A representative for the Second Amendment Foundation explains why a lawsuit was filed, and what the city needs to do to make up for Michael Cox’s mistakes.
The city of Boston has seen a massive increase in crime as of late, and its police department is doing very little to rectify the matter. In fact, Michael Cox, the Police Commissioner for the city, is making things even worse by delaying the processing of firearms license applications.
Because of this, the Second Amendment Foundation has decided to act. Just before the Labor Day weekend, the group filed a lawsuit against Cox, alongside the Firearms Policy Coalition, Commonwealth Second Amendment and four private citizens, Leslie Good, Kenley Exume, Robert Cox and Rudolph White.
The suit explains that the Police Department’s licensing unit makes gun license applicants “wait for many months before it provides them with appointments” to be fingerprinted in order to complete their applications. The average delay appears to be in excess of six months, which directly delays the commencement of the background check process.
“In 2021 we sued over the delay and the case was ultimately settled at mediation,” recalled SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The wait list was to be eliminated by Oct. 31, 2021. However, this year the Licensing Unit is back to its same old foot dragging, making people wait for months to begin the application process. As a result, we’re back in court to make the department comply with the law.”
“There is no plausible explanation for these delays,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “We can only conclude the commissioner has adopted a policy or instituted a practice of delaying applications for many months, which amounts to deprivation of rights under color of law. We’re hoping the court provides a quick resolution to this practice and stops it cold.”
A representative for the Second Amendment Foundation joins us now to discuss the lawsuit further.
Q&A:
- Why do you think the Boston Police Department and Commissioner Michael Cox are knowingly delaying the processing of firearms license applications?
- Are they really more concerned with having more guns on the streets than trying to maintain control of the rising criminal activity within their city?
- What can Cox and the Boston Police Department do to make this right? Is allowing quicker processing these applications an effective solution, or does more need to be done?
- You’ve often spoke about the benefits of Concealed-Carry when it comes to stopping criminals or “active shooters.” Do you still believe this is a viable solution? Why do you think more people – like, for instance, President Joe Biden – don’t believe in it?
- Where can we learn more about the Second Amendment Foundation and its members?
- Those interested can visit http://www.saf.org/.
Second Amendment Foundation/CCRKBA spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community; a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is the editor at Bearing Arms-dot-com and hosts the popular podcast Cam & Company that focuses on Second Amendment news and information. Cam is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has worked in radio, television, and online media for over two decades. He currently lives on a small farm with his family near Farmville, Virginia, and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001 or geraldmcg@outlook.com.
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