NY Governor Vetoes Knife Rights Bill

Published under creative commons

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo isn’t a fan of people having the means to defend themselves. At all. Not only is he a major proponent of gun control there in the Empire State, but he’s also done everything he could to kill pro-knife legislation in the state, legislation that appears to have bipartisan support.

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has AGAIN vetoed Knife Rights’ Gravity Knife and Switchblade Reform Bill, once again effectively giving the finger to New York’s legislature that overwhelmingly passed the bill that specifically addressed Cuomo’s concerns with last year’s bill. Despite valiant last-minute efforts by bill sponsor Assemblyman Dan Quart to come up with a workable compromise, the Governor simply would not sign a clean bill.

Cuomo once again turned his back on the large coalition of organizations, many part of his own constituency, which supported the bill. Despite the thousands who called and emailed the Governor to sign the bill, and thanks very much for those who did so, he again sided with the disingenuous arguments made by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., virtually the only ones who opposed the bill. In vetoing this bill he has once again doomed thousands more to arrest and prosecution for carrying common pocket knives that won’t get someone arrested virtually anywhere except in New York City.

This second veto clearly reveals the lie of Cuomo’s avowed commitment to criminal justice reform in New York. Knife Rights will continue to work on a legislative fix that protects knife owners, retailers and manufacturers. Meanwhile, Knife Rights’ federal civil rights lawsuit that is currently on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is fully briefed and will continue. That lawsuit contends that New York’s unique “wrist flick” test used to determine if a knife is an illegal gravity knife is unconstitutionally vague.

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Yet despite this concern, Cuomo has vetoed a bill with broad support. Why?

Well, the simple answer appears to be that he doesn’t like the idea of an armed citizenry, even if those weapons are simple knives.

Knives that don’t open quickly are useless for personal defense. Hell, some people argue that if you have to open it at all, it’s useless for personal defense for that matter, though not everyone feels that way. New York’s current law appears to be focused primarily on knives that could be useful for personal defense rather than anything else.

Cuomo’s previous veto was predicated on problems with the bill, but those were addressed, yet he vetoed again. The only reason I can see is that he simply doesn’t think the citizens of New York can be trusted with sharp objects.

That’s right, New Yorkers. Your governor is treating you like children in a kindergarten. Next thing you know, he’ll want a law banning one from running while holding scissors or mishandling paste.

With this in mind, is it any wonder he’s so anti-gun? If you can’t be trusted with sharp objects, why would he trust anyone with firearms?

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