBC-sponsored debate in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Kucinich spokesman Andy Juniewicz said the congressman kept a pistol at home long ago, after police learned that a Mafia hitman had planned to shoot Kucinich as he marched in an October 1978 parade. Kucinich ended up missing the parade because he was hospitalized with an ulcer, but police feared subsequent murder attempts so they recommended that he keep a gun in the house, Juniewicz said.

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2007/04/kucinich_packed_heat_after_197.html

[cyclezealot]

1. stick your neck out against the large corporate interests

you might need to fear for your life. Little doubtful of the comment about banning private ownership. Believe it when I see it. Of course, that is to our likeing, anyway.

[Mojorabbit]

2. Is it true he is drafting legislation

to ban handguns? I am trying to learn everything I can about the candidates.

[loudsue]

3. No.

:kick:

[seriousstan]

6. You are wrong, he wants to ban the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civililian

Kucinich is currently drafting legislation that would . A gun buy-back provision will be included in the bill.

This is posted ON HIS WEBSITE!

[krispos42]

4. I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me either way.

The same people that get very upset over virtually any impediment to the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Amendments, as well as habeus corpus and abortion, all of a sudden turn around regarding the 2nd.

I've noticed personally that they tend to start sounding like Gonzo when he was explaining away habeus corpus and such. "Oh, we're not taking away your rights... you didn't have them in the first place, you see!"

Keep an eye on the "Guns" forum. If he does, it will be discussed (heavily) there.

Keep in mind that a Toledo newspaper editor thinks it would be a jim-dandy idea to do... well, I'll let him explain it:

<snip>

Hunters would be able to deposit their hunting weapons in a centrally located arsenal, heavily guarded, from which they would be able to withdraw them each hunting season upon presentation of a valid hunting license. The weapons would be required to be redeposited at the end of the season on pain of arrest. When hunters submit a request for their weapons, federal, state, and local checks would be made to establish that they had not been convicted of a violent crime since the last time they withdrew their weapons. In the process, arsenal staff would take at least a quick look at each hunter to try to affirm that he was not obviously unhinged.

<snip>

The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty. Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be seized. The owners of weapons found in the searches would be prosecuted: $1,000 and one year in prison for each firearm.

<more>

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070425/OPINION04/704250310/0/OPINION

Sounds an awful like the ghetto sweeps the Nazis would do in Warsaw, if you ask me.

[murloc]

11. holy crap

While I'm all for strict gun control and banning unreasonable guns...

I sure as hell don't want the cops banging down my door to search my house(for something that I don't have anyway).

[seriousstan]

5. Yes it is true...ban the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civilians

Kucinich is currently drafting legislation that would ban the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civilians. A gun buy-back provision will be included in the bill.

This is posted ON HIS WEBSITE!

[Mojorabbit]

8. Damn it

I spent the day at the range having a wonderful time. This really bums me out. I really like the guy but I could not support the legislation mentioned on his website. As a female gun owner I just cannot support this line
"Kucinich is currently drafting legislation that would ban the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civilians. A gun buy-back provision will be included in the bill."

[seriousstan]

9. I do love the buy-back part. I have sold many a cheap made zip gun for profit to them.

[oberliner]

7. Kucinich Offers Comprehensive Plan to Address Violence in America

http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=62819

See the above link from his website for details.

[derby378]

10. I'm sorry - I thought Kucinich wanted to WIN the 2008 primary

If he goes through with this, he might as well be Superman gorging on a kryptonite kolache.