NBC's David Gregory Under Investigation by DC PD

John Canuck · Dec 26, 2012

NBC's David Gregory is under investigation by the Washington, DC Metro Police in connection with his apparent brandishing of "a 30-round magazine purportedly for an AR-15 or similar 'assault rifle'" on Sunday morning's "Meet the Press" program.

This is going to get good. It doesn't happen very often but I'm conflicted.

On one hand, citizen has an inanimate object, which he has the right to possess, and is being investigated for a victimless and fake "crime". I should be outraged that the law makers and police are wasting their time on this nonsense and I should want common sense to be used and that he is not prosecuted.

On the other hand, an anti-gun idiot is in violation of a bad law, which he is arguing in favor of. I should want their version of common sense to be used, and he should be prosecuted and punished. In fact, I'm not even sure why he wouldn't turn himself in and plead guilty for having that scary high capacity assault clip thingy.

C_Carson · Dec 26, 2012

It's a conundrum, isn't it?

I personally lean more towards the non aggression principal, and see it as a victimless crime for which no one should be prosecuted, even this idiot. It sets a precedent that we accept someone being punished for such action, and I can't support that.

Of course, it would be sweet to ride the vicarious gravy train of vindictiveness to see this guy held to the same standard as the rest of us lowly peons. I just can't accept the message it sends, that it's okay to punish someone for something we think shouldn't be a crime simply because we don't like the individual.

John Canuck · Dec 26, 2012

Agreed. I suspect that magazine is nowhere to be found now, and the answer will be, it wasn't a real magazine, so it's all good.

If I were one of those NRA attorneys, I would be tempted to very publicly offer my services to defend the "journalist" from this alleged criminal activity. Hilarity should ensue.

Midnight Raver · Dec 26, 2012

The problem I have with this is that they were warned NOT to do this beforehand. That being said, they blatantly defied the firearms laws of Washington D.C.! They deserve anything and everything that the laws call for. Those idiots could have used pictures to compare the different magazine sizes- Lord knows they are more than plentiful out there.

Turnabout is fair play when you are forewarned and still go against the law- especially on national TV. What a bunch of dumbasses! :twisted:

Tigerstripe · Dec 26, 2012

if anyonr else did it would they get a break?

anyone "regular"?

John Canuck · Dec 26, 2012

The plot thickens.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/12/26/meet-the- ... -magazine/

Now the strongarm division of the Department of Injustice is involved. Apparently the goons at the ATF told them it was fine to have a 30 rounder in DC.

This should get good. I can't wait to see one group of dickheads (ATF) fight it out with another group of dickheads (DC Police).

armaborealis · Dec 27, 2012

We must close the "wealthy elites whose children go to school with the president's kids (under armed guard)" loophole. For the children.

I'd love to see Second Amendment Foundation take up his case. I bet Alan Gura would put up a nice pro bono defense for him.

dreamerofdreams · Dec 27, 2012

I'm not conflicted.

This guy knew what he did was illegal. He did it anyway. On national television.

If you or I had done it, how would we be treated?

I can think that laws are bad and work to change them, but that's not going to get me immunity until they actually are changed. I don't see why this guy should be more special than any of us.

John Canuck · Dec 28, 2012

I don't think he is more or less special than you. In fact, I don't think anyone is special at all, ever. I would make the same argument for you. No victim, no crime. (Even if a small part of me wants to see a high paid lawyer argue against this law to clear this prick of being convicted of the very law the prick is advocting for.)

If this was a veteran who happened to get accidentally caught up in the crappy laws of DC, some of the same people demanding this non-special guy be thrown in jail would be demanding the special guy be shown some respect.

C_Carson · Dec 28, 2012

+1

We should hold everyone to the same standard, whether we like them or not.

dreamerofdreams · Dec 28, 2012

John, of course he's not more special than me. The point is that he is likely to be treated as such - not by you, but by the legal system.

I don't disagree entirely with what you say. And if this guy did it on accident, I'd agree entirely.

But this guy did not accidentally get caught up in DC's gun laws. He did it on purpose. He did it on purpose in an attempt to further abridge our constitutional rights.

Again, I can agree that the law shouldn't be there and work to get it changed, but how is it okay that he can do this and will probably get away scott free while a veteran would be tossed in jail or, at best, face an expensive legal fight?

A lot of the trouble I've run into when talking to people about the second amendment is that they do not understand how many laws are out there. How many people think an AWB could have stopped the Newtown tragedy despite CT already having an AWB? This is a chance to make it clear that these laws already exist. I don't think we need to be sending money to the prosecution or anything, but it needs to be made VERY clear that this IS illegal, and this guy knew it, and isn't it ridiculous that things like this are illegal? And, honestly, if he skates because he's "special," that needs to be made clear to Joe Public as well.

If we do not make use of this, no one will.

John Canuck · Dec 28, 2012

I probably missed it. I recall reading that SOMEONE called the police and/or ATF. Was that someone David Gregory? I thought I read it was "staffers".

Edit to add: Yes I know that law doesn't require a person know they are in violation. I'm not concerned if he knew or didn't.

C_Carson · Dec 28, 2012

He isn't above the law. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what we all think; he'll either get a slap on the wrist or get off scott free. We've got no say in the matter because we aren't the elite.

However, I do think if we DID have any influence on the circumstances, I would prefer to go the jury nullification route. Imagine if we as a society refused to prosecute Gregory for this "crime", and in turn, everyone else who was charged with this non crime was also not prosecuted. We could end stupid laws and go directly to the last chapter of the Prohibition.

Imagine Gregory's rage and indignation that the very law he supported, was NOT supported by the common people, and was in fact repealed by their refusal to obey and prosecute, like good little mindless sheep. It would take the "I'm in control!" right out of his hand.

John Canuck · Dec 28, 2012

I knew if I waited long enough, the NRA and I would agree on something

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/27/nra_pre ... ly_felony/

NRA president David Keene said that he does not believe David Gregory should be prosecuted for using a high-capacity magazine as a prop on ?Meet the Press? on Sunday, or what Keene described as a ?silly felony.?

?There are two lessons for him there,? Keene said. ?One, don?t ask the government what?s legal and what isn?t legal because half the people you ask don?t know. And secondly, that?s a silly felony. It?s a felony in Washington, D.C., to own that magazine or to be caught with a cartridge. So I really think what David Gregory did, while he was inadvertently flouting the law, was illustrated in a very graphic way, perhaps not intentionally, but in a graphic way just how silly some of these laws are.?

dreamerofdreams · Dec 28, 2012

The point, John, is that this needs to be made obvious, by whatever means we have.

Do you think the mainstream media is going to be like "wow, this is a stupid law and should be repealed?"

I don't think so.

I've been seventh stepping my family for the whole holiday now. I've avoided talking directly to my father because he is very, very reluctant to admit when he is wrong. Today. he said to me, "What's this petition against Gregory?"

I explained the facts to him.

He said "Wow, this shouldn't need a petition." THAT is what we can do.

I will also disagree with C_Carson - if this man gets off free (which I see likely) then yes, he is above the law. To be frank, he's already above the law as DC cops have said that if it was anyone else the warrant would already have been issued. And it DOES matter what we think. We have the power to write to out representatives and senators regarding this issue. That is influence. Explaining this situation to those we know in the real world is influence. Do not underestimate it.
Because we are not the elite, we must fight harder to make our voices heard.

John Canuck · May 19, 2013

D.C. dirty tricks in Part II of unfolding David Gregory mystery-drama

And the drama continues.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... ufferbe43c

Tigerstripe · May 19, 2013

if there is a record of being told not to, then he should be just as blatently prosecuited.

John Canuck · May 20, 2013

I'm not sure there is a record of him being told anything. A "producer" emailed the police and was told possession was a crime. He's the gun control guy though, so he should know without having to be told.

Frankly, I think gun owners who might be prone to prosecution in DC get far more mileage out of it this way. The hypocrisy of the government agents in this case may be useful in the future... or it may not. If he had been quickly convicted, nothing would change because of it.