Today, an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel featured a story about a “heated exchange” between Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner related to the tracing of illegal guns.

Key information from the article:

1) Rep. Sensenbrenner, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, voted in favor of a bill to prohibit the ATF from releasing crime gun trace data.

2) Trace data is a powerful law enforcement tool, used to identify trafficking patterns of illegal guns.

3) Mayor Barrett, John Chisholm (head of the Milw. County D.A.’s gun unit), Milwaukee Police Chief Nannette Hegerty, Congresswoman Gwen Moore all believe the having trace data available is essential to combating illegal guns and reducing gun violence.

4) The U.S. Justice Department sent a letter to Congressman Sensenbrenner, stating that concealing trace data would have a “chilling effect” on law enforcement’s efforts to track illegal guns and that it could even risk officer safety.

5) Congressman Sensenbrenner’s response to Mayor Barrett’s efforts to keep this important information available to law enforcement was to call the mayor a “crybaby.”

6) This bill, which would keep the identity of rogue gun dealers hidden, is a top priority of the National Rifle Association.

The bill being referred to is HR 5005, and it will go to the full House for consideration soon.

We Need Your Help!

This is an outrageous piece of legislation, and, frankly, Congressman Sensenbrenner’s support of legislation that will hamper Wisconsin efforts to prevent gun violence is an outrage, as well!

Would you please consider taking 10 or 15 minutes to:

1) Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper

2) Contact your Congressperson to let them know that HR 5005 will have a terrible impact on the people of Wisconsin

Your efforts will make a difference!!

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,
Jeri Bonavia

Posted on Wednesday, September 13th, 2006 at 11:02 am and filed under Policy.