As has been reported many places on the Internet, David Gregory broke District of Columbia law regarding the possession of magazines with greater than 10 round capacity.
It seems that NBC asked the Metropolitan Police Department if they could use that 30 round magazine in the Meet the Press segment. They were told it was not permissible before the show.
A post on Arfcom has an email the Metropolitian Police Department has been sending out in response to people who have asked about the legality of Gregory’s actions.
“From: “DC Police (imailagent)”
Subject: Email from DC Police (Intranet Quorum IMA00519327)
Date: December 24, 2012 4:13:12 PM EST
To: (OODA_Loop)
The Metropolitan Police Department is in receipt of your e-mail
regarding David Gregory segment on “Meet the Press.” MPD has received
numerous e-mails informing us of the segment. NBC contacted MPD
inquiring if they could utilize a high capacity magazine for their
segment. NBC was informed that possession of a high capacity magazines
is not permissible and their request was denied. This matter is
currently being investigated. Thank you for taking the time to bring
this matter to our attention.
Customer Service – Metropolitan Police Department”
Now it remains to be seen whether the DC police has the spine to charge Gregory with violating the law. I’m not going to hold my breath over that.
UPDATE: This story and the news of the active investigation by the MPD has expanded outside the gun blogosphere. Breitbart had a story on it this morning and reported that Chief Cathy Lanier has confirmed there is an active investigation.
The legal blogs Legal Insurrection and Althouse have both picked up the story. Professor Althouse asks what is there to investigate as Gregory asserted on camera that it was a 30 round magazine. She continues:
Either he violated the criminal law or he lied. He certainly expected us
to believe he held in his hand what he said he held. What made him
think he could do that (or appear to do that)? He must think the law
doesn’t apply to him, or he wouldn’t even pretend to break it.
I think we can all agree that David Gregory doesn’t think the law applies to him. Thus, the importance of continuing to push this. As a comment to an earlier post on Legal Insurrection which called for investigating the investigators and inquiring of the inquisitors pointed out:
Exactly so, Professor … and that kind of thing is actually an
application of Alinsky’s Rule(s) for Radicals Number Four, which states:
“Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. ‘You can kill
them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the
Christian church can live up to Christianity.’ ”
There are 30 round magazines all over DC. The city and federal protective service agents use them.
The politician said, "10 rounds or less for thee, but not for me."
I guess a friendly newsman is an honorary politician.
Or it was Airsoft…
Eck!
Possible that they took out the spring, follower or otherwise disabled the magazine. Probable that there is no one in the DC media establishment other than Stephen Hunter who would have any idea how to do this. I imagine there has been some frantic Googling and YouTubing to see how to disassemble a USGI 30rd magazine at NBC News HQ.
Disabled or not, the object is still illegal in Washington, D.C.
Can we invest in a boycott of NBC news for breaking local laws, designed to prevent the events of Newtown, CT. They are almost right there with the NRA in their callous indifference to law and order.