Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 19 issues

GOTCHA JOURNALISM

Police Investigate NBC's David Gregory for Possible Gun Law Violation

Gregory showed high-capacity magazine, an illegal device in the District of Columbia, on 'Meet the Press'

Next>

by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t +

Image: AP

Here's an ironic twist: Washington D.C. police are investigating whether any gun laws were violated when NBC's David Gregory showed a high-capacity magazine on "Meet the Press" last week to make a point about how more gun control is needed.

It is against the law in the District of Columbia to possess a device that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition -- even if it's not attached to a firearm, CNN reports.

Gregory was interviewing Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the National Rifle Association, following the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn.

"So here's a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets," Gregory said holding up what appeared to be an example of one. "Now isn't it possible that if we got rid of these, if we replaced them and said well, you can only have a magazine that carries five bullets or 10 bullets, isn't it just possible that we could reduce the carnage in a situation like Newtown?"

LaPierre responded that he didn't think a ban like that would make a difference.

Conservative commentators first pointed out the potential code violation after the show aired. About 6,900 people signed an online petition at the White House's We the People site, asking officials to press charges against Gregory.

Via CNN

Like this article? B Vote Up
?

What message does the David Gregory investigation send?

View results

198 Comments (view in Forum)

  • Sonny
    !
    So a few right wingers wanted to go after a reporter for having a high capacity magazine---Yet they "don't want to see such mags. banned elsewhere in this country"...Does any of that make any sense to anyone out there who is NOT an extreme right wing gun nut?!?! I doubt it...LOL---What a bunch of hypocrites !!!
  • seedtick
    !
    Well, just like the rest of us, he is subject to gun laws presently on the books. I share the view that high capacity magazines and clips should be banned for the general public. But, David Gregory thought that he could do as he pleased in order to push for more regulation on guns....and he actually proved that present gun laws work if they are inforced.
  • Sonny
    !
    @seedtick Well I honestly think he was merely trying to make a point, and illustrate just what he was talking about...But the station or program should have had a lawyer check this out first before he did what he did. And/or talk to law enforcement first, or even just show a pic of one of these high cap. mags....He really should have planned it better. But, again, I don't think he intended any wrong-doing...
  • Comment removed for Engagement Etiquette violation. Replies may also be deleted.

  • Load more replies >

  • Heavy-Fed
    !
    I'd like to know where he got it... and how it got to it's location... and every hand it passed through on it's way there. If these people want more gun laws... they should not mind if we enforce the current ones, right?
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    @Heavy-Fed - Gregory did nothing wrong with the clip he showed on air. He's hardly a criminal and probably too soft to hurt a fly. Yet, the very laws that he pushes and support could have him paying a $1K fine. The point that Gregory should get from this is that just because a person has a gun does not mean they are going to murder kids at an elementary school. Guns serve many purposes from recreation to protection to enthusiast, and the right for law abiding citizens to own guns should be protected. Hopefully Gregory comes on TV next Sunday and speaks out against gun control. I doubt it, but he's learning first hand how stupid gun laws are.
  • DrNickels
    !
    @Neo_NtheMatrix
    I agree. Prosecute him for this and enforce the law. Maybe once he has this on his record he might rethink his stance on such gun laws as reduced magazine size.
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    @DrNickels - Exactly. Once liberals really start suffering under the laws they push and promote they will rethink the silly ideas they come up with. Gun laws only disarm the good citizens. The bad citizens will always have guns because they don't obey the law.
  • marine1
    !
    he was told that he would be breaking the law before he did the report. Would that be a premeditated offence? I think so. Also the fact that his station was involved,ie more than two make a conspiracy, would RICO come into play?

  • Load more replies >

  • Comment removed for Engagement Etiquette violation. Replies may also be deleted.
  •
    bambi33
    !
    It seems Mr. Gregory inadvertently demonstrated the fallacy of so-called "gun-control" laws. He showed that pretty much anybody can (and does) easily defeat such ill-conceived laws. The indisputable conclusion is that these civilian disarmament laws operate ONLY against the diligent law-abiding citizens who pose no threat - while having NO effect whatsoever against homicidal lunatics and criminals (or imprudent newscasters with a vendetta). Can you imagine the outcry if it had been Mr. LaPierr who displayed the contraband, instead of Mr. Gregory?
  • mtkopf
    !
    I think it is absolutely ridiculous that the police have to waste time and resources in investigating a journalist about a prop used in an interview. Whether the mag was real or not, the depths to which the right will sink seem endless.
  • DrNickels
    !
    So then it's ok if he violated the law? So would you be so forgiving if say a right leaning pundit or citizen crossed into DC with a couple empty 30 round AR 15 magazines in his car and was arrested by police? I highly doubt you would.

    This guy violated the law and did it while trying to push further gun laws. He just proved a couple things if he violated the law.
    1. He is ignorant of the current gun laws and does not know them enough to even follow them and is spouting off about things he obviously knows little to nothing about.

    2. If a liberal news anchor can get a 30 round banned magazine into DC into a major television station set then obviously the current ban on magazine size doesn't do anything.

    Either way it just shows how idiotic the gun laws are.

    I remember when Rockefeller was one of the major voices for the first assault weapons ban, then we found out he had one for personal use in his DC home, then at the last minute it changed to his Virginia address.
  • mtkopf
    !
    @DrNickels First, you don't know me so don't think you could anticipate my reaction to a "right leaning pundit or citizen" did the same thing. It is pretty arrogant of you to do that!!

    I agree with your statement "the current ban on magazine size doesn't do anything". You are totally 100% correct on that point. There should be a federal ban on those mags with NO GRANDFATHER CLAUSE! If you are caught with one you do 5 years in federal penitentiary.
  • DrNickels
    !
    @mtkopf

    So you are ok with the federal government making retroactive laws that allow the government to steal the property of citizens? Nope I pegged you from the get go.
  • norezen
    !
    @mtkopf Grandfather clause is a pretty tough legal precedent to break. I don't think its ever been done. Here's my theory on why:
    If a law does insist on breaking that clause, the government must make payment for the damages, however ridiculous the claim, to the individuals damaged by the change of law.
    So if they insisted on taking away my semi-auto rifle or my 40 round magazine that I already own, I could claim it cost me twice what I paid for it, then I never got to use it, which is emotional and psychological damages, and my whole gun collection was based on having that one gun, etc etc etc. It would be extremely expensive for the government aka the taxpayer. Think of cash for clunkers on steroids. Then also most gun owners would likely just report their guns stolen and hide them. Because after all, Americans don't like police states.
    But if a police state is what you're after, keep going down this road.
  • norezen
    !
    And another thing I take issue with. You find it ok for people to break the law under certain circumstances.
    As an American, I believe that whenever possible there should be equal protection under the law. That also mean equal prosecution under the law as well.
    If I cannot own a 30 round clip in the District of Columbia, I expect that NO ONE should be allowed to own a 30 round clip in the District of Columbia.
    I find it completely unacceptable that only because someone had a camera on them they could legally possess an otherwise illegal item when I cannot. If that truly was a functional magazine, he, and anyone else who possessed that magazine should be arrested and tried in the court of law, the same way I would be treated if I was caught with such a device.

  • Load more replies >

  • Load more replies >

  • Quantummist
    !
    Such regulations are useless since this shows that even in an area where they are banned you can get HiCap mags if you are willing to break the laws of the state in the first place... Gregory was willing to break the law and acquired a banned items so he should be prosecuted just as other criminals would be if they flaunted the fact that they can readily break the law.. Under Existing Laws this criminal act means that Gregory will never be allowed to have a concealed carry permit or own a gun of any kind because in DC the possession of that mag is a Felony .... Even if he does not have the gun it fits he has committed a Felony....
  • jessejaymes
    !
    Amazingly the far right can see no difference in a guy with a couple of loaded mega clips and a gun under his coat in Times Square bent of destruction and a reporter on a TV set under glaring lights with an unloaded clip, no gun, and dozens of people who know he has the clip. Just amazing. The dumbing down of America marches on.
  • Ashstop
    !
    I disagree with you, it's the far left that doesn't see a difference! That's why they want to ban them for all , not just the guy with it hid under his coat! If it applies to all the way you want then the left should be screaming to press charges on him!!
  • jessejaymes
    !
    @Ashstop Funny how people in America are today. I'm neither far right or far left. I don't vote Dem or GOP. I've spent a lifetime observing both sides and have to come to the conclusion that this nations is dumber than it has ever been. Lazier, more selfish, less willing to compromise on anything. It's like the Sunni and the Shiite Muslims. Not a good guy in the bunch.
  • Quantummist
    !
    @Ashstop .. I think you can see by the replies that the Left think they should be held to different standards than others... There are more Millionaire dem's than repub's.. But it's the Right Rich Guys they hate... Al Gore has a carbon foot print that is larger than 30 regular folks but he is given a pass... Now a leftist commits a felony and they make excuse after excuse... If Rush Limbaugh had showed the mag on a DC TV show they All would be calling for an immediate arrest and prosecution...
  • jessejaymes
    !
    @Quantummist The "liberals" might be calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of rush for doing the same thing but the result would be the same. NOTHING. Both extremist sides are lunatics.
  • Ashstop
    !
    @Quantummist
    Your right, just last night I seen Rosain Barr on TV saying she has always been a socialist, was raised that way, and it is the only fair way... She doesn't apply it to her life though, lets see her redistribute her wealth to less fortunate, she only wants to apply it to everyone else!

  • Load more replies >

  • HPthinker
    !
    It is against the law in the District of Columbia to possess a device that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition -- even if it's not attached to a firearm, CNN reports.

    Thats just silly, except Wash DC has some bad crime problems, maybe they should go after the gang members and not waste time on news casters.
  • truthsayer
    !
    Not to do any Bush bashing or to defend Gregory either. I wonder if anybody remembers the former president making a point by acquiring crack and displaying it on television? Was he or was he not in possession of a controlled substance? I only raise this question to show how subjective the enforcement of laws are.
  • RobertJHarsh
    !
    Meet the Press is just a sham show anyway. I think the entire "investigation" is rigged and staged in advance. Gregory will "pay a fine" or "do community service" or something lame but he'll be "proud" of his conviction and use it to further the anti-gun agenda.
  • CommonSense
    !
    All those pro-gun people calling for him to be charged are hypocrites. They'd probably all love for DC to repeal that law, but they are calling for its use against someone for wanting stricter gun laws.
    It's possible David Gregory could get around this. You can never tell if something on TV is actually real. Maybe this one was photoshopped or some sort of fake magazine? And if it is real and he gets rid of it quickly how would they know?
  • Barack_Blocker
    !
    "And if it is real and he gets rid of it quickly how would they know?"

    That would be tampering with evidence, and is also a crime which he and his accomplices at NBC could and should also be prosecuted for
  • John_Matrix
    !
    They're no more hypocritical than some idiot intentionally violating the very gun control law he claims to support. But I guess breaking the law is ok if it's for "noble" intentions... right?
  • CommonSense
    !
    @Barack_Blocker
    Yes, I wasn't advocating just speculating. It's possible that it was legitimately just a fake prop from the beginning.
  • Barack_Blocker
    !
    @CommonSense It was no prop. I'm somewhat of an expert on this and have watched the clip several times and can tell you that is indeed a real 30 round clip. Just watch the video yourself and even as a non expert, you can hear metal hitting the table as he sets it down -

    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/...

    Not to mention this little tid bit that was conveniently left out of the article by the left-leaning politix staff -

    "A spokeswoman for the department said Wednesday that a representative for NBC inquired ahead of the broadcast about using the high-capacity magazine, which Gregory displayed while interviewing the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association.

    The department spokeswoman, Tisha Gant, said the police told NBC they could not use the magazine, since possessing a large capacity ammunition device is illegal in the District of Columbia."

    You know how the left hates those pesky facts!

  • Load more replies >

  • Barack_Blocker
    !
    Serves that liberal scum bag right, lol! Caught up in his own gun control law, and ignorace for that matter, with his propaganda. Hopefully Mr. Gregory is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law since he is such an adimate gun control law supporter, he should be held to his own standards. But I'm sure he won't face any charges, since Mr. Gregory and NBC ARE such a loyal liberal media Obama leg-humpers...
  • David944
    !
    I am wondering where he obtained the illegal clip. Did he smuggle this into DC himself or did someone who works there bring it from home. According to this he was they were warned not to use it. I hope they prosecute this above the law liberal to the fullest extent of the law.http://www.politico.com/st ory/2012/12/cops-nbc-told-dont -use-gun-clip-85497.html
  • R Load more comments...