02/28/06 - On February 28, 2006 the City Council of Glendale considered Agenda Item 8.A:
Discussion of prohibiting the possession or sale of firearms and ammunition on city property.
The council had been sent a letter from NRA's Attorney (440K pdf file),
received numerous emails, phone calls and faxes in opposition and heard testimony from
NRA Members' Council volunteers. The council subsequently withdrew the proposed ordinance.
Events started going south for Mayor Rafi Manoukian's
proposal to ban gun shows in Glendale right out of the
starting gate. Upon taking up the issue in front of a crowd consisting
almost entirely of Second Amendment supporters,
City Attorney Steve Howard warned Mayor Manoukian
that the issue of banning gun shows was not yet settled. [Nordyke v. Alameda County]
Najarian quickly voiced strong opposition to the measure.
Following testimony by MC volunteers, Yousefian subsequently came out with a fairly determinative statement supporting a constitutional/individual right to keep and bear arms. Weaver then said "not now, not ever" would he vote for the ordinance.
Having done a "whip count" of
the votes on a Council largely mindful of the rights of
gunowners, it was clear that the measure did not have
the support needed to become law. It was at this
point that Mayor Manoukian withdrew his own proposal.
A strong pro-Second Amendment atmosphere permeated the room.
Glendale News Press reporter Fred Ortega was present.
