State police close list of gun permits
Posted at 7:38 am | Filed Under Firearms, Rants, Uncategorized
Well, friends, it seems the Virginia State Police, under guidance from Attorney General Roert F McDonnell, are stepping in to help prevent the release of compiled concealed weapons holder information.
This comes as a result of Christian Trejbal’s “botched attempt to highlight an open record,” says today’s Roanoke Times. Trejbal’s article a few weeks ago was written under the guise of a “Sunshine Week gift” and was meant to highlight the process of open government. In doing so, Trejbal acquired a compiled list from the Virginia State Police and published it in searchable form on the Roanoke Times’ web site, identifying — and attempting to criminalize, in our opinion — more than 135,000 Virginia holders of concealed handgun permits. Thousands of readers complained, citing privacy concerns. Many readers canceled subscriptions, and others threatened economic pressure. The paper removed the database from its web site the next day.
Delegate Dave Nutter, R-Christiansburg, asked the attorney general for an opinion on whether the State Police acted properly in handing over the information. This morning’s Roanoke Times states that “in a three-page opinion released Friday, McDonnell wrote that state police have ‘discretionary authority’ to release the list — but that doesn’t necessarily mean they should.”
Today’s article states that McDonnell’s opinion only settles the issue for the short term, and that the General Assembly is “expected to take up the issue next year following a study by the states Freedom of Information Advisory Council.”
Meanwhile, the newspaper adamantly states that it had every right to publish the information, citing the First Amendment. Here at Black Cat Research we maintain our opinion that just because the information was public, doesn’t mean it should be compiled and published. There’s just far too much opportunity for misuse/abuse there.
Links:
Today’s article in the Roanoke Times
Bob McDonnell’s official advisory opinion
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