Caught on video: Anti-gun Columbus Mayor Coleman comes unhinged

by Chad D. Baus

As many of our readers are aware, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman has consistently worked against the Second Amendment and the Constitution during his long term as mayor. The Ohio chairman of the anti-gun group Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), Coleman and his city council enacted an unenforceable assault weapons ban in 2005, which caused the NRA to pull plans to hold their annual meetings in the city in 2007, which would likely have poured upwards of $25 million dollars into the Ohio economy. Coleman also drove the Ohio Gun Collectors Association out of town with unreasonable demands he put upon the association and its vendors.

Now, on the eve of his latest re-election bid, Coleman has been caught on tape exhibiting exactly how fanatical he is in opposition to the Second Amendment.

In the video, taken by BFA-endorsed Columbus city council candidate Mark Noble and posted on YouTube, Coleman claims "gangsters" are going to gun shows to buy guns without a background check. But according to the most recent federal study, a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) report on "Firearms Use by Offenders," only 0.7% of U.S. "crime guns" came from gun shows, with repeat offenders even less likely than first-timers to buy guns from any retail source.

The truth is, Coleman is using the issue to distract from the fact that his administration has failed in its obligation to detect and prosecute illegal gun purchases and thefts.

In the video, Coleman also rants about the recent passage of Ohio's restaurant carry legislation, shouting "somebody help me!"

This isn't the first time Coleman has suggested allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns would cause problems. On April 8, 2004, Coleman staged a press conference next to a jungle gym, lamenting the fact that the city was unable to protect children by posting signs banning concealed handgun license-holders. Coleman called Ohio's concealed carry law "a travesty for our city and for our state."

His opinion clearly hasn't changed since then. In the video, he talks about his position on gun control.

"I'm passionate about this," he said. "Too many guns. Too available," Coleman shouted.

After claiming he's not against the Second Amendment, he continued, "But you don't need an Uzi to shoot deer on Broad and High. You use a Uzi to shoot people!

"Now, having said that, we also need a, a, uh, automatic, uh, anti-automatic, uh, Uzi-type...what's it called now?" (audience member responds off camera) "...Assault weapon, assault weapon. Used to have that. But what's happenin' is, what police are pickin' up now are guns that people use in battle...in Iraq...in Afghanistan."

Coleman then pointed at Noble's camera and said, "I know you're takin' that for somebody. You gonna prob'ly use it for the NRA. That's ok."

The outcome of Coleman's re-election bid will be decided on November 8.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.