Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Steven Benjamin (D) is boasting about his city council’s decision to ban bump stocks and apply a fine of $500 for anyone caught using one.

The city council passed the ban Tuesday night, and Benjamin had been a vocal proponent of the ban prior to the vote.

According to ABC News, Benjamin argued that bump stocks and similar accessories ought not have protection under law, saying, “There’s no way that Bump Stocks, Trigger cranks and [GAT] cranks should be legal in the United States of America. This is a small step towards trying to make sure there is some common sense in our gun laws.

He made clear his hopes that the city council’s gun control vote will be a trend-setter for other cities and for Congress. He said, “We’re hoping and praying that we can make one small step here that might inform our state legislature to act and make ownership of bump stocks a felony in South Carolina. We hope this inspires other city and states and hope for the federal government to act as well.”

In campaigning for the bump stock ban Benjamin listed no crimes that had been committed with the accessories in Columbia or South Carolina as a whole. Rather, a Hill report suggests his support for the ban revolved around the October 1, 2017, Las Vegas attack. In fact, Benjamin used typical post-Vegas attack hyperbole to rally gun controllers to his side, saying, “The only purpose these devices serve is to circumvent that law multiplying firing rates tenfold to approximately 400-800 rounds per minute and turning a semi-automatic firearm into a mass murder machine.”

Benjamin’s statement completely overlooks the fact that the Vegas gunman could have been more accurate with his shots, therefore more deadly, had he not used the bump stock devices.

Columbia’s bump stock ban allows individuals to keep their bump stocks if they own them, but the accessories must be placed separate from firearms in storage.


http://www.breitbart.com/big-g...ne-bump-stock-usage/

I'd be surprised if he has the authority to dictate like that.

Does that state have any preemption laws?

Meaningless

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
Does that state have any preemption laws?

Was thinking the same thing. Some south Florida politico tried something similar a few years back and the state legislature smacked him and his city big time. This moron in SC is just whoring for attention like most liberals do.

So in effect he's trying to ban physics?

Doesn't matter. Unenforceable and meaningless.

Simply more grandstanding from leftist children.

He’s just trying for something bigger In the political arena I’m sure. Around here though he’s just considered a joke.

I’m sure with the SC political climate this will go away.

I didn’t even realize that this was still an issue. I’m so glad I don’t live anywhere near the city.

quote:

South Carolina Mayor Steven Benjamin

Typical:

http://blacksportsonline.com/h...using-federal-funds/

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
Does that state have any preemption laws?

Why, yes, they do!
The South Carolina Legislature comprehensively preempts local firearm and ammunition laws. South Carolina’s statute provides, in part, that:

No governing body of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the State may enact or promulgate any regulation or ordinance that regulates or attempts to regulate…the transfer, ownership, possession, carrying, or transportation of firearms, ammunition, components of firearms, or any combination of these things.

I'm surprised the city attorney didn't point that out. Or maybe he did, and in their rabid anti-gun fervor they simply ignored it.

I suspect a lawsuit will be forthcoming. Or at least a letter from the South Carolina Attorney General.

Followed by much grandstanding from the mayor about how "even though the ban is no longer legally in effect, it's an important symbolic victory for common sense gun laws, and now the legislators need to make it a priority to protect the children by banning evil gun parts etc. etc. blah blah"

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I'd be surprised if he has the authority to dictate like that.

quote:

From the linked article:
The city council passed the ban...

He or they, then.

Come and take them

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

South Carolina Mayor Steven Benjamin

Typical:

http://blacksportsonline.com/h...using-federal-funds/

Typical, and disappointing. He was not prosecuted.

He has also decreed the sun will go back in the sky one hour. Let's see if he has the authority to make that happen again.

Damn, just as I was getting to enjoy the action in Richland County on Live PD.

Good luck with that.