MAIG -- Using NYC's money and servers?

[Spats McGee]

Here's an interesting article that I found: http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/06/ma...-illegal-guns/

There are similar articles here: http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2013/0...sing-city.html and here: http://ace.mu.nu/archives/341105.php

If the articles are accurate, NYC actually footed the bill for registering the domain for Mayors Against Illegal Guns. What's more, (& again, if the articles are accurate), the site is actually hosted on NYC's servers.

ETA: If the articles are accurate, I wonder just how much information and documents I could get under NY's FOI/open records laws, if they're spending public money and using gov't servers to host?

[Jim March]

Same way I fought the "Commie Mommies" on exactly the same issue:

http://www.ninehundred.net/~equalccw/commiemommies.html

File an FOIA (actually, an equivalent request under state law) against the city or state IT department on how much they've spent for those sites.

[JimmyR]

This link is from CBS (sorry, but slightly more reputable than an clearly partisan blog (whether I agree with it or not), and includes comments from Bloomberg staffers. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-...nment-servers/

ETA: my favorite quote:

Originally Posted by John McCarthy, Bloomberg Spokesman

The activities of the mayors' group "are in the interest of keeping New York City safe," John McCarthy, a spokesman for Bloomberg, told Politico. "He is acting in his capacity as mayor of New York City."

[Al Norris]

Early this morning, I had posted, over at the NY Firearms site, that someone needs to look into charges of misappropriation of public funds. This afternoon, I was over at MDShooters when I noticed YATOB (Yet Another Thread On Bloomberg). The SAF is thinking along the same lines I thought of this morning.

SAF Press Release :: SAF ASKS FOR ALL BLOOMBERG-MAIG RECORDS FROM NYC AFTER REVELATIONS

This ought to be interesting!

[HarrySchell]

Bloomie is a sad individual, and has no issues with rank hypocrisy.

If he has some ethics, he has reimbursed the city.

The silence from MAIG and Bloomberg indicates something may be amiss. The Little Big Man may have let his ego run away with him.

Like doing touch and goes at a helipad on a weekend, from which all other traffic is banned at the same time to leave the nearby residents in quiet. He flew multiple approaches and takeoffs, was caught on camera. Poor little man, had to apologize and promise to observe the laws of the city.

[kilimanjaro]

Reimbursal is the first thing that should happen. Second is reprimands and discipline for any public employees who allowed, sanctioned, or tacitly approved misappropriation of public funds and property, and thirdly, punitive fines and sanctions against MAIG and the Mayor.

[Al Norris]

How about multiple felony charges for misappropriation of public funds?

Whether or not Bloomberg pays back the monies is irrelevant.

[Spats McGee]

The fun part (for me) is that the use of public monies and systems might open MAIG up to FOI requests.

[CowTowner]

Seems to me the whole thing could be considered "fun".
We have Billionaire Mayor Bloomberg apparently using public resources for personal means. The potential of criminal and civil prosecution against said mayor. Possible FOI requests into his MAIG business.
I'd call this a "hot time on a Saturday night" darn near.

[Ed Bernay]

The thing I always wondered about was if there is any family connection between NYC's Commissioner for the Department of Consumer Affairs...Jonathan Mintz and the James B Mintz Group, the firm used by Bloomberg in its sting of southern gun dealers. Jonathan Mintz is the husband of John Feinblatt, Bloomberg's anti 2nd amendment advisor.

If there was some family connection, using NYC funds to pay a family members business for Bloomberg's pet project would seem like a conflict of interest to me. I'm not saying this is the case. In all likelihood, its just a coincidence in names but it was something I always wondered about.

[Al Norris]

Already a done deal, Spats! From the press release I referenced above:

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today has filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request with the City of New York for all records relating to Michael Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns, after newspaper allegations that city resources have been used for MAIG’s gun control efforts.

SAF is being joined in the request by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and Tom Gresham, host of the nationally-syndicated “Gun Talk.”

And just what does this FIOL request consist of? Again, from the press release:

The request was filed by SAF Special Projects Director Philip Watson, for the following information:

1. All electronic records related to Mayors Against Illegal Guns and the website MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org, including, but not limited to:

a. All electronic files saved on city servers
b. All Emails to or from users at the domain MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org
c. All current and former employees, officials, outside contractors, and volunteers with access to the website MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org
d. All current and former Email users and usernames that have had access to send or receive Email from @MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org

2. Any and all records related to Mayors Against Illegal Guns electronic files, including, but not limited to:

a. Emails
b. Any written documents
c. Any records describing processes for cooperation with this group
d. Any records describing how received communications with this group are processed
e. All employee pay or overtime related to cooperation or time spent with this group
f. Official names, titles, and contact information of all employees, officials, outside contractors, and volunteers involved with domain hosting, creation, maintenance, and communication for MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org
g. All costs incurred by the City of New York for creation, maintenance, domain hosting, and communication for MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org

3. Any and all records of communication since January 1, 2002 between any city official, employee, or volunteer and any gun control advocacy organization, including, but not limited to:

a. Mayors Against Illegal Guns
b. Demand A Plan
c. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
d. Center for Gun Policy and Research
e. Ceasefire
f. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
g. Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
h. Joyce Foundation
i. Violence Policy Center
j. Legal Community Against Violence
k. Million Mom March

That's quite a bit of info....

[Spats McGee]

Yeah, I saw the SAF announcement that you put up. I'll bet that's gonna be some interesting reading!

[Ed Bernay]

As much as I love the idea of this FOIA, it will go nowhere. The city will deny the request claiming some law enforcement exemption BS, it will go to court and a sympathetic NYC judge will uphold the denial of the info.

Kinda like the judge that let Bloomberg off the hook for his sting operation because no firearms were actually transferred...even though lying on Form 4473 is a crime regardless if the firearm is transferred or not.

[Spats McGee]

I'm not so sure about a "law enforcement exemption" since MAIG is (as far as I know) not a law-enforcement agency.