-Caveat Lector- > Victim opposes new gun limits > > By Bill McAllister > Denver Post Washington Bureau > > Sept. 16 - WASHINGTON - Opponents of > post-Columbine gun-control measures rolled out a new > star Wednesday in their fight against proposed legislation. > Rick Castaldo and son Richard - a wounded Columbine > High student - appeared at a Capitol Hill news > conference where Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman > Orrin Hatch denounced the Clinton administration for > failing to enforce existing gun laws. > > "Passing any law will not stop any criminal from getting a > gun if he knows the violation won't be prosecuted,'' Rick > Castaldo told reporters. > > His teenage son was shot several times during the April > 20 rampage and remains paralyzed from the chest down. > > Hatch, seeking the GOP presidential nomination, released > a committee staff report that said federal gun prosecutions > dropped from 7,048 in 1992 under thenPresident George > Bush to 3,807 last year. > > In Colorado, however, U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland, a > recent Clinton appointee, has launched a new crackdown > on gun violations. He said federal agents have identified > 26 Coloradans who falsified gun-buying applications this > year and turned the cases over to Strickland's office for > prosecution. That compares with just two cases in the > past two years. > > After Wednesday's press conference, Richard Castaldo > relaxed at his father's Virginia home - Rick also owns a > house in Denver - and stated his own opposition to further > gun control. > > "I don't think they should pass any more (gun laws),'' > Richard said. "At least, not as much as they're talking > about.'' > > The Castaldos may visit Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, > R-Colo., today before heading home Friday. > > Rick Castaldo said he appeared at the press conference > after writing to Hatch to say Columbine's legacy should > not be new gun laws. > > "I'm not an NRA member, and I'm not a gun owner,'' he > said. "I don't have an ax to grind.'' > > His position differs from that of other Columbine victims' > families. Tom Mauser, father of slain student Daniel > Mauser, for instance, has lobbied both state and federal > officials for tighter gun laws. > > At Wednesday's press conference, Hatch said the Justice > Department should crack down on gun crimes and > designate one prosecutor in each U.S. attorney's office to > focus exclusively on firearms offenses. > > Hatch and Sen. Jeff Sessions, RAla., also criticized the > Clinton administration for not prosecuting more felons > who illegally try to buy guns. While computerized > background checks stopped 100,000 people from buying > guns illegally during the system's first seven months, > only 200 of those cases were referred to prosecutors, they > said. But Strickland said his office is > "extremely focused on putting the word out that people > who try to lie and buy (weapons) are going to be subject > to going to prison.'' > > He also said Denver police recently formed a "gun unit'' > to work with federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and > Firearms agents, and Strickland has reassigned several > prosecutors to focus on gun cases. > > Staff writers Kevin Simpson, Mike McPhee and Sean Kelley > contributed to this report. > > Copyright 1999 The Denver Post. All rights reserved. This > material may not > be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. > DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
