OFCC on television Sunday & Monday

Ohioans For Concealed Carry's Central Ohio Coordinator, Steve Grimes, appeared on The Ohio News Network's Capitol Square program over the weekend (ONN Channel Guide). Many have remarked that Steve Grimes did well and made his point by citing facts, statistics, and the law.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for a complete recap.

Others on the show include John Gilcrest, a lawyer representing the Ohio Chiefs of Police, Laura Bischoff from the Dayton Daily News, and Bill Cohen from National Public Radio and statenews.org.

Apparently Mr. Gilcrest has not received the memo from The National Association of Chiefs of Police.

Unlike Gilcrest's organization, who is opposing concealed carry reform based on rhetoric straight from the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, the National Association found that a significant majority (pdf) of police chiefs across this country feel that law-abiding citizens should be permitted to purchase firearms for sport or defense. Almost 70% indicated they feel concealed carry laws lead to reduced rates of violent crime.

Despite Mr. Gilcrest's seeming lack of moral inhibition against making false statements, multiple observers report that he was "visibly agitated" when confronted with evidence that 68% of the nation's chiefs of police (whom he claims to represent) believe citizen use of arms prevents crime He also was taken aback when Steve read examples of the statements made by law enforcement officials who, while initially against CCW, had changed their mind and were now in support of CCW after seeing success in their states.

Gilcrest is clearly incapable of making a meaningful argument in opposition
against concealed carry, which is why he resports to blatant falsehoods. It is obvious from comments on the show that he doesn't know Ohio law very well, or perhaps more likely, he just doesn't have any respect for the parts he doesn't agree with.

Another observer closed his observations of the show with the statement that Gilcrest "had absolutely no response to truths, and he had a really hard time telling any."