A little background: a few months ago, (former) Mayor Nickels of Seattle pushed forward via EXECUTIVE ORDER (shades of bush) a city ordinance banning firearms from "The places on the ban list include parks, playgrounds, community and environmental learning centers, sports fields and courts, swimming beaches, pools, water play areas, skate parks and golf courses."
he did this DESPITE the fact that the state attorney general said it would be illegal and violative of state law and the state constitution.
state law prohibits any local jurisdiction from usurping firearms rights established by state law.
it's THAT simple.
mayor nickels didn't care. he felt free to BREAK the law because it was for one of his pet causes - gun control.
rule of law mattered not at all.
Robert warden, a local attorney, believing the law to be violative of statre law, challenged it.
he did it THE RIGHT WAY.
he contacted the police and parks personnel and told them he would show up at a local facility and gave the time and place, and that he would be armed. wSEATTLE -- The law has sided with gun rights advocates who took the city of Seattle and former Mayor Greg Nickels to court over the city's gun ban.
When he did so, he was ordered to leave by park personnel/police.
he promptly filed suit.
and WON.
rule of law prevails, and 5 penny despots like nickels are shown that they cannot usurp the law in their little fiefdoms.
seattle residents and guests now enjoy the same civil rights as non-seattle residents.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/84274247.html"King County Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer on Friday ruled in favor of the plaintiffs - the Second Amendment Foundation, the Citizens' Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Washington Arms Collectors, National Rifle Association and five individuals - and declared the city of Seattle's gun ban at public places is in direct violation of Washington state's firearm pre-emption law. In issuing the ruling, Shaffer wrote, "Seattle's Department of Parks and Recreation's Rule/Policy Number P 060-8.14 ("Firearms Rule") violates Washington law and on that basis, is null and void." The city has been ordered to remove all signage banning weapons from public areas within 30 days.
Last June, Nickels issued an order banning guns on city facilities where children are likely to frequent. The places on the ban list include parks, playgrounds, community and environmental learning centers, sports fields and courts, swimming beaches, pools, water play areas, skate parks and golf courses. The plaintiffs' complaint challenged Nickels' executive order, stating "ownership of firearm is a clearly protected right under the United States and Washington Constitutions."
The complaint also cited Washington state Attorney General Rob McKenna, who issued an opinion in response to the city's ban, stating state laws "preempts a city's authority to adopt firearms law or regulations of applications of the general public." SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb called Friday's ruling "a great victory for the rule of law and Washington citizens."
"It is also a victory for the Legislature," Gottlieb said, "because this case affirms the intent of lawmakers in 1983 to prevent cities like Seattle from creating a nightmare patchwork of conflicting and confusing firearms regulations."
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