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A lawsuit filed in federal court in the Eastern District last week contends that New York City has been unfairly dragging its feet when processing gun permits, causing unconstitutional delays in filing the paperwork. Residents contend the delays extend far beyond the six-month state deadline to process gun ownership applications; one applicant says he hasn’t heard back from the city in over a year. Vickie Paladino is a New York City Councilwoman (R-19) whose constituents have approached her about the unfairness being woven into the process of gun ownership in the five boroughs. She appeared on 710 WOR’s Mendte in the Morning program to explain why she is backing the lawsuit for her constituents.
Paladino told host Larry Mendte why she is standing up for the Second Amendment at this place and time: “So now because of my constituents and them pushing this, I have decided- well, this attorney approached me- and we decided, look, this is their Constitutional right. It is your right to bear arms, correct? So, it’s not optional. New York City does not get the option to pick and choose which amendments matter and which should be ignored… Can you imagine a law enforcement officer, retired, has got to go through this process to renew their conceal and carry permit? Since when?”
Paladino also supported her own First Amendment rights, as she vented about any possible friction between her and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who only appointed Paladino to two committees this year over anti-Muslim comments: “Have no fear, because Vickie Paladino can still go to any committee she chooses to go to. This is not going to hold me back in any way, shape or form from attending criminal justice, public safety, education, mental health, much in the same way I’ve done in my first two years because I have the time to do it.”
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