Gov. Cuomo to Hollywood: We’ll Provide an Exemption From Our Strict New Gun Laws Just For You

In the wake of the Newtown massacre, New York became the first state to pass new control laws. Gov. Cuomo wanted to do something—and quickly. So, one month after the tragedy in Connecticut, New Yorkers found their Second Amendment rights further constrained by a slew of new laws. But as the saying goes, haste makes waste. First they forgot to exempt law enforcement from their new ban on high-capacity magazines, and now, Cuomo realized he forgot about his Hollywood friends. The state is seeking to provide a special exemption to ensure “movie and TV producers can stage running gun battles on Manhattan streets.” Why, you ask?

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Movie and TV productions have long been courted by New York and other states with tax breaks in exchange for the jobs and glamour of the industry. Hollywood is also a major campaign fundraising stop for New York politicians.

“We spend a lot of money in the state bringing movie production here, post-production here, so obviously we would want to facilitate that,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who wants to expand the film and TV tax credit.

He said movies and TV may use fake guns that wouldn’t be subject to the new law but the industry wants “certainty.” The revised law would allow them to use real weapons without real ammunition.

“There’s no reason not to make a change like that to give an industry comfort, especially when it’s an industry we want to do business in the state,” the governor said.

First of all, Hollywood elites are being lured with tax breaks, yet it’s precisely these individuals and their progressive friends who continue to extol the virtues of higher taxes, as John Hanlon discussed in his feature on the issue in Townhall Magazine.

Secondly, it’s nice to know that Cuomo wants to go out of his way to give the industry comfort as they produce more violence-laden films. Don’t forget, media violence was one of the other topics discussed in the “national conversation” that unfolded in the wake of the Newtown tragedy, which somehow fell by the wayside in favor of more gun legislation.

And finally, what about considering an exception for law-abiding New Yorkers? My colleague Erika Johnsen over at Hot Air weighs in:

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Gee, I don’t suppose that next they’ll consider an exemption for law-abiding New Yorkers who want to use firearms for self-defense, perhaps? Oh no, never — because Hollywood’s motives are certainly well-intentioned, while 99.99 percent of gun owners, well… we just can’t be sure, can we?

About that last point—looks like the gun control debate in New York isn’t over yet:

The Buffalo-based attorney who is spear-heading a lawsuit against Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent gun laws said that Wednesday was “monumental,” as a State Supreme Court Justice issued an order requiring New York State to show good cause that the law is constitutional.

New York State has until April 29 to respond or else an injunction will be issued.

 

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