Attorney General Rich Cordray affirms he would not support 'assault weapons' ban

By Chad D. Baus

Democrat Attorney General Richard Cordray, who was recently criticized by a potential 2010 Republican contender, Prosecutor Dave Yost, for not signing on when twenty-three other attorneys general sent a letter asking the federal government in a letter to not re-impose the so-called assault weapons ban, has been quoted in an interview at RightOhio.com as saying he would not support such a ban.

The statement came as part of a larger discussion on Cordray's views on the Second Amendment, and other unrelated issues.

From the interview with RightOhio's Matt Naugle:

MN: I have read mixed things about your approach to our 2nd Amendment freedoms, which are also reinforced in Ohio’s constitution. Is gun ownership an individual right or a collective right? You have supported the Brady bill, so have you had a chance of heart?

RC: Well, that was a number of years ago.

But it is an individual right, and it goes back to Hobbes and Locke, as I said. It is the right of self-preservation and the right to security in the home and for your family. The US Supreme Court confronted that issue two years ago in the Heller case and determined, I think correctly, that it is an individual right. But that case only involved the District of Columbia, so now there are further cases, as you probably know, that are coming up through the courts to determine whether that right will be incorporated against the states. There was a recent decision by the 2nd Circuit in the Northeast, and the 7th Circuit in the Midwest. And most recently in the 7th Circuit case, which is being appealed to the United State Supreme Court, we joined a brief authored by the state of Texas arguing that this is an individual right which should be incorporated. That is maybe the most significant issue pending right now in the 2nd Amendment area.

MN: So you would not support an Assault Weapons ban?

RC: Correct.

MN: So, just how strongly do you support this right?

RC: It is a strong right, affirmed in the US and Ohio constitutions. We also, you may be aware, that Ohio has some statewide laws which have been challenged in courts throughout Ohio by cities with local ordinances seeking to deviate from the uniform state law. We are defending the uniform state law against those ordinances, and those cases are proceeding now- a number of those- as well.

So the action in state government right now is on those two matters. There is also an issue in my office that there were some agents who had been armed by my elected predecessor and disarmed by my immediate predecessor. We reviewed that situation, and decided that we would arm them. Once again, those are the areas where I have been involved in (with the gun issue) since becoming Attorney General.

Cordray also recently announced to listeners on Buckeye Firearms Foundation's radio program, Firearms Forum, that he would sign a brief being prepared by the State of Texas in support of the Second Amendment applying to the states.

Meanwhile, one of the Republicans who is seeking to oppose Cordray next November - anti-gun former Senator Mike DeWine - took time at his campaign announcement event to try and convince voters he is a convert.

From the Toledo Blade:

Mr. DeWine angered some with his votes on gun issues and by joining with U.S. Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) and Democrats in the "Gang of 14" that helped resolve a stalemate over confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court justices.

"I would ask to be judged by the totality of my work," Mr. DeWine said. "... I wrote a bill as state senator to say that, if you use a gun in the commission of a felony, we're going to add additional time to your sentence."

He said he understands where Ohioans stand on the gun issue and pledged to uphold allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns. "It has worked, and it has worked well," he said. "The fears expressed in the past turned out not to be true."

Promises that he would simply do his job aside, DeWine did not renounce his 2006 Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (formerly Handgun Control Inc.) endorsement, his support for the Clinton Gun Ban, his support for closing the mythical "gun show loophole", or the many other gun control schemes he is on record as supporting.

In his 2006 senatorial re-election bid, Mr. DeWine was defeated by a decisive 56-44 percent margin. He is opposed in the GOP primary by a strong pro-gun advocate, Delaware Co. Prosecutor Dave Yost.

Chad Baus is a Member of the Fulton County, OH Republican Central Committee and the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.